2) Acceptance of the applicant by an institution of learning for a full course of study is essential. Evidence in support of this requirement consists of a Form I-20 (Certification of Eligibility)
filled out by the accepting school, and signed by the applicant and presented with the visa application.

3) You may need to show the proof of financial support if you or your parents are going to fund your studies in USA. A bank letter may be necessary. You might want to find out from your embassy about the types of documents they may accept regarding the proof of financial support.

Get an “Affidavit of Support” form from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate if the studies are going to be sponsored by your relatives or others who are currently in USA. Complete this form with information about your sources of financing (letter of sponsorship), and submit it along with your other documents. The embassy may require a letter from the bank that holds the funds.

4) Obtain all the necessary documents mentioned above. Now, you are ready to go to the U.S. Consulate for a visa interview. If your visa is rejected twice, you may need to apply by mail. You can apply for a student Visa not earlier than 90 days before the registration date specified on the FORM I-20. If the registration date is already passed or the applicant cannot reasonably expect to arrive at the school by the registration date, the applicant should obtain an amended I-20 or a letter of extension from the issuing institution stating by what date the applicant may arrive.

If you prove to the Consular Official’s satisfaction that you intend to come to the U.S. solely for the purpose of study and will return to India upon completion of the program, a visa stamp will be affixed to a page in your passport. You should apply for a multiple entry F-1 student visa. With a multiple entry visa you can travel between US and India during the duration of your stay in the Unites States. See proof of non-immigrant intent

The Application Centres in Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Cochin and Bangalore are open from 8.00am to 12.00 and 1.00pm to 3.00pm. The Application Centres in Pune and Ahmedabad are open from 8.00am to 2.00pm to submit applications. .

How much does it cost to apply for a UK visa, and are there any other charges applicable?
The visa fee depends on the category of visa applied for. The fee for processing your visa fee is Rs 455 (inclusive of all taxes). We also courier passports to your address after assessment. If you would like your passport couriered, the charge for this is Rs 170 (inclusive of all taxes). The courier service is optional and not compulsory.

What should I do after submitting the visa application?
You can check the status of the application the next day after submitting your application

How do I check the status of the application?
Helpline:
You can call the helpline after 5.00 pm the next day to check the status of your application.

In person:
If you have submitted your application in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Kolkata you can check your status after 6.00 pm the next day.

If you have submitted your application in Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Pune, Amedabad, Cochin, Bangalore or Hyderabad you check your status after 5.00 pm, 2 days after submitting your application.

SMS:
You can check the status by sending a text message to VISA UK PASSPORT NUMBER to 7333.

What could the status be?
Once a Visa Officer has assessed your application, s/he will make the decision to either issue or refuse your visa; or invite you for an interview. This process is the same, whether you are applying for a settlement visa, or a non-settlement visa. If you are invited for interview, your name will appear on the interview list.

What will happen if my name appears on the list?
You should come to the VFS Office where you submitted your visa application, to collect an interview letter.

Where will my interview be held?
At the British High Commission in Delhi or at the British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The letter will inform you the date & time.

What do I need to carry for the interview?
The interview letter & any original documents which you did not submit at the time of submission.

Do I need a medical examination?
This will depend on the requirement of specific visa and that of British High Commission / British Deputy High Commission.

What will happen after the interview?
You will be told whether your visa will be issued, or whether the application has been refused.

If the visa is issued:-
Courier Case: If you have paid Rs 625/- your passport will be delivered to your residence through Blue Dart Courier. You need to hand over the stamped photocopy to the courier person to get the delivery.

Non-Courier Case: If you have paid Rs 455/- you will be able to collect your passport from the VFS office.

If the visa is refused:-
Your passport & other documents will be handed over to you at the British High Commission / British Deputy High Commission after the interview or at the VFS centre where you applied, on the next working day.

