Key takeaways from FB Live session with US Consulate for F1 visa applicants

Good news for Indian students who are starting their academic year in Fall 2021 in US universities- They won't have to miss classes and can now reach their universities in time. Thousands of Student (F1) visa appointment slots will be opened on June 14, as per Don Heflin, Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs during the Facebook Live hosted by the United States (US) Embassy in India and Consulate. These bulk slots will be opened at the same time across all 5 US visa issuing offices at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Students can book appointments to their nearest centre and avoid travel. Additionally students whose appointments have been cancelled in the recent months can now book new slots on June 14. In order to prevent getting locked out of the system due to multiple attempts, students should avoid refreshing slots multiple times. Students should not refresh the slots multiple times but wait patiently as there will be many slots open. Parents who wish to accompany their students will not be granted visas.

Key takeaways from live chat with US Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs Don Heflin.
1. US embassy intends to start intensive two months of interviews starting July 1, 2021.
2. Interview slots would be available starting Monday, 14 June. Keep a close eye on the website to book your appointment.
3. Cancelled appointments from May will not be automatically rescheduled. Candidates need to reapply manually.
4. Parents will not be allowed to accompany students to US on B1/B2 visa to help them settle. Students would need to travel on their own.
5. RTPCR test is required 72 hours before flying. Currently, there is no need to quarantine upon arrival in USA.
6. Type of vaccination the students need to take currently depends entirely on individual schools. They might accept it or might ask you to get vaccinated once you reach campus.
7. Parents who already have B1/B2 visa would need NIE in order to fly. Embassy won't be issuing any NIEs in such cases right now.
8. Dependents(Spouse/family members) planning to travel with F1 visa holders are also exempted under NIE.
9. Electronic i20 provided by schools are accepted by the embassy. Carry a printed copy for the interview.
10. Fully funded students do not need to show financial proofs during Visa interview. If i20 has it mentioned, it is enough.
11. No letter is required from University specifying that the classes will be in person.
12. Avoid booking flights with a stop in Europe as EU nations have strict policies around quarantine.