Student visas

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 (a spouse and/or 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 

Provide bank statements

The Financial Guarantee form is separate from the financial documentation that you will need to provide. Examples of financial documents valid for I-20 processing are listed below.

Bank statements that show liquid funds (funds that can be immediately accessed and used). These can be one statement covering the entire amount displayed on the financial guarantee form for one year of attendance at the university, or a collection of bank statements from the people listed on the financial guarantee as sponsors. Note that the summary of available balances on these statements will still need to total the amount listed on the financial guarantee form for one year of attendance at the university. These statements need to be dated within the last 12 months. Please note that an Affidavit of Support cannot be used in lieu of a bank statement.

For sponsored students, a sponsor letter produced by a sponsoring agency recognized by ASU stating the applicant’s full name, academic program in ASU, term of the sponsorship and amounts covered by it. Some of the agencies are: ADNOC, ARAMCO, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority, Kuwait Cultural Office, Oman Cultural Division, Qatar Airways, Qatar Defense Attaché, Qatar Higher Education Institute, Qatar Petroleum, RasGas, Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission, Sidra, UAE Cultural Division and the UAE Scholarship Coordination Office. You can read more about this in the sponsored student section.

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.

Request initial SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019

Undergraduate students

Once you are admitted to ASU and submit your financial guarantee, you will need to complete two steps for us to create and send your SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.  The tasks will appear in your Priority Tasks list on My ASU. Upload the following items through My ASU, then request Form 1-20 or Form DS-2019:

• Financial Guarantee form  
• Proof of finances (bank statement)
• Passport

Click on Priority Tasks to notify us if you are in the U.S. and to request the delivery option for your SEVIS Form I-20.

If you are already studying in the U.S. on a SEVIS Form I-20, you will need to have your records transferred to ASU by following the Transfer SEVIS Form I-20 steps (see Step 03 below).

Graduate students

Once you are admitted to a graduate program at ASU, you will see new items on your My ASU Priority Tasks list. The items include:

• Financial Guarantee form
• Proof of finances
• Passport
• “Request I-20” or “Request DS-2019”

When you click on the items in your Priority Tasks, a pop-up box will provide you with additional information and directions for what you need to do.

You will also see two Graduate Admission Services holds, which will be removed only when your SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 is issued.

When you submit your Financial Guarantee form and proof of finances, allow three business days for the items to be processed and removed from your Priority Tasks list. When the documentation has been added to your electronic file, you will be assigned to a student services assistant who will process your SEVIS Form I-20 or DS-2019, and who will contact you if there is a problem. Processing a SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 usually takes three to seven business days.

OR

Request Transfer SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019

Undergraduate students

Print the ASU Undergraduate SEVIS Transfer Request form and submit it to your current school informing your intent to enroll at ASU.

Pick up the new ASU SEVIS Form I-20 in ASU's Office of Undergraduate Admission Services when you arrive at ASU, then report to the International Students and Scholars Office.

If you are going to travel outside the U.S. before your studies at ASU, you will need to re-enter the U.S. with the ASU SEVIS Form I-20. Contact ASU International Admission Services to make arrangements to receive the ASU SEVIS Form I-20 before leaving the U.S. ASU will not mail the SEVIS Form I-20 unless you request it. If you need your SEVIS Form I-20 sent to your home country, ASU can send it through FedEx if you provide a credit card number and expiration date to charge the FedEx fee. Present the ASU SEVIS Form I-20 at the U.S. Port of Entry.

If you have any questions, please contact the international student advisor at the school that you are now attending or contact:

Admission Services
1151 S Forest Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85287-0112
Phone: 480-965-2437
Email: asuinternational@asu.edu

Graduate students

Print the ASU SEVIS Transfer Request form. Fill out the top part of the form and submit it to your current school to inform them of your intent to transfer to ASU. They need to fill out the bottom portion indicating a specific transfer date.

Your SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 will be mailed to you or will be available for pick up according to the information you provided when you submitted the “Request I-20” or “Request DS-2019.”

If you will travel outside the U.S. before your studies at ASU, contact Admission Services at 480-965-6113 or gograd@asu.edu to provide details about your travel plans.

Review SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019

It is important to understand your SEVIS document; each page contains important information that you must read. You must ensure that all information is correct (spelling, dates, etc.). If there are any mistakes, please contact the admission office as soon as possible to have the information corrected. You will need the SEVIS Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, your ASU notification of admission, the Financial Guarantee form and your passport in order to obtain your student visa at the U.S. consulate nearest you.

Understanding the SEVIS Form I-20

The SEVIS Form I-20 is a three-page government document used for students to obtain an F-1 visa.

• Page 1 contains program and biographical information.

  • Your SEVIS Identification Number is on the top right side of the form. You will need this number for your visa application and to pay the SEVIS fee.

  • F-1 students will be permitted to enter the U.S. 30 days prior to their report date, which is No. 5 on their SEVIS Form I-20. Please note that if you enter the U.S. after the report date, you may encounter difficulty with immigration officials at the Port of Entry. By signing the Student Certification No. 11 on the SEVIS Form I-20, you are acknowledging that you have read and understand the terms and conditions of F-1 status.

• Page 2 contains instructions for the school and student. It is important that you read Page 2 of your SEVIS Form I-20, which has important immigration information for maintaining your F-1 status while pursuing your studies as ASU.

• Page 3 contains spaces for future travel authorization. You will not need a signature on this page when you travel to the U.S. using your SEVIS Form I-20 for the first time.

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

Understanding the SEVIS Form DS-2019

The SEVIS Form DS-2019 is a two-page government document used for students and scholars to obtain a J-1 visa.

• Page 1 contains program and biographical information.

  • Your SEVIS Identification Number is on the top right side of the form. You will need this number for your visa application and to pay for the SEVIS fee.

  • This page also contains spaces for future travel authorization. You will not need a signature on this page when you travel to the U.S. using your SEVIS Form DS-2019 for the first time.

• Page 2 contains instructions for the school and student. It is important that you read Page 2 of your SEVIS Form DS-2019, which has important immigration information for maintaining your J-1 status while pursuing your studies at ASU.

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

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.