F-1 Visa Process
Visa Guide
Who does NOT need to apply for an F-1 visa?
Non-U.S. passport holders living in the United States with a work visa (H-1B or L-1). H-1B and L-1 visa holders still need to complete the I-20 application in Terra Dotta but do not need to apply for an F-1 visa.
Legal Permanent Residents or ‘green card holders’ do not need to apply for a visa, but must show their green card to the Visa Services Office upon arrival to the program (this is required each time you arrive on campus)
Employment Authorization Card (EAC) holders (those in the process of applying for a green card) do not need to apply for a visa, but must complete the application in Terra Dotta and submit copy of their EAC. EAC holders must show their card to the Visa Services Office upon arrival to the program.
Duke Visa Services (DVS) issues I-20s for iMEP students coming to study at Duke University. You need to apply for an F-1 visa to enter the US with the issued I-20. For DVS to issue you the I-20, you must complete the Academic Objective in Terra Dotta. Once the Academic Objective is created, you will receive an email to prompt you to log-in to Terra Dotta with your NetID and Password by selecting “Log in with Campus ID”. Do Not Select “Login with Portal Account”.
Complete and submit Terra Dotta online application and supporting documents.
- Complete and submit each Questionnaire in Terra Dotta
- Read and acknowledge the Learning Content in Terra Dotta
- Read and submit Signature Documents in Terra Dotta
- Upload supporting documents
IMPORTANT! Students will see a section in Terra Dotta to upload documents. Although students are welcome to upload documents in Terra Dotta, please keep in mind, your I-20 application will not be processed by the department until your documents are also uploaded to the iMEP Student Document Duke Strong Box
The Visa Services Office recommends obtaining two (2) original copies of your financial documentation (upload only one original to Duke Strong Box) because you will most likely need an additional set when you apply for your visa at the U.S. Consulate in your home country.
Once you have completed the academic objective in Terra Dotta and supplied the necessary supporting documents, we will initiate the I-20 process. The I-20 is a required document that is used when applying for your student visa at the US Consulate in your home country.
The iMEP Program Coordinator at Duke cannot request an I-20 for you until all required supporting documents have been uploaded and the online application in Terra Dotta has been submitted.
Once the student submits the online application and uploads the supporting document, the iMEP Program Coordinator at Duke must review and submit to Duke Visa Services for processing.
Once all of your materials are received, please allow 2-3 weeks for your I-20 application to be processed by Duke Visa Services. The Duke Visa Services office will send your I-20 to you electronically via email. During this time, please visit the website for the US consulate in your home country to determine what additional materials you will need to apply for the F-1 visa. In addition, consulate regulations vary from country to country – some may require you to make an appointment to apply while others may have specific walk-in hours during the week.
IMPORTANT: The Visa Services Office at Duke University strongly recommends that you do not schedule an appointment with the US consulate until you have received your I-20. While we will do everything possible to assist you in this process, please understand that it is your responsibility to obtain the student visa prior to your arrival in Durham, North Carolina. You may begin the visa application process within 120 days of your scheduled arrival in the United States.
The Visa Services Office recommends obtaining two (2) original copies of your financial documentation (send only one original to the Student Services Office) because you will most likely need an additional set when you apply for your visa at the U.S. Consulate in your home country. Visa Services will not return the financial documentation that you provide to obtain your I-20.