Overview
The F & M visa categories are for students. The F visa is for academic students, and the M visa is for vocational or other non-academic students.

In order to qualify for one of these visas, the applicant must be accepted into an established educational institution in the United States. The student must also show that he is able to support himself financially as well as pay for any/all costs of going to school. Once the school has accepted the applicant, it will provide the applicant with a non-immigrant student status application form. The student must complete the form and provide supporting documentation to the visa office.

F Requirements
The student must be taking a full course of study in order to be considered for an F visa. The following is a list of what satisfies the requirement of a full course of study:

• Postgraduate study, postdoctoral study, or research at a college or university certified by a designated school official as a full course of study;

• Undergraduate study at a college of university, certified by a designated school official that the study consists of 12 semesters;

• Study for at least 12 hours weekly, or its equivalent, in a postsecondary non-vocational program at a school that grants degrees;

• Study in any non-vocational training program, certified by a designated school official that the study consists of 18 hours of classroom attendance a week;

• Study in a primary or secondary school for no less than the prescribed number of hours to reach graduation within a timely manner.

M Requirements
Under the M visa, the student must also complete a full course of study. The following are various situations that are recognized as a full course of study:

• Study at a community college or junior college, certified by a school official that the study consists of at least 12 semesters;

• Study for at least 12 hours weekly or its equivalent in a postsecondary vocational or other business school;

• Study in a vocational or other non-academic curriculum, certified by a school official that the study consists of 18 hours of classroom attendance a week if the study primarily involves classroom instruction, or that the study consists of 22 hours of classroom attendance a week if the study involves laboratory or shop work; or

• Study in a vocational or other non-academic high school curriculum, for no less than the prescribed number of hours to reach graduation within a timely manner.

Employment
F students may be permitted to seek employment in the following circumstances: on-campus employment, off-campus employment (in cases of severe economic hardship), international organization internships, curricular practical training, and optional practical training before or after completion of studies.

Maximum Stay in the US

F Visa
Students are permitted to stay in the United States for duration of their studies. They are granted a period of stay for the period of time that the school states is normally required in order to complete the full course of study. F students are also considered to be in status throughout the summer months as well as during one annual vacation during the school year, providing that he has registered for the next term and has completed the previous academic year. A grace period of no more than one (1) year may be added should the student not be able to complete the academic program.

If the alien is coming to the United States to open or be employed in a new office, the initial stay in this category may be approved for a period not to exceed one (1) year, with further extensions once the viability of the business has been shown.

M Visa
Students are admitted for a period of one year or for the duration of time necessary to complete the program plus thirty days to depart, whichever is less.