1. List of documents which are required at the time of registration with the Foreigners Registration Officers in India. This registration is essential for all foreigners having visa for a period exceeding 180 days except the exempted categories and should” be done within 14 days of first arrival at the nearest office of the Foreigners Registration Officer.
(i) Photocopy of the passport and initial visa
(ii) Four photographs of the applicant
(iii) Details of residence in India
(iv) HIV test report from one of the WHO recognized Institutions from people in the age group of 15 to 60 years, if the foreigner is visiting India on a visa for more one year.
(v) Copy of the marriage certificate in case of those seeking extension of Stay on ground of being spouse of Indian national.
(vi) Bonafide certificate from the University / College / Institution in case of student visa (vii) Accreditation certificate from the Press Information Bureau in case of journalist visa (viii) Approval of the Department of Company Affairs in the case of Board level appointments in Public Limited companies.
(ix) Copy of the approval from Government of India in case of joint venture or
collaboration ( in duplicate )
(x) Copy of permission from the RBI in case of business/ joint venture , etc.
(xi) Terms and conditions of appointment and copy of contract or agreement in case o employment visa
(xii) Undertaking from the concerned Indian company on the following lines in case of
employment / business visa :-

UNDERTAKING

We take full responsibility for the activities and conduct of Mr./Mrs.________________________________________________ national of _______________ during his/her stay in India. If anything adverse comes to notice during this period, we undertake to repatriate him/her on our cost.

Date: Signature of Competent Authority

Seal:

2. Addresses of registration Officers :

i) FRRO , Hans Bhawan ,
Bahadurshah Zafar Marg ,
ITO , New Delhi .
Te1e : 011-3319489

ii) FRRO, Tata Press Building,
2nd Floor. 414 So V. Marg ,
Mumbai
Te1e : 022 -262 1169

iii) FRRO ,
237 , AJC Bose Road ,
Calcutta.
Tele : 033 -2470549

iv) CHIO .
Shastri Bhawan Annexe
26 , Haddow Road, Chennai .
Tele : 044 -8277036

At other places .the Superintendents of Police of the Districts are foreigners registration officers .

3. Certificates of registration will be issued by the registration officers .The foreigners should surrender their certificates of registration to the registration officer of the place where they are registered or of the place from they intend to depart or to the immigration officer at the port/check post of exit from India. If the certificate is surrendered to other than the immigration officer at the port/check post of ” exit, the foreigners should produce the receipt indicating such surrender of the document to the,” immigration officer at the port/check post of exit.

4. Registration is required to be done only once during the validity of a visa irrespective of the number of times the foreigner leaves / re-enters India on multi-entry facility .

5. Following categories of foreigners are exempted from registration:

i) US nationals holding 10 year tourist / business visa , provided their continuous stay during each visit does not exceed 180 days .

ii) Foreigners holding five-year tourist visa, who are actively engaged in tourism I travel trade, desirous of visiting India frequently over extended periods for promotion of tourism .etc , provided their visa contains an endorsement that” Continuous stay should not exceed 180 days ” .

iii) PIO card holders , if their continuous stay during each visit does not exceed 180 days.

iv) Foreigners below the age of 16 years .

6. Foreigners can visit restricted / protected areas only after getting a valid permit as visa alone is not enough to visit such places.

7. Foreigners coming from or through yellow fever countries must come with valid vaccination certificate.

8. On arrival/departure, foreigners should fill up Disembarkation /Embarkation cards

According to the article, there have been a lot of rejections in visas because of the use of false and forged documents.

It says, according to the British Deputy High Commission in Chennai, which issues visas to students from the South:

Every fifth student seeking a visa submits marksheets and bank accounts that are fudged.

Marksheets of Osmania University (Hyderabad), Kuvempu University (Shimoga), Madurai Kamaraj University (Madurai) are among the most commonly forged documents.

Many forward fake admission letters of UK universities and bank statements to fulfil funding criteria.
“We have now asked for specimens of original marksheets of different universities and latest format of the offer letters sent out by the UK institutes. Forged documents are one of the prime reasons for refusing a visa,” Lesley Scen, visa office manager, British Deputy High Commission (Chennai), told The Times of India .

2. Economic and Social ties are very important: An applicant’s future role in a family business, academic institution, government agency, professional organization are all possibilities. Bring letters from appropriate parties to demonstrate such facts.

