About the Application for Visa Certificate (I-20 or DS-2019)

Congratulations on your admission to Columbia University and welcome to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) web site for online submission of your Application for Visa Certificate (AVC).

A visa certificate is a document issued by the ISSO for an admitted student that is evidence of your eligibility for a non-immigrant student status in the United States. New students who will study in F-1 Student status receive an I-20 form. You must obtain your I-20 form before you may apply for an F-1 entry visa at a U.S. Consulate abroad or a change of status if you are already in the U.S. in another status.

Canadian nationals do not need visas to enter the U.S. but must apply for an I-20 and pay the SEVIS fee. When entering the U.S. to study, you must request F-1 status and present the I-20 and the SEVIS fee receipt to an immigration inspector who will issue an I-94 Card upon entry. Canadian students must have an I-94 Card to confirm current F-1 status; please check that the I-94 is annotated "F-1" and "D/S" before leaving immigration inspection.

If you are married and plan to bring your spouse and any children under 21 years of age, they may apply for F-2 visas (dependents of F-1 visa holders), if funding to meet their additional expenses is documented. The amounts for the 2010-2011 Academic Year are U.S. $800 monthly for your spouse and U.S. $400 monthly for each child. Your dependents may join you at any time during your studies.

Before You Begin...

• In general, your I-20 will be ready to send to you about three weeks after we have a complete application. A complete application includes: 1. submission of the online Application for Visa Certificate form from this site 2. proof of sufficient available funds to pay the estimated tuition, fees and living expenses for the first year of your program of study (unless you have been admitted to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with full funding from Columbia University) 3. a photocopy of your passport's identification page. If you do not have a passport, be sure to enter your name on the AVC form EXACTLY as it is on your passport application.
• If you are already in the U.S. in F-1 or J-1 status, you must submit copies of all pages of previous and current I-20 or DS-2019 forms and a copy of both sides of your I-94 card. You must also submit a completed transfer form that is signed by the international office at your present school.
• If you plan to attend one of Columbia's American Language Program (ALP) English for Professional Purposes programs or another ALP English program during the summer before you begin your studies, please tell us the dates of the session you will attend in the Remarks section at the bottom of the online application form. We will issue your I-20 with the earlier start date you need to enter the U.S. in time to study English at ALP. Immigration regulations require you to be a full-time student during your ALP program; part-time study is a violation of F-1 status. You must apply separately to the ALP for your English studies at http://www.ce.columbia.edu/alp/available.cfm?Content=ProgramList Be sure to write the name of the Columbia school you will join on your ALP application and that the ISSO will issue your I-20 form.