The M1 visa is for students who want to enroll in vocational studies in the United States. Cooking classes, technical courses, mechanical classes, flight school, cosmetology are considered vocational studies.
The M1 does not have a cap so any student who meets the requirements could be granted a visa without any restrictions on the number of people.
Who Can Apply for the M1 Visa?
Not everyone can apply and be eligible for the M1 visa to get a vocational degree. To be allowed to apply for an M1 visa and to qualify for it, these conditions need to be met.
- Be accepted at an SEVP institution. The Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has a list of vocational and non-degree bearing institutions where M1 students are accepted. To be eligible to apply for the M1 visa, you need to apply and get admission to one of these institutions. You might have a list of preferred schools you would like to go to, but before you apply, make sure that they qualify to make you eligible for the M1 visa. After you get accepted, the school will register you into the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and give you a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.
- Have high English proficiency. International students should have a good comprehension of the language. Their English level should be high enough to allow them to understand and speak as required by educational institutions. They should understand lectures and be able to discuss class concepts. English proficiency can be proved by taking a standardized English proficiency test such as the TOEFL or the IELTS.
- Prove strong ties to your home country. You are supposed to go back to your home country after you complete your education. That is why you should prove strong ties through property deeds, apartment lease, a foreign address, and family ties. If you don’t submit enough proof, the US Embassy might reject your visa due to suspicion that you want to stay in the United States permanently.
- Be able to finance your education and stay in the United States. To get the M1 visa you should prove that you can cover your expenses while studying and living in the US. Your I-20 form contains an estimate of the expenses for one year, so you should submit financial documents that prove you have that amount readily available. If your dependents are also joining you in the US, your financial situation should be even better, proving that you can also finance their stay in the country.
M1 Visa Requirements
You should collect the following documents when applying for an M1 visa:
- A valid passport for 6 more months after the expiration of your visa.
- Your DS-160 confirmation page.
- Your visa appointment letter.
- One US Visa photograph.
- Receipts that prove you have paid your fees.
- Your original I-20 form and one copy.
- Proof of your educational qualifications such as:
- Degrees and diplomas.
- Transcripts.
- Standardized test scores, etc.
- Proof of your financial stability, such as:
- Bank statements for the last 3 years.
- Tax information for the last 3 years.
- Loans to finance your stay in the US (if applicable).
- Scholarship for your education in the US, provide all relevant information (if applicable).
- If you will be supported by an individual in the US, submit Form I-134, Affidavit of Support and the person’s bank and tax return information for the last 3 years.
How to Apply for an M1 Visa?
The application process for the M1 visa is quite similar to the application process of the F-1 visa. These are the necessary steps you should take to apply an M1 visa:
- Get your I-20 Form.
- Submit DS-160 form online.
- Pay the visa application fee.
- Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.
- Schedule your interview.
- Compile your document file.
- Attend your interview.
Get your I-20 Form
After you are accepted into the vocational school of your choice, they will give you the I-20 form. With that form, you can initiate the application process.
Submit DS-160 form online
Your DS-160 form is the first form that you have to submit online. You should fill in all the necessary information which are relevant to your background, objectives in the US and your program of study. At the end when you submit the form, you will get a confirmation code and page which you will need later on for the interview and document file.
Pay the visa application fee
The visa application fee for the M1 visa is $160. This is a non-refundable fee which means that even if you don’t get the visa, you will not get the money back. Besides this fee, there might be additional fees depending on the Embassy that you are applying in. If you are from specific countries, you might also have to pay a visa issuance or reciprocity fee, which is determined by the US Embassy. Keep the receipts which prove you have paid all fees.
Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee
Since all international students in the US are registered in SEVIS, there is also a fee which needs to be paid. The SEVIS I-901 fee for the M1 visa is $200. You should pay and keep the receipt as you will need it later.
Schedule your interview
You will have to schedule an interview for your visa appointment. Try to do this as early as possible, since US Embassies have a high workload and it might take a while for them find you an appointment. After you schedule the interview, you will get your interview appointment letter which you need to attach to your documents file.
