Applying for Your Visa

Before you apply for a visa, you will need to perform the following tasks:

1. Apply and receive admission for your academic program. If you have not yet been admitted, go to nku.edu/international or email us at isss@nku.edu to learn more. 
2. Receive your I-20 (F Visa) or DS-2019 (J Visa). You will not be able to schedule a visa interview or pay the SEVIS fee without these documents. For more about these documents, visit the important documents page. If you do not yet have your I-20, please review the process for getting your I-20. 
3. Pay the SEVIS fee. This fee indicates which university you are attending. Visit fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html to review instruction on how to pay your SEVIS fee. (If you have already paid this fee, please know that it is good for 12 months from date of payment, as a general rule). The SEVIS fee is not required for spouses or children coming on an F-2 visa.

If you are studying at NKU on a different visa type, please contact ISSS for further instruction.

We recommend that you wait for this step until your I-20 has actually been delivered to you. Note that you will be required to show proof of I-901 SEVIS fee payment, as explained above, in order to complete this step.

Although you may apply at any U.S. Consular office abroad, it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside the country of permanent residence. You will need to complete the DS-160, Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application. If you are a Canadian citizen, please read for special instructions at the bottom of this page.

Find the embassy or consulate closest to you. You should apply for your visa well before the date you would like to depart for NKU. The summer period is very busy at the U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, and it is important for you to have your visa so that you can arrive in time to begin your program.

Appointments are now mandatory for all visas, and some U.S. embassies and consulates require that appointments be made at least four to eight weeks in advance. All U.S. embassies and consulates have a website where you can read the latest information on visa procedures.

If you have been accepted, congratulations! Take a look our Newly Admitted Students section to see your next steps. Don't forget to register for orientation once your visa has been obtained.

While the majority of NKU students and scholars will be successful in obtaining their visas, a small number may have their visa applications denied. The visa officer must verbally inform you of the reason for the visa denial. If your visa is denied, please send an e-mail message to isss@nku.edu. Provide the date and location of your visa interview, and details regarding the reason given by the visa officer for the denial. We will help you reapply or determine your next steps.

Canadian students and scholars do not need a visa to enter the United States, however you must be sure to complete your I-94 record with the U.S. immigration official at your point of entry to the United States. If you enter the U.S. by land, you will be given an I-94 record. If you enter by air, your I-94 record will be entered into the online system. You will need to print out your I-94 record upon your return to the U.S. as evidence of your legal status. In both cases, you will be charged a small fee (it is currently under $10) to process the I-94 record.

As U.S. immigration inspectors are accustomed to admitting Canadian citizens as visitors, not full time students or scholars, it is your responsibility to make sure you are granted the correct immigration status when you are entering the U.S. If you are admitted as a visitor (or tourist) without receiving an I-94 record noting your immigration status (e.g., F-1, J-1, H-1B, TN, etc), you will have to return to Canada and re-enter a second time. In preparation for your arrival through U.S. Customs, you will need to bring the following:

• Canadian Passport
• NKU Form I-20
• SEVIS 901 Fee Receipt
• Financial support documents
• Admissions Letter to NKU