Visa Application Process

Most graduate schools have a deadline of mid-April to accept or decline an offer. It is up to the student to accept offers before each deadline. As soon as you have accepted a graduate school offer,  you should begin the visa process. Visas require a minimum of two to four weeks to process and so must be applied for as early as possible.

In order to process your visa, take the following steps (2-5 should be done concurrently):

1. USINDO provides each fellow with a formal letter of acceptance that can be used to support your visa application.

2.  The student begins collecting all necessary documents per the instructions on the US Embassy in Jakarta.

3.  The student accepts at one school before the deadline.

4.  The student enrolls at the SAIS Summer Programs with assistance from SAIS. The student coordinates payment for the program with Pusdiklat.

5. The student works with USINDO to ensure they are registered at university and USINDO pays the matriculation fee/deposit.

6. Once enrolled in both university and the SAIS Summer Program, the student works with SAIS to be issued their I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status). The I-20 form is required to apply for the student visa and will be transferred to the institution at which you are studying after the SAIS Summer Program is completed.

7. Upon receipt of the I-20 and collection of all necessary documents per the embassy’s website, the student contacts the US Embassy in Jakarta to make an appointment for their visa interview.

8.  The visa is issued and plane tickets can be purchased.

Please note all visa questions should be directed to the Consular Services of the US Embassy in Jakarta (+62-21-3435-9000).