3. If other family members have studied in the U.S. and returned it should be mentioned.

4. Letters from prospective employers recognizing the need for specialized training offered in the U.S. can also serve to aid an application in the applicant’s home country.

5. Providing an explanation of why equivalent educational training is not available in your home country, if applicable.

Most importantly, Consular Officials want to hear from the applicant. At no time, is it recommended that the applicants bring family members with them to the interview.

Applications sent by mail will take about 15 days to process. This time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from the authorities in India, or embassies in case of applicants not residing in US. Applicants are advised to refrain from making telephonic/written/ email inquires in such cases about status of application, as it takes about 45 days to complete the processing of visa formalities. Applicants would be informed once approval is received.

Receipt and delivery of passports: Following return mail charges should be sent for return of serviced passports:
For Certified mail: $4 per passport and $1 for each additional passport.
For Express mail: $15. For Registered mail: $6 per passport & $ 2 for each additional passport. The Embassy/Consulates is not responsible for documents lost in mail.

It is possible to transfer schools after arrival on an F-1 visa. You will need to notify your current school of the transfer and obtain an I-20 form from the new school. You will complete the student certification section of the I-20 and must deliver it to the foreign student advisor at the new school within 15 days of beginning attendance at the new school.

If you are changing majors at your current school, you do not need to notify the INS. If you are changing degree programs (e.g., from a bachelors degree to a masters degree program), however, you will need to get a new I-20 and submit it to the foreign student advisor within 15 days of beginning the new program.

Applications received at the counter between 9.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. are normally processed the same day and serviced documents can be collected from the counter between 4.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. Applications sent in mail will normally take about 10 working/business days to process from the date of receipt in the Embassy. This time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India, or other Indian embassies for non US Resident applicants. During this period the applicants are advised to refrain from making telephonic/written/ email inquires about the status of the application.

Following documents are required to be submitted for visa:

1. ”Visa application Form”

a) Visa application form should filled in legibly and clearly, in bold (capital) letters in black/blue ink only. Incomplete and illegible applications may not be processed.

b) Name and other relevant particulars should be filled in as per details in the passport in expanded form.

2. Passport, it should have a minimum validity of six months on the date of application with at least two blank pages.

3. Photographs ; 2 latest identical passport size photographs (black/white or color) depicting front pose against light background

4. Supporting documents, if the visa being applied for is other than a Tourist Visa, the visa application should be accompanied with supporting documents on type of visa applied for. For details, please see categories of visa given below.

5. Visa Fee, Please see ”Fee Schedule” for the amount of fee. In case the applications are deposited in person at the counter, visa fee can be paid in cash or by Cashier’s Check/Certified Check or Money Order made payable to the Embassy of India, Washington (PERSONAL CHECKS / CREDIT CARDS are not accepted)

6. Persons of Indian Origin applying for a visa for the FIRST time on US passport must submit their Indian passport along with the application form for cancellation and return. If the visa is required on a new US passport booklet, either previous US passport or photocopy of Indian visa are to be submitted with the application.

Note: All persons of Indian origin who have acquired US citizenship are advised to surrender their Indian passports to the nearest Indian mission for cancellation and return. The cancelled Indian passports will be needed at the time of applying for Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card or Indian visa for the first time on a US passport.

Non-US Citizens: Additional requirements

1. Applicants who are not Citizens of USA, but hold long term US visa or a Green Card should submit a copy of the visa or the Green Card.

2. Applicants who are not citizens/ residents of the USA and hold a tourist or other short-term visa for USA should normally apply for Indian visas in the countries of their permanent residence. In case of emergency or special circumstance, an application could be made at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC or Consulates General of India in the US. In addition to the relevant visa fee they should remit an additional US $ 20 for reference to be made to the country of their original residence. The processing time in such cases is usually 5-7 working days.

Note-

(a) Please read the relevant instructions carefully before applying to avoid any inconvenience;

(b) kindly note that the validity of the visa starts from the date of issue and not the date of entry into India)

Special Visa application forms should be filled in by citizens of Pakistan (4 copies with 4 photos) and Bangladesh (2 copies with 2 photos). (It usually takes 3-4 months to process visa applications of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Chinese passport holders).