Education Advisor and Consular Section host media roundtable on student visas

As part of our ongoing public outreach to explain our visa procedures, the U.S. Embassy invited Ethiopian journalists to a roundtable discussion.  Consular Section Chief Paul Cantrell explained that to qualify for a student visa, a person must demonstrate that he or she is a legitimate student and is able to fund tuition and other expenses associated with studying abroad.  He noted that the number of student visas issues by the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa has been increasing steadily over the past few years. 

Consular Officer Scott Driskel outlined the documents needed for a student visa interview at the Embassy.  These documents included an "I-20" form from the school where the student has applied and been accepted, a SEVIS fee receipt, and the Electronic Visa Application Form found on our Embassy Website (www.ethiopia.usembassy.gov).  Mr. Driskel, who interviews student visa applicants every day, said, "One of the best parts of my job is being able to issue student visas to qualified applicants."

The Embassy's Education Advisor, Yoseph Shiferaw, explained the free education advising services available from his office in the Public Affairs Section.  He emphasized the wide range of educational experiences available in the U.S. and the need to thoroughly research and plan for study abroad.  His office offers research materials, free Internet access for research, and guidance on the school application process.  He also noted that the Embassy has a list of all accredited academic institutions in the U.S. 

Our three colleagues emphasized that the U.S. Embassy offers comprehensive information and advice on studying in the United States free of charge.  Interested parties can make an appointment for educational advising by calling (011) 517-4308.  There are also many online resources about applying for school in the United States and for U.S. student visas.  Several helpful links are listed below.

For an overview of student visa process and Frequently Asked Questions:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html

Instructions about how to apply for your visa from the Embassy’s website:
http://ethiopia.usembassy.gov/how_to_apply_for_niv.html

To pay the required SEVIS fee prior to applying for a student visa:
https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/

To fill out the required Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF):
http://evisaforms.state.gov/

EducationUSA provides a wide range of information about studying in the United States, including educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate study, opportunities for scholars, financial aid, testing, admissions, and much more: http://educationusa.state.gov/

For information about the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS): http://www.ice.gov/sevis/index.htm