The I-20 process

Fill out the Financial Guarantee form

In compliance with the Department of Homeland Security and SEVIS regulations, all international applicants on the F-1 student visa must provide evidence of sufficient funds available for their studies in the U.S. For this purpose, a Financial Guarantee form  must be completed and submitted along with bank statements dated within the past 12 months and signed or wet stamped by an authorized bank or representative, or by a recognized sponsoring agency in the U.S. Please submit your Financial Guarantee form along with your bank statements or sponsor letter from an authorized sponsoring agency. ASU will not be able to process your SEVIS Form I -20 without receipt of your Financial Guarantee.

Please refer to the Financial Guarantee form to determine the amount of funds required for your specific program and campus. You can access the form here .

Students with dependents (e.g., spouse, child) who will be joining them in the U.S. during their time on an F-1 or J-1 visa will need to provide proof of the following additional funds:

Additional financial support needed for dependents:
Spouse – $7,000
Each child – $5,000

Financial Guarantee form 

Financial Document Requirements

To meet ASU’s financial requirements for your I-20 processing, you must provide Financial Documents that meets the following criteria:

Document Requirements:

• All financial documents must be dated within the last 12 months.
• Please include your 10 digit ASU Affiliate ID # on all pages.
• The total available balance across all documents must meet or exceed the amount listed on the Financial Guarantee form< for one academic year (9 months) for tuition and fees and living expenses.
• Ensure that all documents are in English or include a certified translation.
• Incomplete or unclear documentation may delay your I-20 processing so carefully review your documents to ensure they meet all requirements and documents are legible before submission.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: The I-20 tracker on My ASU upload tool only allows the upload of each document type once, so please be sure to have all your financial documents combined together prior to uploading. 

Acceptable Types of Financial Documents:

Bank Statements/Bank Certification/Balance Certificate

• Documents should include the following information:
  • Summary of the balance of the account(s) showing liquid assets only (cash, deposits, certificates of deposit, or savings accounts)
  • Account holder name(s)
  • Date of document issue or of balance
  • Currency of the account(s)
  • Type of account(s)
  • Balance Certificates must also show: bank official’s printed name, title, and original signature, and be issued on bank letterhead with bank official’s signature/stamp.
  • Business account statements must be accompanied by a letter on company letterhead confirming that funds from the account statement are available for student educational purposes. This letter must be signed by a company official with authority over the account.
• Note: the account transaction history is not required and screenshots of bank accounts are not acceptable.

Loan Letters:

• Provide in-principle and sanctioned loan letters that include the terms and conditions of the loan and the agreed loan amount.

Investment Statements:

• Include statements showing liquid assets (accounts that show cash balances only).

Scholarship Letters/Government Funding Letters:

• Letters must be issued by scholarship/Government agency official on letterhead, which includes the following information:
  • Student’s full name
  • Award amount
  • Duration of the award
  • Confirmation that the award is valid for study at ASU
  • The degree and major the scholarship/government funding covers

Note: if a scholarship/government fundings does not cover the full amount required on the Financial Guarantee form, include additional financial documents to cover the remaining amount.

Acceptable government sponsorship agencies include ADNOC, Aramco, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority, Kuwait Cultural Office, Oman Cultural Division, Qatar Airways, Qatar Defense Attaché, Qatar Higher Education Institute, QatarEnergy, RasGas, Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission, Sidra, UAE Cultural Division, and the UAE Scholarship Coordination Office. For more details, refer to the sponsored student section.

Provident Fund Statement:

• A Provident account statement may be used when submitted with a written statement from the financial institution, which verifies the withdrawable amount for educational purposes.

Department Assistantship (RA/TA):

• Provide a copy of your RA/TA offer letter issued by the department to which you have been admitted at Arizona State University.
• Admissions will review your offer letter to determine the total funding provided by your offer as it pertains to the I-20 requirements.
• We are not able to list summer funding on the I-20 document.
• The I-20 document is required to show funding for the first 9 months of your program only.
• Note: if the assistantship does not cover the full amount required for I-20 processing purposes, you must submit additional financial documents

Upload a copy of your passport

You may take a clear photo or scan of the biographic page of your passport and upload it to the link on My ASU. The bio page is the page that shows your picture and personal details. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after your proposed date of entry into the U.S. If it is not valid, the I-20 will not be processed.

