How Do I Obtain an F-1 Visa in Florida?

You want to come to the United States to study at a school. Perhaps you’re already living in Florida, or that’s where your school is located. Either way, to stay in the U.S. for an extended period of time while you study, you’ll need to get a visa. That’s where the F-1 visa comes into play.

Learn about the F-1 visa and how to get it so that you can enroll in your program and start studying your major of choice.

All About the F-1 Visa

An F-1 visa is a visa that a student will need to get if they are coming to the U.S. to study at a university, college, or primary or secondary school. The student needs to be studying for a degree or diploma, and their program must be approved by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). An F-1 visa is the most common type of visa that international students pursue.

You will stay in the U.S. for the duration of your program. So if you’re getting a two-year degree, you’d stay for two years, and if you’re getting a four-year degree, your F-1 visa would need to be valid for four years.

Once you graduate from your program, you’ll need to go back to your home country within 60 days, unless you become qualified to work in the U.S. You might be able to apply for the Optional Practical Training (OPT), which would allow you to work for up to a year in a job that is related to your diploma or degree. STEM graduates can apply for two additional years after those 12 months are up.

Applying for the F-1 Visa

You’ll first need to apply to a SEVP-approved school in the U.S. and get accepted to a program of study. Once your enrollment is accepted, you’ll be enrolled in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and need to pay the enrollment fee. Your school will give you a Form I-20 to fill out. Once you get the form and register with SEVIS, you’ll have to go to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your home country and then apply for your F-1 visa. Bring the I-20 form with you. When you go to the consulate, if you are between the ages of 14-79, you’ll be interviewed as well.

If your spouse and/or children are coming to the U.S. with you, they will need to enroll in SEVIS and fill out Form I-20s as well and apply for a visa. They will not have to pay the SEVIS fee, though.

To apply for the visa, you’ll need to fill out the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160, and upload a photo.

If you’re confused about any part of this process, you can hire a Florida immigration attorney to help you. They’ll make sure that you are filling out everything properly so that there aren’t any issues, and you’ll be able to freely study – and possibly work – in the U.S. for the next few years. Get in touch with an experienced immigration attorney today.

Contact a Florida Immigration Attorney

Do you have questions about obtaining an F-1 visa in Florida.? Then contact Florida Immigration Law Counsel through our website or by calling 1-800-666-4996. We deal with the government so you don’t have to. We look forward to helping you.

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Attorney Saman Movassaghi, Esq.

Caring and compassionate, Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez is a Florida immigration attorney dedicated to producing the results her clients need. She has over 17 years of experience helping both corporate and individual clients with an emphasis in employment/investment cases and family adjustment cases.

As the Managing Attorney at Florida Immigration Law Counsel, Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez and her team are capable of representing and helping individuals looking to attain a Family VisaWork Visa, and Citizenship/Naturalization. Her experience successfully representing clients in front of the Department of Justice for cases involving Deportation/Removal Proceedings will lead to success in your case.

Her experience and expertise in immigration litigation has led to multiple Avvo awards and other accolades, including the Clients’ Choice for 2017 Immigration Attorney. Her clients also consistently post positive reviews on her Facebook page. Her experience has also allowed her to teach a new generation of lawyers as an adjunct professor of law at Nova Southeastern University, and she also regularly gives speeches on immigration matters.

Counselor Gonzalez is also experienced in helping corporate clients through the process of filing for Employment Visas, Labor Certifications, and Business and Investment Visas with the Department of Labor. She takes on the entire case from start to finish, simplifying the process for her clients and allowing them to focus on their business.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and Farsi – Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez is dedicated to making her clients feel comfortable and assured in making her their go-to immigration attorney in Florida. Her goal is to ensure that those who want to live the American dream have a professional fighting for them and making the process as painless as possible.

Saman’s passion for immigration law stems from her personal life as the daughter of immigrants. Her parents were recipients of the student F1 visa in 1971. Her father came into this country with the goal to improve his life and the life of his children. He earned a PhD in Civil Engineering and Business, instilling in his daughter a strong work ethic that she carries to this day. Saman saw firsthand what it means to be an immigrant and achieve the American Dream.

Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez can personally understand the struggle of immigrants and the children of immigrants navigating through the bureaucratic process of immigration law. Because of this, she dedicates herself fully and provides her personal attention to every case. She prides herself on developing a strong relationship with each and every client, and she is not afraid of pushing the envelope and looking for answers where other attorneys have failed.

Saman Movassaghi makes it her goal to provide you with only the best representation for immigration matters because she believes it’s time for you to live the American dream!