Hola Antonio

You will be fine, do not worry. I think the most difficult part of this whole process of applying to an LLM program is to get a letter of admission. After that everything else is not as complicated. On the other hand, I have heard that students applying for graduate studies get visas easier that those applying for other types of studies.
So, no problem at all. You will get your visa.
EXITOS
SOFI

Hi guys!
How many pages are there in the I-20? I received 3 of them, and it seems as if the second and the third are not necessary for the embassy interview.
Please correct me if I'm wrong

I'll advice you take the form as was sent to you to the embassy. Pages 1 and 3 are absolutely important because page 3 record any application for job while you are in school. And these Visa Officers at the US Embassy may make an isuue out of any little thing however "slight". Please go to the Embassy with all documents and let them determine which is necessary or not. Is better to err on the side of caution.

thanks

Is there any difference between a 10 yr multiple entry US F1
visa and a 2 yr multiple entry US F1 visa, considering its the date of completion mentioned in the I20 and the D/S (duration of status) put on the I94 card [usually the same as the I20 date] which governs how long a student can remain in the US? So basically if the LLM course is to finish in May 2008 - then even with a 10yr multiple entry F1 visa do u stand to gain in any way or are you in the same position as a person with a 2 yr multiple entry US F1 visa - since both have the D/S expiring at the same time, i.e., the completion of the LLM course??

Can anyone who knows (out of experience or otherwise) clarify?

Thanx :)

My understanding (at least as it applies to the J1) is that you are only legally in the country while your I-20 is current. That also means that if your visa expires while you are in the country you can still remain there provided you have a current I-20. You don't have to leave the country to have your I-20 renewed liked you do with the visa. The downside is that you can't travel out of the country and return to the US without a valid visa.
So to answer your question, a 10-year F1 visa would be beneficial in that you wouldn't have to reapply for another visa should your I-20 get renewed. But, like you said, if your I-20 expires then having a 10-year visa will make no difference as to whether you can stay or not.

Thanks Flygirl

Hi all!
I've discovered that entry to the states is allowed no earlier than 30 days prior to the beginning of the classes...and that if one wants to come earlier he/she has to obtain a tourist visa first and than change the status to a student. Is it really so?
Does the visa state the exact date when the aarival is permitted, which is 30 or less days apart from the beginning of classes.
Tahnk you all!

As you rightly stated, you cannot enter the US until not more than 30 days prior to the course commencement date as stated on your Form I-20. This information is not stated in your visa, but is stated on the US Immigration and Customs visa website as well as part of the condition of grant of a F1 or J1 visa. I hope i ve been helpful.

so there is no specific date in your visa stamp except for the issue date?
who will prohibit me from entering the states then?
the customs officer in the arrival airport? how will he find out the day when classes begin?
this all makes me think that there should be a specific entrance date in the visa stamp

The dates you have on your visa are the issue date and the expiry date. At the US Embassy, they will also hand over a sealed envelop to you marked 'Offical Business'. You are to present it to the immigration officers on your arrival in US. I believe your Form I-20 is enclosed in the envelop and that'e where they'll know your legally arival date (that is 30 days before the commencement of your course).

At the immigration point, the immigration officer will aslo issue a I-94 Form to you and tis will also contain your course commencemet date. So the issue of how to discover you course commencement date does not arise.

I've got my F1 visa... all else above seems fine - but dont know abt this "Official Business" envelope - I didnt get any - my I20 (which was taken from me at the time of the visa interview) was returned stapled to my passport....

The dt of course commencement is stated very clearly in the I20. The immigration officer just has to tk one look at that dt to discover when the course is commencing and to mk sure u are not arriving too early!

do ut hink that if the consul issues a visa prior to these 30 days period, i might be able to enter the states?

Does it matter where you want to enter the US? For instance: you will be attending university in Florida but you want to take a 2-week holiday in LA first

so there is no specific date in your visa stamp except for the issue date?

May be the procedure at the US Embassy in your country is different from mine. I was suprised too when it was handed over to me as non of my friends who had done thier LLM told me anything of sort.

In any event, the point is made that the immnigration officer can easily discover your program commencement date and you cannot enter the US anytime more than 30 days before that date.

Again, your visa issue date can be anytime but not more than 120 days before your program commencement date. It does not have anything to do with when you may enter the US on your student visa. The vital thing is that you cannot lawfully enter the US untill 30 day or less before your program commencement date.

Does it matter where you want to enter the US? For instance: you will be attending university in Florida but you want to take a 2-week holiday in LA first

Im going to spend a week in NY and a week in Winsconsin before i move to Philadelphia (I'm attending Upenn). So have fun!

great
i'm goin' to exchange my airline ticket!
:)

What documents do we need to show (entering the US). Just the international passport with visa = ok ?