ur guide to studying / working in US with a visa‼️

applying for a visa can be a tedious process w little to no concise instructions… but i gotchu 😉

—> i’ve applied for both F1 (student) and J1 (exchange visitor) visas before. F1 is for those studying in the US, J1 is if u are working / interning in the US but are under a student program. double check what visa u need to get and qualify for!

*these instructions are for J-1 and the form numbers can vary, but the idea is similar ~~

1️⃣ DS-2019

first things first, get a job / internship / student study programme!!

then, ask ur company / school for a DS-2019 form. check that all details, esp ur name and birth date are correct. then, note down ur SEVIS ID (start with N00…) and if u are in J1, ur programme number (start with P followed by some numbers)

2️⃣ pay I-901 fee

go to FMJfee.com and pay ur SEVIS fee. with subsidy, it was $35 for me. input the details i asked u to check in (1).

PRINT THE RECEIPT. u need to present this as proof at ur interview.

3️⃣ start a DS-160

fill in a lengthy application form called DS-160. key in ur country (singapore), capcha then press “start application”

—> NOTE: u can test ur ID photo here, but it’s not v accurate. refer to point (4)

please SAVE this form at every stage 🙏 it locks u out aft 20 min of inactivity HOWEVER i always get locked out even when i’m active?? and it’s so lengthy so SAVE and NOTE DOWN UR APPLICATION NUMBER. (starts w A….) without this number u cannot continue ur application; don’t make my mistake!

4️⃣ take a photo

i mentioned that the photo check in (3) is not v accurate. the dimensions for US photos are different from singapore / other country photos. i highly recommend using a professional photography shop such as FotoHub @ Raffles City ($19 for soft copy + 6 cut photos). DO NOT DO AT THE SELF-TAKING PHOTO BOOTH. the dimensions there are not for the US; u will just waste ur $10.

—> when u arrive there, make sure to take off ur earrings if they are big / noticeable, and wear shirts with sleeves that are NOT white as ur background will be white. ears and eyebrows must be seen.

5️⃣ set up an interview / interview waiver

go to ustraveldocs and find the instructions for singaporeans. they will lead u to a site to check if u qualify for an interview waiver.

u may qualify if:

- u have entered the US w a visa before or ESTA (visa waiver) before;

and are singaporean w no other passport, among other requirements. answer their questions to find out!

whether u qualify or not, u will pay a US$185 (S$259 with 1.40 conversion rate) fee. do an EFT (electronic funds transfer) in SGD with their instructions. (should be account number = 19-digit receipt number, VFS, DBS bank etc).

once done, key in ur receipt number and it should say complete. PRINT THIS PAGE.

—> if it says “error”, do not pay again. it might not go thru on weekends. u can lodge a report on “provide feedback”. then to continue ur app, just press “continue” (or “new app” if continue doesn’t show up) and it should have all the data u filled in previously.

⚠️ if u are re-applying for visa, it will have all ur previous data. but change ur application number to ur new one!! a lot of people forget 😿

6️⃣ interview

if u need to go for interview, bring all ur docs [refer below]. u will be asked questions like are u planning to stay more than necessary? and will u come back when the time comes? exercise good judgement in ur responses.

- when i applied, the next available interview was ~7 days later.

6️⃣ OR: interview waiver

seal all ur documents (eg DS-2019, DS-160, I-901, receipts for ur payments, 2x US visa photos in correct dimensions, proof of hiring / financial sponsorship etc) [double check the full list online pls] and ur passport in an envelope. u can either pay $15.20 to submit to changi or submit to a shop in People's Park Centre for free.

7️⃣ collect ur passport!

10 days after i submitted my forms, i got my passport. i collected it from the same shop in people’s park; u need ur IC and confirmation message / receipt as proof.

OVERALL:

estimated cost: ~S$308

estimated time: 1-2 months

BUT give urself time in case of hiccups eg missing docs / rejected interview waiver. i highly suggest >3 months before.

again pls double check all info above as it varies sometimes^ i hope this helps u tho :)

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