Visa Information
After receipt of your immigration documentation from UMD, and payment of the required SEVIS fee (F1/J1 only), you can apply for/renew your visa.
U.S. visa holders who apply for a visa stamp in a country other than their own are called “third country nationals.” Before you travel, be sure to contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate Office in the country to check if you are eligible.
If the U.S. Embassy/Consulate denies your application, you will not be able to enter the U.S. and you will have to return to your home country.
The U.S. Embassy/Consulate may delay your application due to a prolonged background check. If so, you will have to remain in the country during the delay.
If you are thinking of applying as a third country national in Mexico or Canada, contact an ISSS advisor before making travel plans. In general, ISSS does not recommend that third country nationals apply for a U.S. visa in Mexico or Canada.
Visa Delay
There can sometimes be a delay in your F or J visa processing at the U.S. embassy or consulate. This is called administrative processing. If administrative processing is requested by the consulate, your visa will not be issued until the clearance is received from Washington D.C. On average this takes about 60 days, but can take longer. While, there is no way to expedite this process, you may find some guidance under Administrative Processing on the website of the consulate at which you applied for your visa.
Unfortunately, there is typically nothing ISSS or UMD can do to assist during administrative processing. If your visa delay prevents you from entering the U.S. or arriving to campus before your I-20/DS-2019 start date or the start date of classes for a fall or spring semester, you must contact the ISSS pre-arrival student team or your scholar advisor immediately.
If you are not able to arrive by the start date of classes, you may need to take a leave of absence or request admission for a later semester and re-apply for your F or J visa. You must notify ISSS by your entry date on your I-20 or DS2019 if you are able to arrive.
If you need to request a deferral to another semester there are deadlines to request such deferrals. Please check with the office that admitted you to review deadlines. Students who miss deferral deadlines will need to reapply.
If your F or J visa application is denied or refused, you should receive a written reason for the denial from the consular officer. You should contact ISSS immediately with a copy of the denial.
The U.S. Department of State has many reasons why your visa may have been denied. The most common reason that we see for an F or J visa application denial is 214(b)- failure to prove non-immigrant intent (you did not sufficiently prove to the officer that you do not intend to immigrate to the U.S.).
Unfortunately, there is typically nothing ISSS or UMD can do to assist if your visa is denied. You may be eligible to re-apply for your F or J visa, but you may need an updated I-20 or DS-2019. Please review the U.S. Department of State resource page to consider whether you can overcome the denial,
If you are not able to arrive by the start date of classes, you may need to take a leave of absence or request admission for a later semester and re-apply for your F or J visa. You must notify ISSS by your entry date on your I-20 or DS2019 if you are able to arrive.
If your F or J visa is revoked or canceled, it means that your visa is no longer valid for you to enter the U.S. You should receive an email from the U.S. embassy or consulate that issued you the visa, or other written confirmation from a U.S. government agency, but written confirmation is not always guaranteed. You should contact ISSS immediately with a copy of the revocation or cancellation notice. ISSS does not have a way to confirm whether or not your visa has been revoked or canceled.
A US visa can be revoked or canceled by a US Department of State(DOS) consular officer, US department of Homeland Security (DHS) officer, such as by a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent at the US port of entry or by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer.
The most common grounds for visa revocation or cancellation include:
- Visa was fraudulently issued or used in a fraudulent manner
- Suspected immigrant intent
- Suspected unauthorized employment
- Suspected status violation
- No longer qualify for the visa
- Prudential revocation following an arrest in the US for DUI or other crimes
- Cancellation of nonimmigrant visa following adjustment of status
Impact on Status
If your visa is revoked or canceled and you are inside the US otherwise maintaining your status you may remain in the US. However, if your visa is revoked/canceled and you are outside the US or leave the U.S. you will have to apply for a new visa in order to return to the US.
There are many reasons why your visa may have been revoked or canceled. The most common reason that we see for an F or J visa holder is if you have a legal record in the U.S., especially a DUI (driving under the influence), DWI (driving while intoxicated), or domestic abuse/assault. You do not necessarily have to be convicted for your visa to be revoked or canceled
Seeking Legal Counsel
Visa revocations are challenging and case-specific. ISSS suggests seeking advice from an experienced immigration lawyer if you need legal advice about your visa status, travel options, and eligibility for admission to the United States.