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F-1 Student Visa for the USA in 2026: I-20, Fees, Where to Interview and the New Fixed Period of Stay

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Degree study, community college and language programs in the United States require an F-1 visa. The sequence is: admission to an SEVP-certified school and Form I-20 → SEVIS I-901 fee ($350) → DS-160 application → $185 visa fee → in-person interview at a US embassy or consulate. Applicants must now interview in their country of nationality or residence; the US Embassy in Moscow offers no non-diplomatic visa services, and Russian citizens are directed to the US embassies in Astana and Warsaw. F-1 applicants must set their social media profiles to public. Since 15 September 2026, F-1 students are no longer admitted for "duration of status": the I-94 shows a fixed date, the program end date on the I-20 (up to four years) plus 30 days.

This guide gives a step-by-step timeline, explains where citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries should apply, what documents and funds to show, how visa validity differs from your permitted stay, and what the 2025-2026 rule changes mean. Checked against State Department and embassy pages and the current text of 8 CFR 214 on 24 September 2026. For an overview of the destination, see studying in the USA.

Pale stone Collegiate Gothic International House with a central tower behind a lawn and trees
International House at the University of Chicago (1932), a residence and centre for international and American students, Chicago, USA. Photo: Warren LeMay from Chicago, IL, United States / source, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Which visa: F-1, M-1 or J-1

Visa For Work rights
F-1 Bachelor's, master's, PhD, community college, language programs, private schools On-campus work up to 20 hours a week during term; CPT and OPT
M-1 Vocational, non-academic programs such as flight schools Limited practical training after completion
J-1 Exchange programs, sponsored scholars and researchers; issued on Form DS-2019 from the program sponsor Per exchange program rules

If you are enrolling in a full degree program, you almost certainly need an F-1. The school issues the I-20 only after admission and a review of your financial documents, so the visa plan starts with applications; see applying to US universities.

What changed in 2025-2026

Change Effective What it means
Fixed admission period replaces duration of status 15 Sep 2026 The I-94 shows the I-20 program end date (maximum four years) plus 30 days. Extra time without leaving the US requires an extension of stay filed with USCIS
Departure period after study or OPT cut from 60 to 30 days 15 Sep 2026 Applies to students admitted under the new rules; students already maintaining status on 15 Sep 2026 keep a 60-day period under the transition rules
Limits on transfers and changes of program 15 Sep 2026 Undergraduates cannot transfer or change major in their first academic year; graduate students cannot change educational objective at all and can transfer only with an SEVP exception. DHS may delay these provisions until 14 Sep 2028
Language programs capped at 24 months 15 Sep 2026 Maximum admission of 24 months for English language training, plus 30 days to depart
No repeat study at the same level 15 Sep 2026 If you complete a US program after 15 Sep 2026, you cannot get F-1 status for a new program at the same or a lower level, so a second master's on an F-1 is ruled out
Interview in the country of nationality or residence State Department update of 15 Jul 2026 Booking in a third country where you do not live means significantly longer waits, and fees are not refunded. Russian citizens: Astana or Warsaw
Public social media profiles In force Required for F, M and J applicants
Presidential Proclamation 10998 on entry restrictions 1 Jan 2026 Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Belarus and Azerbaijan are not listed; Turkmenistan faces restrictions on immigrant visas only
Pause on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan 21 Jan 2026, lifted 21 Aug 2026 by court order Applied to immigrant visas only; student visas were never affected

Step-by-step timeline

  1. Admission and I-20. After admission the school asks for your passport and financial documents and issues the I-20. UCF, for example, lets students send financial documents after the admission decision but advises doing it early. Check your name as in the passport, the program, start and end dates, the cost estimate and funding sources.
  2. SEVIS I-901 fee, $350. Paid at fmjfee.com by card, check, money order or Western Union. Keep the receipt; the SEVIS ID on it must match the I-20.
  3. DS-160. Completed online in English, including your social media identifiers. Everything you write must match the I-20, your documents and what you say at the interview.
  4. Visa fee, $185, and interview booking following the chosen embassy's instructions. The fee is non-refundable.
  5. Interview. Required for most applicants. In Kazakhstan, appointments are finalized at 5 p.m. three business days before the interview date; your DS-160 must be complete by then.
  6. Issuance. A new student visa can be issued up to 365 days before the program start date; you may enter no earlier than 30 days before the start date on the I-20.
  7. Arrival. Carry your passport, visa and I-20. After arrival, check your electronic I-94 record and report to the international office.

For a late-August start, a realistic schedule is: admission in March–April, I-20 in April–May, booking immediately after, interview between May and July. Waits differ widely between posts, so check the State Department's Visa Appointment Wait Times tool before buying tickets.

Where to interview: Russia and the CIS

Citizenship Where to apply Notes
Russia US Embassy Astana or US Embassy Warsaw The embassy in Moscow provides no non-diplomatic visa services; consulates in Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok are suspended. Warsaw conducts interviews in Polish, English and Russian; choose the "regular" or "non-resident" appointment category as the embassy instructs
Kazakhstan US Embassy Astana or Consulate General Almaty Appointments are finalized three business days in advance
Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and others The US embassy in your country of nationality or residence If you legally reside in another country and can prove it, you may apply there

If you apply based on residence, be ready to prove you live in that country. Applicants who book outside their country of nationality or residence should expect significantly longer waits, and fees paid are neither refunded nor transferred. Before booking Warsaw, confirm that you can legally enter Poland: entry of Russian citizens is restricted, and that is a decision of the Polish authorities, not of the US embassy. Compare waits in Astana and Warsaw on the day you book, because they change.

