It is normal that you are wondering how much bank balance does the US F1 visa require, as having enough money is key for the Embassy to approve your entry into the country.
This is because the F1 Visa does not allow students to work while taking classes, as it is an instrument for taking courses full time or with a minimum of 18 hours per week.
Thus, the student, or his or her family, in the case of a minor, must demonstrate that they have an amount of money equivalent to the amount necessary to support themselves without working while in the United States.
And what is that amount of money?
Depending on the cost of each academic institution, the amount of the bank balance required by the American Embassy will vary.
However, there is a well-known average for immigration consultants: $5,000 for three-month courses and $20,000 for year-long programs.
But the bank balance will be one thing, and the bank statements for the last three months will be another. For the U.S. Embassy officials in charge of visa approval, it is important to be sure that the account presented has had in the previous months an amount similar to the one shown on the day of the appointment.
In any case, as the amounts vary depending on the cost of the school, it is a good idea to ask the institution’s advisors what is an acceptable bank balance for the embassy to approve your F1 visa application.
Other requirements apart from how much bank balance the US F1 visa requires
Of course, money will not be enough. There are many other requirements that you must meet in order to be approved for the F1 visa. So let’s take a brief recap:
You must first enroll in the correct school. Once you do so, that institution will give you an I20 form to fill out.
You will send to the school the completed application form, the bank statement of the last 3 months and a copy of your passport.
You will then complete the DS160 form online, and request an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in your country.
On the day of the appointment you must bring your bank statement with you at all costs because it is key for you to be approved to stay in the United States.
In addition, it is good to bring proof that you are working in your home country or that you intend to do so when you return, so that you can show that you have a strong connection to your home country and do not intend to stay in the United States.
Some experts even recommend showing evidence of a major commitment that you must make when you return to your country (because you are going back).
Last but not least, it is important to prove that you have property in your country beyond the US$5,000 or US$20,000 that you present as a bank statement.
A school that advises you is essential
But beyond everything we can tell you about the visa and the money you must have for your expenses in the United States, the most important thing is that you come to study with an English school that will dedicate the necessary time to help you achieve it.
At that point, you can consider Lingua Language Center, which has English programs of all kinds: from an all-inclusive program that covers food, lodging and -of course- the academic part, to classes that cover the 18 hours per week required to obtain the F1 visa. Write to us right now!