Congratulations again on your acceptance to Pomona! The following page is designed to help you obtain the immigration documents needed to apply for an F-1 or J-1 visa.
For those who already hold an F-1 visa and are transferring from another school in the U.S., please see Transfer Students.
Step 1: Receive your immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019)
F-1 Students: You will receive a Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.”
J-1 Students: You will receive a Form DS-2019, “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status.”
You will need your respective immigration document to:
- Apply for your visa
- Enter the U.S.
- Apply for any changes in your visa status
- Apply for any benefits related to your student status
- Prove your status as a student after your arrival
If there are any issues with your documents, the ISSS Office will contact you directly.
After all your documents have been received and approved, the ISSS Office will be able to create and send your I-20 or DS-2019 electronically. Review the I-20 or DS-2019 to ensure its accuracy, then print and sign the physical copy in the appropriate section.
Step 2: Pay the SEVIS Fee (I-901)
SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) is the government database used to track students and scholars during their stay in the U.S.
You will receive instructions from the ISSS Office with your I-20 on how to pay the SEVIS fee. You will need to present your SEVIS fee receipt when applying for the F-1 visa and when entering the country for the first time.
Step 3: Apply for your visa
Once you receive your immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019) and have your SEVIS fee receipt, you can apply for an F-1/J-1 visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside the United States. We recommend that you apply for a visa in your country of citizenship, since it may take longer to apply in a third country.
The following are general procedures you can expect during your application process. However, the order of these steps and how you should complete them may vary depending on your embassy or consulate.
Visa Application Procedure
1. Review U.S. Visa Reciprocity information for your country
Go to the U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country website. This page provides country specific details about the F-1 or J-1 visa, such as whether you need to pay an additional fee and the length your visa is issued for. Select your country on the left and then choose F or J for visa classification.
2. Read the visa application instructions on your embassy or consulate
As mentioned above, visa application steps may vary depending on which embassy or consulate you apply at. Thus, it’s important to read their individual instructions carefully. A list of U.S. embassies and consulates around the world can be found at the U.S. Embassy's Websites of U.S. Missions and Offices Providing Consular Services directory.
3. Complete the online visa application (Form DS-160)
The Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160) as well as instructions on how to complete the application are available on the Department of State Website.
Note that you will need to submit a photo that meets all Department of State requirements as part of your visa application.
Once you have completed your DS-160, print out the confirmation page to bring to your visa interview appointment. Please also send a copy of your confirmation to the Pomona ISSS Office.
4. Pay your DS-160 fee
Instructions on how to pay this fee can be found on your embassy or consulate’s website.
5. Schedule your visa interview appointment
Currently all students are required to attend an interview at an embassy or consulate to apply for their visa.
Wait times may vary by location, time of year, and category. Setting up your appointment as soon as you receive your immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019) is recommended.
Remember: While it’s recommended to set up an appointment ASAP, check how long your visa would be valid for (see item 1 in this section). You must ensure your visa does not expire before you travel to the United States.
6. Prepare required documents
The documents required for your visa application may depend on your individual situation. Check your individual embassy or consulate’s website for their list of required and/or recommended documents and be prepared to present documents that you think will support the purpose of your visa application. At minimum, you should bring:
- Your passport
- Your signed I-20 or DS-2019 (must be printed and physically signed by you)
- Nonimmigrant visa application (Form DS-160) confirmation page
- SEVIS/I-901 fee receipt
- Visa application fee receipt
- Pomona College acceptance letter
- Financial verification (Pomona financial aid award letter, bank statements, etc.)
- Proof of English language proficiency, if necessary
Important Note about Social Media: As of June 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of State has instructed all visa applicants to set their social media profiles to “public” as part of the visa application process. Be sure to do this before your visa interview.
7. Attend your appointment
Come to the interview well prepared. You must be able to articulate why you picked Pomona College to study and what you plan to do after your program completion.
In addition to the resources on your embassy or consulate’s website, there are a number of resources that you can find online, including the ones below.
Videos from Embassies and Consulates
Other Resources
Step 4: Receive your visa
If your visa appointment is successful and you receive your visa: Congratulations! Inform the Pomona ISSS Office and move forward with preparing for your arrival on campus.
If your visa is denied: There are many reasons why your visa may be denied, such failure to prove non-immigrant intent (i.e. failing to prove to the officer that you don’t intend to immigrate to the U.S.). Check with your embassy or consulate if you’re eligible to reapply and the reapplication steps.
Alternatively, if more information is needed to process your application, your application may go through further processing. In this case, you should follow the consulate’s instructions carefully and promptly.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that Pomona College can do to assist if your visa is denied or delayed. If you will be unable to arrive by the start of international student orientation, let the ISSS Office and the Admissions Office know right away.
Access on E. Bonita Ave., across from Wig Hall