Is a student visa required?
In many countries students are required to obtain a visa in order to study for a summer, semester, or year. The best resource is to consult either the embassy or consulate website to find out their requirements. If a student is going through a program that has handled student visas in the past, they may be able to provide guidance and advice on whether or not your student will need a visa. Of course you can also reach out to NAFSA's EA Consular Affairs Liaison Subcommittee and we are happy to assist with questions when we are able to.
What is the process for applying for a student visa?
There is no single answer about process and it may vary from embassy to embassy, so it is best to contact each directly. Some things to keep in mind would be finding out the average time it takes to process a visa, and whether a student should apply in the jurisdiction where they go to school or through their permanent residence.
What are the requirements to obtain a student visa?
Each country will have different requirements; however, the items that are most typically required are things such as photos, a fee, proof of funds to support the student while abroad, proof of enrollment, proof of housing in country, fingerprints, or other biometrics, etc.
In some cases, students will need to show that they do not have a criminal background. Depending on the country this may be done through their local police station; some countries specifically require an FBI background check. In those instances, if a student is applying to a country that you know requires an FBI background check, it may be wise to advise students to start that process before getting accepted to their program to speed up their visa process.
Is batch processing (a single institution submits visa applications on behalf of its students) possible?
If there are multiple students participating on a program, some universities or third-party providers are able to offer this service, but it is dependent on the rules of each embassy and consulate.
Does a student have to appear in person at the consulate to obtain a student visa?
For some countries a student does need to appear in person to obtain his or her visa. However, in others they may be able to use a visa service that acts as a stand in for the student. Some agencies you can consider using include Zierer Visa Service (www.zvs.com) or Perry Visa (perryvisa.com).
Can a non-U.S. citizen apply for a student visa through a consulate in the United States?
This will depend on both the country of the student and also the country the student wishes to study abroad in. Please refer to the embassy or consulate page of the country the student is looking to study in.