1) Do I need to submit any supporting documents with my CFR?
Yes. You or your financial guarantor needs to provide the Monterey Institute with either original bank statements or other official financial documents issued within the last 6 months for your CFR to be considered complete.
2) How much does the bank statement need to show?
The required amount for 2008-2009 academic year is $45,516.00. If you are bringing a spouse and/or children to the U.S. with you, the additional estimate for your spouse is $6,500.00 and $3,500.00 per child per academic year.
3) What if my employer is the financial guarantor?
You may ask them to write a letter printed on the company’s letterhead that provides the dollar amount guaranteed for your education at the Monterey Institute.
4) Can I or my financial guarantor send in photo copies of the bank statements?
No. We need to see original documents before an I-20 can be issued. We can return the original documents to you when we mail you the Form I-20—be sure you notify us beforehand if you need your financial documents mailed back to you.
5) Is it okay if I send the financial documents written in my native language?
No. You need to have the documents translated into English. Any documents not written in English require an English translation.
6) What if I intend to use either loans or scholarships to cover my tuition and expenses at the Monterey Institute?
We need to see the loan approval notice issued from the lender or your scholarship award letter issued by the sponsoring organization or foundation. Until the loan or scholarship has been issued, we will not be able to issue you the Form I-20.
7) Can I use copies of my or my guarantor’s tax return document (1040) from last year as the substitute for submitting the CFR and/or bank statements?
No, the tax return information from last year only tells us your or your sponsor’s income from last year. We need to know if you have the sufficient funds set aside for your studies at the Monterey Institute.
8) Where do I mail the CFR and other financial documents?
They should be mailed to: Admissions Office, 460 Pierce Street, Monterey, CA 93940, U.S.A.
1) When will I receive the Form I-20?
Once your CFR requirement is completed and your tuition deposit is paid, we will send your Form I-20 for you to begin your visa application process.
2) Can I ask the Monterey Institute of International Studies to mail me the Form I-20 via express mail?
We normally use regular airmail service when mailing your Form I-20. If you require the Form I-20 to be sent to you via an international courier service such as UPS or FedEx, please provide us with the credit card number, expiration date and the name appearing on the credit card. The shipping cost will be charged to you directly.
3) Is the Monterey Institute SEVIS certified and eligible to issue a Form I-20?
Yes, the Monterey Institute has been certified to use SEVIS since September of 2002 and has been issuing SEVIS Forms I-20 to our international students since that time.
4) I heard that some F-1 visa applications were delayed due to problems with the SEVIS records. Could you confirm with me that my SEVIS record will be entered into the database properly?
Once the SEVIS Form I-20 is issued to you, your SEVIS record is officially entered into the SEVIS system. However, the Consolidated Consular Database (CCD) at some US embassies or consulates has had problems receiving downloaded SEVIS records. If you are notified by the embassy that they could not locate your SEVIS record, please contact visas@miis.edu immediately. We will work with the SEVIS Help Desk to request a data push for your record to be available via the CCD.
5) What happens if I have dependents?
We must know their names, birth dates, city and country of births, and country of citizenship as they appear on their passports before issuing of their Form I-20. Each dependent will receive a separate Form I-20 in order for them to apply for the F-2 visas. We recommend that you submit your dependents’ personal information to the Office of International Services as soon as you are admitted to the Monterey Institute to prevent the delay of issuing the Forms I-20 for your dependents.
6) What is the SEVIS fee requirement?
As of September 1, 2004, the U.S. Embassies and Consulates are required to collect a $100 SEVIS fee before issuing F-1, M-1 and some J-1 visas for first-time visa applicants only. For students who need F-1 or J-1 visa renewal while attending the Monterey Institute, this SEVIS fee is not applicable.
The SEVIS fee can be paid either by mail or on-line at http://www.FMJfee.com. Additional SEVIS fee information is available at http://www.ice.gov/graphics.sevis/.
1) When can I begin the visa application?
The Department of State specifically requires students not to apply for the F-1 student visa more than 90 days prior to the school report date noted on the Form I-20 (item 5).
2) How do I get information about the specific Embassy or Consulate to which I must go to apply for the visa?
You can find more information related to the embassy or consular office you will be dealing with by using the following internet sites:
1. http://usembassy.state.gov
2. http://unitedstatesvisas.gov/visapolicy/faq.html
3. http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/embassies/embassies_1214.html
3) Can I check other websites for general F-1 student visa application tips and information?
1. http://travel.state.gov/
2. http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html
3. http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/temp_1305.html
4) When should I schedule my flight to the United States?
It is advisable that you schedule your flight to the U.S. after obtaining the F-1 visa and not before. Furthermore, the U.S. federal regulations mandate that you arrive in the U.S. no more than 30 days before the school report date listed your Form I-20 (item 5). Pease schedule your trip accordingly.
