INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Welcome! Many of our students are from all over globe. Enjoy rock solid help and advice when it comes to your international student visa process (we've been helping students from over 40 countries for over 30 years). See map of alum.

THE VISA PROCESS

Here is your easy, 3 step process for obtaining all your visa to study with us here at Portfolio Center in the USA.

Your first step is to provide our admissions team, Laura Destro 404.351.5055 x12 at email or Tony Seichrist 404.351.5055 x18 at email with the info indicated below. Once you have sent the above mentioned documentation to us, we will then send you an acceptance packet that will include an I-20 form. Please send us:

• A copy of your valid passport.


• A letter or financial statement from your Bank indicating a minimum current balance of least $30,000 US. This must be printed on a bank letterhead and must be calculated for US currency by your bank. The financial document must be the original document as neither copies nor print outs from the internet are acceptable.


• A Sponsor Letter. If the financial statement is not in your name, you'll need a letter from the person whom is listed on the bank statement. This is your sponsor. You may have more than one sponsor. If the bank statement is in your name, you can skip this requirement. The sponsor letter must be the original as copies are not acceptable.


• You will need to demonstrate your use of the English language. You can do so by contacting Tony or Laura of our admissions team to set up a Skype or telephone meeting.

Your second step (except Canadian citizens) is to go to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) website at www.fmjfee.com. Here, you simply need to complete a SEVIS form I-901 and pay a $200 I-901 form fee. Please note the following:

• You will need your student SEVIS number located above the bar code of your I-20 form that we send to you.


• Be sure to print out the receipt of payment - you will be required to show proof of payment.


• You can always come back to this website to check the status of your application.

Your third and final step is to contact your American Embassy or Consulate to make an appointment to obtain an M-1 visa for your passport. Please note:

• Be sure to inquire early about all the needed documentation required for this appointment.


• There will be a fee for the M-1 visa, so you'll want to ask what this cost is when setting up your appointment.


• When you receive your visa, be sure all information is accurate and that it is an M-1 visa (and not an F-1 visa).


• On your flight to us here in the United States, the airlines will hand you a white card for you to fill in prior to your arrival. This is called the I-94 card. An immigration official will stamp this card on your arrival to the country. This is a very important card for safe keeping. This card will have the same duration as the one stamped on your I-20 form. In some cases the I-94 card will have a different expiration date then the one denoted on your I-20 form. This card controls how long you can remain in the United States, not the M-1 visa stamped in your passport or the expiration date stamped on your I-20 (NAFSA Adviser's manual).

FINANCIAL AID

The United States Federal Government does not extend student loans to international students. However, if you're Swedish - the Swedish Government provides international financial aid to its citizens studying abroad.

EMPLOYMENT

International students under M1 visa status are not allowed to work in the United States while attending their program of study.

GETTING HIRED IN THE USA

International students who have maintained their status may be eligible to accept employment to obtain practical training, also called OPT, upon graduation. The period of practical training lasts up to 6 months. Practical training is not automatically granted. It is given upon the discretion of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If you wish to remain working in the United States after your practical training expires, you will need to be sponsored by the agency wanting to hire you and they will need to obtain an H1B visa for you. One of the requirements to qualify for an H1B is to have a bachelor's degree. Although Portfolio Center cannot guarantee the process, we have certainly enjoyed witnessing a number of successfully sponsorships of our graduates.

TERMS EXPLAINED

Understanding official Documentation is never easy. Here a few expinations to help you on your way:

• I-20 form: The I-20 is a form issued by the school which you use to obtain your M-1 student visa. When you arrive to the USA, immigration officials will stamp a date on the upper right corner of the form showing admittance to the country.


• M-1 student visa: The American Embassy or Consultant in your country will stamp your M-1 visa in your passport. This visa is your permission to enter the United States. A visa is like a key to a house: you need it to enter the US, but once you are admitted, you can ignore the key as long as you remain inside (NAFSA Adviser's manual). In most cases, the visa will be stamped for one year and this process will have to be repeated for the second year of your program.


• I-94 card: On your flight to us here in the United States, the airlines will hand you a white card for you to fill in prior to your arrival. This is called the I-94 card. An immigration official will stamp this card on your arrival to the country. This is a very important card for safe keeping. This card will have the same duration as the one stamped on your I-20 form. In some cases the I-94 card will have a different expiration date then the one denoted on your I-20 form. This card controls how long you can remain in the United States, not the M-1 visa stamped in your passport or the expiration date stamped on your I-20 (NAFSA Adviser's manual).