To begin the F-1 / J-1 student visa process, you must meet these requirements. 

• Be admitted to a full-time program of study at Brown
• Accept your admissions offer following instructions and deadlines from your admissions office
• Activate your Brown account (instructions will be sent by email)
• Set up your Brown email account (instructions will be sent by email after you have activated your Brown account)

About three business days after your Brown email account is set up, you will receive a “Welcome to the ISSS Gateway” email from your admissions office (undergraduates / master's students) or ISSS (MFA / PhD students) directing you to log into the ISSS Gateway (also referred to as the OISSS Gateway).  The welcome email lists the required documents that you will need to upload into the ISSS Gateway and also lists both acceptable and unacceptable financial documents. Read the email carefully.

The ISSS Gateway is the system you will use to submit documents needed to obtain your I-20 or DS-2019 visa certificate. You will need your Brown account user name and password to log into the Gateway. Proceed to the next step to learn more about submitting your documents.

After you have logged into the ISSS Gateway, you will need to confirm or update your information, and upload required documents needed for your I-20 or DS-2019. Do not send any documents to your admissions office or ISSS by email. All documents for the I-20 or DS-2019 must be uploaded through the Gateway portal.

Proceed through the Gateway sections and upload required documents. Remember to press “SAVE”as you update your information. The Gateway sections include:

• Section 1: Follow instructions to respond to questions or confirm your information
• Section 2: To be completed by students already in the U.S. in active F-1 or another status
  • If this does not apply to you, answer “NO”
  • If this applies to you, answer “YES” and answer or upload all required documents. including a copy of your current I-94, I-20, and F-1 visa
• Section 3: Review your personal information. If any information is incorrect, contact your Admissions office. Be sure to indicate the country of citizenship should be the country whose passport you intend to use to apply for your visa and/or enter the U.S.
  • Upload a clear copy of your entire passport identification page - this should be the passport you will use throughout the visa and arrival process
  • If you were issued a F-1 visa previously (expired or current), upload a copy
  • Enter your foreign country home address
  • You do not need to enter a U.S. address at this time
• Section 4: You are required to upload financial documents that demonstrate sufficient funding for at least the first academic year of study. Please consult our Estimate of Expenses web page for more information about what kinds of financial documents are acceptable.
• Section 5: Press ‘complete’ to finish the submission process.

After you have submitted all required documents, they will be reviewed by your Admissions office and/or by International Student and Scholar Services. If additional information is needed, you will be contacted directly. If your information is complete, a Form I-20 (or Form DS-2019) will be issued to you through Docusign, an electronic document delivery provider. 

Please note: In most cases, it takes from 10 to 15 business days to complete the review process and issue your form. Click here for more information about processing times. If more than 15 business days have passed and you have still not received your document, write to isss@brown.edu. 

Students transferring their F-1 records to Brown may need to wait longer, depending on the SEVIS transfer release date assigned to your record by your current school or sponsor.

Once you have received your I-20 / DS-2019 notification from Docusign, you should take the following steps:

• Click on the appropriate link to download the form
• Review your personal and program information for accuracy
• Take note of your unique SEVIS number, which is printed on page 1 of your I-20 or DS-2019 and is in the format “N000xxxxxxxxx"
• Read the visa and regulatory information included on the form (usually page 3 for Form I-20 and page 2 for Form DS-2019)
• Print out the form and sign it in the “Student Attestation” section at the bottom of page 1 for Form I-20 or “Exchange Visitor Certification” section at the bottom of page 1 for Form DS-2019
• Follow any other instructions provided to you with the form
• Contact isss@brown.edu if you have questions about any information items on the form, or review our Frequently Asked Questions page

Once you have received and printed out your I-20 or DS-2019, proceed to the next step.

Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa requirement and can proceed to the next step.

After you have received your I-20 / DS-2019 and paid your I-901 SEVIS fee, you can start the process of scheduling your visa appointment. Effective September 2025, you must schedule a visa appointment with a U.S. consulate in your country of citizenship or legal residence - visa appointments in third countries are no longer permitted.

