USA student visa documents checklist

At a glance

The checklist

• Original signed Form I-20 from your SEVP-certified US school (each dependent needs their own I-20)
• Form I-901 SEVIS fee receipt showing the US$350 payment
• Form DS-160 confirmation page with the AA barcode that matches your appointment booking
• MRV visa application fee (US$185) payment receipt
• Interview appointment confirmation letter booked through the official India visa service
• Passport valid for travel to the United States with validity at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the US
• One 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) photograph taken within the last six months, meeting the State Department photo format rules
• University admission/offer letter, plus any scholarship, fellowship or assistantship award letter
• Proof of funds: family bank statements, sponsor/affidavit of support documentation, education loan sanction letter, financial aid or scholarship letters, and a letter from an employer showing annual salary
• Academic records: degree certificates, consolidated marksheets and transcripts from all institutions attended
• Standardised test scorecards required by your programme (TOEFL / IELTS / Duolingo / PTE, and GRE / GMAT / SAT where applicable)
• Documents showing strong financial, social and family ties to India that will compel you to return after study; plus a photocopy of the marriage certificate for spouses of principal applicants

The three rules that decide a document

1. Consistency. Your name, date of birth and parents' names must match across passport, certificates and bank papers. A single spelling difference needs an affidavit and weeks.
2. Translation and certification. Anything not in the accepted language usually needs a certified translation, and "certified" has a specific meaning that varies by country.
3. Currency. Bank statements, medicals and police clearances all expire. A document valid when you gathered it may not be when you submit.

Assembling the file

• Start with the documents you do not control — transcripts from an old university, police clearances, attestations.
• Scan everything at the required resolution before you need it.
• Keep originals together; several routes ask to see them at biometrics or interview.
• Make one list of what has an expiry and when, and check it the week you submit.

The most common avoidable refusal in every route is a document that was not asked for being missing — people read the list as exhaustive. It is a minimum; an officer may ask for anything that supports your case.