10 Tips for Applying for an Overseas Student Visa

Going to study abroad definitely requires careful preparation. However, there are still many who feel 100% ready as long as they have received a Letter of Acceptance , funding/scholarship and guaranteed accommodation. However, there is still one step that needs to be considered carefully: Applying for a student visa . If this stage fails, you will have to repeat the application process from the beginning and may have to pay another fee.

To reduce the chances of your student visa application having problems, follow these 10 tips from phoneluk.com:

1. Check Visa Type

Most countries only have 1 type of student visa, such as the Student Pass in Singapore and Malaysia. However, there are several countries that have different policies. For example, the United States has 3 types of student visas or Australia which divides its student visas into 8 sub-classes . Therefore, you must look for information on the embassy/consulate website of your destination country to know exactly what type of student visa you should apply for. Don’t forget to note down all the requirements.

2. Check the Language Test Certificate

Depending on the language used in your study program, your destination country may require you to attach a certificate of language test results such as IELTS or GDS to apply for a visa. However, keep in mind that certificates for some language tests have an expiration date. For example, TOEFL and TCF certificates are only valid for 2 years. When submitting, your test results must still be valid. If not, you need to retake the test.

 

Some language tests have different types of tests, so you must take the right language test. For example, IELTS has 2 types of tests: Academic and General . For college matters, you must take IELTS Academic . For British student visas, TOEFL is no longer accepted as proof of English language skills so you have to take the IELTS test. Double check the language requirements of the embassy where you are going to study.

 

This is different from TOEFL which consists of 4 types: iBT, CBT, PBT and ITP. You can use the certificate of the results of these four types of tests for college purposes, but the ITP type is usually not recognized internationally. So you can only take this test if your destination university is willing to accept the TOEFL ITP certificate.

3. Check Blank Pages in Passport

Make sure there are 4-6 blank pages in your passport. It is true that student visas are only affixed to 1 page, but many countries require a minimum of 2 blank pages facing each other in the passport for the visa application process. If you don’t have a blank sheet when you apply, you will be asked to renew your passport. This will of course delay your visa process.

 

Apart from that, also check the validity period of your passport. Some countries require passports to be valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter the country for visa approval.

4. Check the photo and document requirements

Read and follow all visa photo and document requirements as best as possible. If your photo does not comply with the regulations (for example, the size/background color of the photo is wrong) or your documents are incomplete, your application may be rejected and you will have to start over from the beginning.

 

To avoid photo problems, you can visit photo studios that have experience in making visa photos. For example, photo studios on Jalan Sabang in Jakarta, Jonas Photo in Bandung or Gaya Indah in Surabaya. To help complete the documents, you can create a file checklist that includes information on the costs, conditions and time period needed to obtain these documents.

 

5. Check Visa Application Fees

The process of applying for a student visa is of course subject to fees which need to be paid in advance. Find out the latest fee information and accepted payment methods on the embassy/consulate website of your destination country. When you come to apply for a student visa, don’t forget to bring proof of payment.

 

Another thing you need to check is whether there are any additional fees that need to be paid if your visa is approved. One example of this policy is the United States F1 visa which is subject to an additional visa reciprocity fee of $220 if approved.

 

6. Schedule as Early as Possible

Student visas may take several weeks to process. Therefore, schedule your visa application as soon as possible at the embassy/consulate of your destination country. If the application time is too close to the departure date, there is a possibility that your visa will not be processed on the day.

 

When scheduling, confirm the visa application location again. This needs to be taken into account because several embassies have delegated visa processing to other agencies, such as UK student visas which can only be applied for at VFS Global.

If you really have very limited time to  apply for a student visa , it would be a good idea for you to ask for help from a well-known education agent such as IDP Education to help with your visa application process. Several countries provide  express routes  to speed up your visa issuance.

 

 

7. Translate Documents

All documents in Indonesian that are part of the visa requirements need to be translated into English by a sworn translator. Some embassies/consulates have a list of sworn translators that you can contact to translate your documents. However, if the translators on the list are busy, you can also look for other sworn translation services on the Indonesian Translator Association website.

 

This first step needs to be done long before your visa application schedule so that there is time for revisions if there are translation errors. Apart from that, the costs you incur can be cheaper because the translation process is carried out within normal deadlines.

 

 

8. Photocopy of all documents

Some embassies/consulates will ask for original documents and photocopies for visa requirements. Apart from ensuring that the photocopy is clear, you also have to check whether the photocopy needs to be legalized by a certain agency. When submitting, ask for confirmation from the officer receiving the file that the photocopy can be accepted.

 

As a precaution, you should keep a copy of all visa application documents because there is a possibility that you will need the information there.

 

 

9. Gather Information

Some countries require an interview session as part of the student visa application. Therefore, you must have complete information about your study major, your chosen university and your accommodation options. Also prepare the reasons why you chose to study at that institution and what impact it will have on your career plans. Apart from that, other information that the interviewer may need is about your family, sources of college funding and your academic history. All this information can help you convince the visa officer that you are actually going to their country to study.

10. Keep Calm

During the interview, listen to questions carefully and give answers in a calm and firm manner. If you appear tense, panicked or defensive, the visa officer may become suspicious and carry out extra checks. This inspection may increase the time your visa process takes.

So that you don’t get nervous during the interview, try to collect a list of questions commonly asked for student visas and do interview practice with the help of friends or family. Since not all visa officers can speak Indonesian, you should do this exercise in English so that you can speak more fluently during the interview.

If you still need further information, there is no need to hesitate to contact the embassy/consulate because there are usually special telephone numbers and e-mail addresses available for questions regarding visas.