1. Review the website of the U.S. consulate where you will appear for your visa appointment. Follow any instructions regarding the non-immigrant visa application process.
2. Complete the online Form DS-160 visa application and pay any required fees (also see the section below on “Visa Reciprocity Fees”). It is important that you understand the questions on Form DS-160 and answer all questions accurately, as you may be questioned in your visa interview about any information you provide on the form. Form DS-160 will also ask you to list all of your social media accounts, which can be subject to inspection.
3. Schedule your visa appointment after completing your DS-160 visa application system. After completing the application, you will be directed to a portal that allows you to schedule an appointment with your consulate. IMPORTANT: read the section below on “When to Schedule Your Appointment”
4. Follow your consulate's instructions about what to bring to your visa interview. In general, expect to bring your passport, I-20 or DS-2019, I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt, copies of your financial documents, and your admission letter. Graduate students in certain cases may be asked for their CV or information about their program of study and research plan.
5. Attend your visa interview and wait for a final result. Please keep in mind that visa interviews in many cases are very quick, lasting only 2 or 3 minutes. Be prepared to offer answers about your intended program and school, your DS-160 responses, and longer-term plans. Also, in many cases, consulates are subjecting visa applications to ‘administrative processing,’ which is a background check now required by the U.S. government. Administrative processing cases take 1 to 2 weeks to clear on average, but individual cases may take much longer.
   1. If you are informed that your visa has been denied, contact ISSS at isss@brown.edu and provide copies of any written explanations provided by the consulate.
6. Pick up your passport and inspect your visa. Follow your consulate's instructions for retrieving your passport and visa once the visa has been approved. Make sure that your biographical (name, date of birth, citizenship, birth country) information is accurate, and take note of the visa issuance and expiration date. Keep in mind that a valid and unexpired visa is only needed to enter the U.S., and the visa validity can be less or more than the actual expected length of your program (which is reflected on your I-20 or DS-2019).
7. Make travel plans for arrival. You can take steps to finalize your travel plans to the U.S. Remember that for both F-1 and J-1 students, you are not permitted to arrive more than 30 days before the start date of your program, as indicated on your I-20 or DS-2019. This is an immigration restriction and cannot be changed.

Visa reciprocity fees

In addition to the standard Form DS-160 visa application fee (currently $185 in most cases), visa applicants from some countries may need to pay additional visa reciprocity fees. These are extra fees based on visa agreements between the U.S. and different countries. The consulate will indicate whether or not you have to pay an extra reciprocity fee. You can also check yourself by going to the U.S. Visa Reciprocity website,  selecting your country from the left-hand column, then choosing “F” or “J” under visa classification. The fee (if any) will be listed under the “Fee” column.

When to Schedule Your Visa Appointment

Most students should schedule their visa appointment for the earliest possible date provided by the visa scheduling system. Even if the next available visa appointment is later than desired, take the first appointment available and then check the system regularly to see if earlier dates open up.

However, under current visa reciprocity guidelines, students from some countries may be limited to three-month single entry visas. These students should only schedule their visa appointments within 3 months of their earliest arrival date, which can be no earlier than 30 days before the start of their program as indicated on Form I-20 or DS-2019. A student who applies too early in this situation may find that their visa will expire before they are able to enter the U.S. For example, if your visa was issued on May 1, 2026 and given an expiration date of July 31, 2026, you will not be able to use the visa to enter the U.S. after July 31.

To determine the visa reciprocity restrictions for your country, go the U.S. Visa Reciprocity website,  select your country from the left-hand column, then choosing “F” or “J” under visa classification. The number of entries (e.g., “multiple,” “one,” “two,” etc.) will be indicated as well as the validity period. If your visa validity period is only three months, it is important to schedule your appointment so that the visa is not issued more than three months before your expected arrival date. Contact isss@brown.edu if you have questions regarding visa validity.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• 10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Student Visa (NAFSA)

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Please keep in mind that F-1 and J-1 students and their dependents may not make their initial arrival in the U.S. more than thirty (30) days before the program start date indicated on their Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. This is a U.S. immigration restriction and cannot be changed by Brown.