Compile your document file
Your document file should be completed with all necessary forms. You should have it with you when you go to your visa appointment.
Attend your interview
Finally, attend your visa interview. Have all of your documents ready and be prepared to answer the interview questions. The M1 visa interview questions will revolve around your intentions for going to the US, your financial situation, and the ties to your home country. If you are bringing dependents, such as a spouse or children, you will also be asked to prove the relationship to them.
What Can I do With an M1 Visa in the USA?
Students on an M1 visa are allowed to complete their vocational studies full-time and get an associate or another type of degree. They can get a driver’s license, open a bank account, transfer schools within the first six months of their program, have access to healthcare, and work in certain circumstances.
However, M1 students are not allowed to do the following:
- Work full-time out of campus.
- Complete their programs as part-time students.
- Change their program or transfer to another institution after six months of beginning their program.
- Continue higher education in the US to get their Bachelor’s or other type of degree.
There are also considerable differences between F-1 and M1 visas. F-1 visas allow students to enroll in academic and degree bearing education, such as a Bachelor’s or a Master’s Degree. They also give the freedom to students to transfer to any school at any time as well as work on practical training outside of campus. Students with an F-1 visa can also enroll in language courses, while M1 students cannot.
Do I Need to Have Proof of Purchased Health Insurance Policy?
To obtain an M1 visa, you are not required to present proof of health insurance to the consular officers. However, due to the high costs of healthcare in the United States you are strongly recommended to get yourself covered before taking the trip.
For instance, a broken leg or broken arm will cost you $2,500, while staying at a US hospital for one night may cost over $10,000, on average.
M1 Visa Processing Time
The processing time for the M1 visa is quite short. The processing happens before your visa interview. There are cases when you get a response immediately after your visa interview ends, with the interviewer either congratulating you or stating the reasons for your denial. However, most of the time you should expect a processing time of a minimum of four weeks. Even if it takes more time, do not be alarmed. Most likely, the Embassy had a heavy workload and could not respond as fast.
How Long Can I Stay in the US With an M1 Visa?
The validity of your visa depends on how long your vocational education takes. You might be given a visa for the total duration of your studies, or for a shorter time. However, your Form I-20 is only valid for one year. This means you will have to get a new one each year. The M1 visa and the Form I-20 can be extended for a maximum of 3 years.
If your visa is not valid for the whole duration of your studies, you will have to apply for an extension. You can do so by filing Form I-539, Application to Extend or Change Nonimmigrant Status to USCIS and your Form I-20.
Can I Change my Status to Another US Visa?
In addition, you are also allowed to change your status to another non-immigrant visa. However, you cannot change to an F visa and there are also difficulties in changing to an H-1B visa if you will be working with skills you have gained during your studies as an M1 student.
Many people want to go from an M1 visa to Green Card. This can prove quite difficult since to get an employment-based green card you need to have exceptional abilities, get married in the US, or have at least $500,000 to invest in the US economy. This means that not a lot of people go from an M1 visa to a Green Card.
Am I Allowed to Work in the United States With an M1 Visa?
The M1 visa allows some employment with restrictions. You are only allowed to work on campus, part time when school is open and full time during breaks. The maximum amount of time you are allowed to work is 6 months. To be allowed to work, you will need to get your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or M1 Visa Work Permit.
You can do so by filing Form I-538, Certification by Designated School to USCIS. The form needs to be signed by your Designed School Official (DSO). In addition, you should also file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. All the work that you do if your EAD is approved should be related to your field of study.
M2 Dependents Visa
If the M1 visa holder has a spouse or unmarried children under 21, they are allowed to come to the US too with an M2 visa. The M2 visa allows the dependents to accompany the M1 visa holder in the US for the duration of their studies. The M2 dependents get individual I-20 forms, but as soon as the M1 visa expires, they are also required to return to their home country.
M2 dependents are not allowed to work or study for degrees. They can enroll in recreational courses, and children can only complete their elementary and middle school (until 12th grade).