Requesting SEVIS Initial or Transfer Form I-20

Document Submission

After being admitted to ASU and submitting your Financial Guarantee form, follow these steps to have your SEVIS Form I-20 created and sent to you:

1. Access My ASU: Log in to My ASU where you will find I-20 tasks listed in your Priority Tasks.
2. Upload Documents: Upload the following items through My ASU:
   • Financial Guarantee Form:
     1. SEVIS Transfer Form I-20: If you are eligible for a SEVIS transfer to ASU, ensure you complete Step 4 with all your SEVIS information.
   • Financial Documents: For example, a bank statement showing sufficient funds.

   • Passport: A clear copy of your passport.

      

Click on each Priority Task item for additional instructions. Allow at least three business days for intake. Once your documents are on file, we aim to review documents within 7-10 business days to ensure completeness and sufficient funding for one academic year. If any issues are found, you will receive an email and updated priority task requesting additional documentation.

SEVIS Transfer Form I-20 ONLY (if applicable)

If you are currently studying in the U.S. on a F-1 visa and are eligible for a SEVIS transfer, you will need to have your SEVIS record transferred to ASU and complete all fields on Step 4 of your Financial Guarantee form including but not limited to the Transfer Release Date.

Note: A Transfer I-20 will be issued only after your Transfer Release Date. If Step 4 on the Financial Guarantee form is missing any information, we will request an updated form to review for a Transfer I-20.

Important Note for All Students

If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before starting your studies at ASU, you will need to re-enter the U.S. with your ASU SEVIS Form I-20. Present the ASU SEVIS Form I-20 at the U.S. Port of Entry.

Contact Information

If you have any questions, please contact the international student advisor at your transfer out school or reach out to ASU:

Admission Services

Address: 1151 S Forest Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85287-0112

Phone: 480-965-2437

Email for Undergrad: [email protected]

Email for Graduate: [email protected]  

Review Your SEVIS Form I-20 or DS-2019

It’s crucial to very carefully review your SEVIS document, as each page contains important information that you need to understand. Here’s what you need to check:

For SEVIS Form I-20 (F-1 Visa)

Page 1: Program and Biographical Information

• SEVIS Identification Number: Located on the top right corner of the first page. You will need this number for your visa application and to pay the SEVIS fee.
• Entry Date: You can enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the report date listed on your form (Item #5). Entering after this date may cause issues with immigration officials at the Port of Entry.
• Student Certification: By signing the Student Certification (Item #11), you confirm that you have read and understood the terms and conditions of your F-1 status.
• Program Name: The I-20 may list a CIP Code/Name, which groups similar programs, rather than the exact name of your program.

Page 2: Instructions

• This page includes important information for maintaining your F-1 status while studying at ASU. Make sure to read and understand these instructions.

Page 3: Travel Authorization

• This page is for future travel authorization. You do not need a signature on this page for your initial entry into the U.S. with your SEVIS Form I-20.

Note: Dependents accompanying an F-1 student in F-2 status must have their own SEVIS Form I-20 issued in their name.

For SEVIS Form DS-2019 (J-1 Visa)

Page 1: Program and Biographical Information

• SEVIS Identification Number: Located on the top right. This number is needed for your visa application and to pay the SEVIS fee.
• Travel Authorization: Includes spaces for future travel authorization. You do not need a signature on this page for your initial entry into the U.S. with your SEVIS Form DS-2019.
• Program Name: The DS-2019 may list a CIP Code/Name, which groups similar programs, rather than the exact name of your program.

Page 2: Instructions

• This page contains important information for maintaining your J-1 status while studying or conducting research at ASU. Be sure to read and follow these instructions.

Note: Dependents accompanying a J-1 student in J-2 status must have their own SEVIS Form DS-2019 issued in their name.

Important Actions

• Verify Accuracy: Ensure all information (e.g., spelling, dates) on your SEVIS Form I-20 or DS-2019 is correct. If you find any mistakes, contact the admissions office immediately to have them corrected.
• Visa Application: You will need your SEVIS Form I-20 or DS-2019, ASU admission notification, Financial Guarantee form, and passport to obtain your student visa at the U.S. consulate nearest to you.

Process SEVIS Form I-901 and payment

Upon receipt of SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, you will have the information needed to pay the SEVIS fee and the SEVIS Form I-901 fee. You must pay the SEVIS fee and have a receipt prior to applying for a student visa.

The SEVIS Form I-901 fee is mandated by the U.S. Congress to support the program office and the automated system that keeps track of students and exchange visitors, and ensures that they maintain their status while in the U.S.