Immigration Inspection

Upon arrival in the U.S., you will be required to go through immigration inspection with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. Even if you have been issued a valid student visa, entry into the U.S. is not automatic, as the final decision to allow you to enter the U.S. is made by CBP. It is important to be prepared by having the following documents available to you. You should carry essential documents in your carry-on bag; do not store them in checked luggage.

• Unexpired passport valid at least six months into the future upon arrival
• A valid and unexpired F-1 or J-1 entry visa (exception: Canadian citizens typically are not required to have an entry visa)
• Your Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 visa certificate for Brown
• Your financial documents
• Your admission letter or other proof of admission to Brown
• If F-2 or J-2 dependents are accompanying you, their immigration documents (passport, visas, I-20 / DS-2019 forms) and proof of family relationship (marriage certificate, proof of parental relationship)

In addition to the above documents, you should also have other essential information available to you, including

• Emergency contact information, including a personal U.S. contact number (if available)
• ISSS contact information
• Your temporary or long-term address in Providence (e.g., on-campus housing assignment, temporary hotel address, off-campus apartment address, etc.)
• Essential medications that meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidelines for travelers with medication
• School documents and records for any accompanying dependent children
• Small amounts of cash (or access to cash) for immediate expenses

Primary and Secondary Inspection: When you arrive, do NOT enter the line for Global Entry. Instead, follow instructions for non-US citizen immigration inspection. During inspection, a CBP officer will review your documents and ask you questions about your school, your program (including your intended major and program duration), and longer-term plans. If the officer determines that additional information is needed, you may be referred to secondary inspection, where another officer may ask more extensive questions. Secondary inspection visits can last a few minutes to an hour or longer, depending on different factors.

Once you arrive in the U.S. and have successfully cleared immigration inspection, you will be issued an electronic Form I-94 record that indicates your class of admission (e.g., F-1 or J-1) and your “Admit Until” date, which should always be “D/S” for duration of status.

The I-94 is an extremely important legal document that shows that you entered the U.S. in proper status as an F-1 or J-1 student (or as an F-2 or J-2 dependent). The I-94 may be required when applying for benefits such as a Social Security Number, and should be carried at all times while in the U.S. to show your legal status. 

After arriving in the U.S.:

• Look up your I-94 at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov. You will need your passport number to search for the form.
• Print and download a copy to your phone and/or laptop, as you will later need to upload a copy into the ISSS Gateway
• Make sure the information on the form is correct; the visa type must indicate F-1 or J-1 and the Admit Until date must be D/S
• Print a hardcopy to keep in your backpack or bag on a daily basis
• Repeat these steps each time you re-enter the U.S. after an international trip

All new students attending Brown University in F-1 or J-1 status must complete an online immigration check-in with ISSS within 3 business days of their arrival on campus.

This step is required. Any student who fails to complete their immigration check-in may have their SEVIS record terminated, in accordance with U.S. immigration regulations that require all check-ins to be completed within specific time periods after arrival in the U.S.

Check-in is also needed to activate your SEVIS record, which may be necessary for any student who is offered an on-campus job and needs to apply for a Social Security Number.

How to Complete Your Check-in

Please have the following available as electronic PDF or JPEG files when completing the online check-in form:

• Passport ID page
• Form I-20 or DS-2019 (must signed by the student in the Student Certification or Exchange Visitor Certification section)
• I-94 arrival record
• If applicable, provide the same documentation for any dependents who were issued Forms I-20/DS-2019

Log in to your ISSS Gateway portal, click on the Requests & Documents tab, then select/complete/submit the "New Student Registration" request after you arrive to the U.S. in F-1/J-1 status.

Please contact isss@brown.edu if you have any difficulties with the check-in process.

Once you have arrived at Brown, you should take additional steps when starting your program at Brown. 

1. Review the information on our Moving to Providence and International Student Orientation guide for information about getting oriented at Brown
2. Get your Brown ID card if you have not done so already, from the Brown ID office in Page-Robinson Hall, 5th floor (upstairs from ISSS)
3. If you are working at Brown (e.g., you have an assistantship or other on-campus job):
   • complete your Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form with the HR Service Center in Page-Robinson Hall, 2nd floor
   • simultaneously, apply for a Social Security Number following instructions from ISSS