Congratulations on your admission to Yale! OISS will begin processing the visa documents for newly admitted students in late March after we have confirmation of the of the budget for the coming year and have all the information from your school. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our office using this email address set up specifically for new students: newstudents.oiss@yale.edu.
Yale College students should contact their designated adviser at ozan.say@yale.edu.
COVID-19 Considerations
The worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 virus currently presents many challenges to the process of obtaining a U.S. visa and traveling to Yale to begin your studies. We are hopeful that both visa issuance and air travel will return to normal so that you can arrive at Yale for the Fall semester. Please know that both OISS and Yale University are closely monitoring the COVID-19 global health emergency and will stay in close communication with you about any updates or changes.
Please read our FAQs for newly admitted students, and find more resources on our COVID-19 page.
Preliminary Steps
Professional School students will submit financial documents to their school contact. GSAS Masters students should go to the Application Status Portal to submit your Financial Certification form and supporting documents. For GSAS Masters students, the form will be available on your Application Status Portal only after you accept an offer of admission. Each school will have a deadline to submit documents, and your immigration document cannot be issued until you do, so be sure that you complete this step.
Yale College students are not required to complete the financial certification form. You will instead upload evidence of funding for your first year at Yale to the online survey (see next section).
After accepting your offer of admission, you will receive an email from OISS with a link to an online survey. We will begin this process in mid to late March. With hundreds of documents to issue, completing the online survey as soon as possible helps ensure that you receive your immigration document (an I-20 for F visa or DS-2019 for J visa) in good time.
After receiving your information and all required supporting documentation, OISS will issue your immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019). This generally takes two weeks. Your immigration document will be emailed to you unless an original is required.
Thoroughly review your I-20 or DS-2019 to make sure all of the information is correct. Sign the form at the bottom of page 1. If you have any questions, please contact your OISS adviser.
All new students coming in F-1 or J-1 status must pay a one-time SEVIS fee prior to applying for their visa. Learn more about paying your SEVIS fee. You must do so before you attend your visa interview.
Apply for Your Visa
Special Note For Canadians:Once you have your SEVIS number, you can start the visa application by completing the DS-160 online application and scheduling an appointment at the embassy or consulate. Follow the links below to learn more.
Currently in the U.S.?
If you are currently in F-1 status, see F-1 transfer information.
Yale College students who are currently in a nonimmigrant status other than F-1, should send an email to ozan.say@yale.edu with their name and information about their current status.
Next Steps
Follow the instructions below depending on your visa type.
Visa Appointment Wait Times
Review the current wait times for getting a visa appointment at an American embassy in your country.
