What Visa Do I Need?
All nonimmigrant foreign visitors are required to have a visa stamp in their passports to enter the United States. A visa is issued by the U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
A visa is an "entry document" and cannot be obtained in the U.S.
International visitors come to the United States for various reasons, and the type of visa you must obtain is defined by U.S. immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your visit. Visa types are classified using an alpha-numeric system.
There are two main visa types for prospective nonimmigrant students:
- The F-1 visa type is the most common visa used by degree-seeking students in the United States.
- The J-1 visa type is generally used for students in short-term educational exchange programs or for international research faculty.
Click on our Applying for Your Visa webpage for more information about the process to apply for a student visa.
Visa expiration date and duration of stay in the United States
The visa's expiration date does not determine the duration of your stay in the U.S. (a visa stamp is an entry document only). Once you are in the U.S., the duration of your stay is determined by the length of your academic program. Your visa must only be valid upon entrance to the U.S.
Transferring from another university to SIUE
- Speak with your current school’s International Student Services office to complete any requirements they have to transfer your SEVIS record to SIUE. Send them your SIUE acceptance letter and provide then with SIUE’s SEVIS school code: CHI214F10600000 and DSO information.
- After you have completed any classes in which you are currently enrolled, your school will be able to transfer your SEVIS record to SIUE. Once this record is transferred to us, the SIUE Graduate and International Admissions office will issue you a “Transfer-In” I-20.
- Arrive on campus in time for the international student orientation, held the week before classes begin each semester.
