Visa Information

As a foreign student who will be temporarily residing in the United States, you are required to comply with American immigration laws. The United States strictly enforces a very detailed set of rules and regulations governing foreign nationals. Your adherence to the requirements and procedures articulated below will help you avoid unnecessary difficulties.

Entering the United States

As a foreign student entering the United States, you will need four important documents as evidence of your legal status:

• A passport
• An I-20 Certificate of Eligibility
• An F-1 visa inside your passport
• An I-94 Arrival-Departure Record

Passport

Your passport is proof that your government has given you permission to leave and re-enter your country. The American government requires that, while in the United States, your passport must remain valid for at least six months beyond its expiration date.

Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility

After you have been admitted and provided the information requested in the Application for I-20 Certification of Eligibility (pdf), including the Certification of Finances, Pacific McGeorge will issue an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility to you, authorizing you to apply for an F-1 student visa from a United States Consulate. The I-20 is issued through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

If you are transferring from another school in the United States, be sure to send us a copy of your current I-20 and request that your SEVIS record be transferred to the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

F-1 Student Visa

Unless you are a citizen of Canada, you will need to make an appointment for a visa interview at the United States Consulate with jurisdiction over your place of residence. Please check the website of that consulate for specific requirements. For the websites of United States Consulates abroad, please go to http://www.usembassy.gov.

Wait times for visa interviews and processing vary by country. For country-specific wait times, go to http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/wait_4638.html. We encourage you to apply for your visa promptly upon accepting an admissions offer from Pacific McGeorge in order to allow ample time for processing.

For detailed information about U.S. visa requirements and policies, please visit the website of the U.S. Department of State. Please note that you must bring your I-20 and proof that you have paid the required SEVIS fee with you to your visa interview. For information on the SEVIS fee, see https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/.

Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record

A U.S. Immigration Officer will issue you a stamped I-94 when you are admitted to the United States. This white card is stapled in your passport and shows that you have been lawfully admitted into the country under your student visa. You are required by law to keep the I-94 with you at all times.

While in the United States

Upon arrival in the United States, you will need to provide your local address and telephone number to the Graduate & International Programs office, and we will need to make photocopies of your visa, I-94, and validated I-20.

While in the U.S., keep your I-20 with your passport and I-94 at all times. Before traveling, you will need to check in with the Graduate & International Programs office to ensure that your I-20 remains current.

If you are interested in remaining in the United States for Optional Practical Training (OPT) for a temporary period of up to 12 months following completion of your studies, you must arrange with the Graduate & International Programs office to obtain an I-20 endorsed for that purpose. You must also obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

Departing the United States

You will need to depart the United States within 60 days of your graduation date or completion of Optional Practical Training. You are required by law to surrender your I-94, at the airport or other port of departure, every time you leave the United States.

Questions?

Contact Clémence Kucera, Director, Graduate & International Programs and Centers of Distinction
Email | 916.739.7353 or 916.739.7019