Documents for the interview

Document Required Check
Passport Yes Valid at least six months beyond your intended stay
DS-160 confirmation Yes Barcode; data match the passport
Visa fee receipt and appointment Yes Paid for the embassy you attend
Photo Yes Uploaded to DS-160 to State Department specifications
Signed I-20 Yes Signed by the school official (DSO) and by you
SEVIS fee receipt Recommended SEVIS ID matches the I-20
Diplomas, transcripts, test scores May be requested Originals and translations
Financial documents May be requested; always bring At least the amount on the I-20
Evidence of ties May be requested Family, study, work, property, post-graduation plans

How much money to show

At admission you must have documentary evidence of financial support in the amount shown on the I-20, and the consular officer checks the same. Examples from published school estimates, checked in September 2026:

Institution I-20 estimate
Santa Monica College $34,000 for 2026-27 (nine months, homestay)
University of Central Florida $42,658 undergraduate, $46,375 graduate; plus $3,000 per F-2 dependent
University of Kansas $52,278 per year for undergraduates (30 credits, living costs, insurance)

If parents pay, bring their bank statements, income certificates, proof of relationship and a sponsorship letter. Officers look at the origin of funds as well as the balance: a large unexplained deposit just before the statement date raises questions. Scholarships or assistantships are shown with an official university letter and reduce the amount the family must document; see financial aid for international students. See how to pay for studies abroad from Russia and our breakdown of the cost of studying in the USA.

The interview and refusals

In a few minutes the officer checks three things: that you are a genuine student for the chosen program, that you can pay for it, and that you do not intend to immigrate. Be ready to explain in your own words why this program and school, how it connects to your previous studies, who pays and from what income, what you plan after graduation, and what ties you to your home country.

A 214(b) refusal means the officer was not persuaded of your intent or ties. You can reapply with a new fee; it makes sense to do so when your circumstances have changed. A 221(g) outcome means administrative processing or missing documents. The State Department gives no timeframe; if you submit requested documents within a year, you do not pay a new fee. Do not buy non-refundable tickets while processing is pending.

Visa validity versus permitted stay

The visa lets you travel to a US port of entry. How long you may stay is set by the I-94 record created on entry.

Visa validity depends on reciprocity with your country. As of September 2026, F-1 visas for Russian citizens are multiple-entry for 12 months, for Kazakh citizens 60 months, and for Uzbek citizens 12 months, with no issuance fee in these three countries.

Permitted stay since 15 September 2026 is the program end date on the I-20, up to four years, plus 30 days. If your studies take longer, you file an extension of stay with USCIS on Form I-539 ($420 online, $470 on paper). A student with a timely filed extension may keep studying while it is pending.

A practical consequence for Russian citizens: a 12-month visa expires after the first year. You can remain in the US on your I-94, but to go home for the summer and return you will need a new visa, which means another interview in Astana or Warsaw. For any trip you need a DSO travel signature on your I-20; after an absence of up to five months you are readmitted on a valid I-20.

Keeping your status after arrival

  • Study full time; for undergraduates that is at least 12 credits per term.
  • Do not work without authorization. See working while studying and OPT in the USA.
  • Report address changes to your school so they reach SEVIS. For first-year options, see student housing in the USA.
  • Watch your I-94 date and file extensions early.
  • If you finish before the date on your I-94, you have 30 days to leave or change status lawfully. After a DSO-authorized withdrawal the period is 15 days; if you fail to maintain status, there is no grace period.
  • Do not transfer or change major during your first academic year without an SEVP exception; graduate students cannot change their program.

Common mistakes

  • Booking an interview in a country where you do not live and losing the fee.
  • Paying the SEVIS or visa fee with a typo in your name or SEVIS ID.
  • Showing funds deposited just before the statement without proof of source.
  • Reciting memorized answers that do not match the DS-160.
  • Buying non-refundable tickets before the passport with the visa is returned.
  • Assuming a 12-month visa limits your studies, or that a valid I-94 lets you travel in and out after the visa expires.

FAQ

At the US Embassy in Astana or Warsaw, which the State Department has designated for Russian citizens because the embassy in Moscow does not issue nonimmigrant visas. If you permanently reside in another country, you may apply there.

$185 for the visa application and $350 for SEVIS, $535 in total. Russian, Kazakh and Uzbek citizens pay no additional issuance fee. Add travel to the interview country, translations and insurance.

The visa can be issued up to 365 days before your program starts. You may enter no earlier than 30 days before the start date on your I-20.

For F-1 applicants almost always. The State Department says interviews are generally required, with limited exceptions.

At least the amount on your I-20, usually for the first year: $34,000 at a community college and $42,000–52,000 at public universities in our examples, plus the school's amount for each F-2 dependent.

A spouse and unmarried children under 21 may accompany you on F-2 visas, each with their own I-20. F-2 spouses cannot work; children may attend school. The school will raise the amount you must document.

Check the section cited. After 214(b), reapply with a new fee when you can show different circumstances. After 221(g), submit the requested documents and wait for the decision.

Sources

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

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