Submitting Documents

When you have received your I-20 from NPC, you will need to schedule your F-1 Student Visa Interview.

How and When to Schedule Your F-1 Visa Interview:

It is important to schedule your Visa Interview as soon as possible after receiving your Form I-20 and paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee.

To identify the U.S. embassy or consulate that is most convenient for you to visit, visit the Official list of embassies from the U.S. Department of State

Arriving for Your F-1 Visa Interview:

When arriving for your appointment, a consular official will electronically scan your fingerprints and expect you to have the following completed documentation with you for the interview:

• Form I-20 issued by NPC.
• Printed Form DS-160, “Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application,” confirmation page.
• Passport valid for at least six months after you plan to enter the United States.
• A two-inch by two-inch photo of yourself.
• Receipt for your visa application fee payment.
• Receipt for your I-901 SEVIS Fee payment.

Preparing for and Attending Your Visa Interview:

In preparation for your visa interview, you should be prepared to tell the consular officer who will conduct your F-1 Student Visa interview about your plans while in the United States and what you will do when you have completed your studies. You should also be prepared to show the following:

• You have received acceptance to NPC. Bring a copy of your acceptance letter.
• You have the financial ability to pay for school costs plus living expenses (the amount shown on Form I-20). You should bring copies of financial documents you provided to NPC. These documents are evidence of the preparations you have made to finance your stay (e.g., bank statements).
• You are prepared for the academic program in which you plan to enroll. You may want to bring copies of any standardized test scores, academic transcripts, diplomas or certificates from previous study you provided as part of your application to NPC.
• Your stay in the United States is temporary (i.e., you are not permanently immigrating).
• The interviewing official may be interested in how you intend to use the education you receive in the United States when you return home.

WORDS OF CAUTION (AS LISTED ON DHS WEBSITE)

Proofread all of your travel-related documents (i.e., Form I-20, Form I-901 SEVIS Fee receipt and F-1 Student Visa) to ensure they are correct. Especially make sure your name and birth date are written exactly the same way on all your documents. If you find an error in a document, have it corrected by the people who completed the document before you apply for the next document in the process.

• Proofread your visa when the consular official returns your passport to you – mistakes in the visa information cannot be corrected once you travel. If you find a mistake in your biographical data or your visa type, contact the embassy or consulate to ask officials to correct the error.
• Be skeptical of anyone who claims the ability to either provide a document that you need or to get you a visa other than as this guidance suggests. If you are deliberate and prepare carefully for each of these steps in obtaining travel authorization and F-1 Student Visa status, you can succeed by yourself!

Preparing for Travel to the United States:

Before you leave for the United States, you need to ensure you pack the following documents:

• Passport
• Visa
• I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status
• I-901 SEVIS Fee payment receipt
• Copy of the Financial Guarantee Form
• Address where you are living while in the United States

When you arrive, you will receive an I-94 and enter the US. The following are instructions from the Study in the States website:

The Form I-94, “Arrival/Departure Record” is a critical record. It shows that you have been legally admitted to the United States, the class of admission, and the authorized period of stay. It is very important that the information on the record is correct.

If you arrive by a land port, you will receive a paper Form I-94. If you arrive at the port of entry by air or sea, an automated Form I-94 record will automatically be generated for you by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. CBP will provide you with an admission stamp on your passport that is annotated with date of admission, class of admission and admitted-until date. The electronic arrival/departure record can be obtained at www.cbp.gov/I94.

You have 30 days to enter the country before your official program start date, which is recorded in SEVIS. You must report to your school by the program start date listed on the Form I-20 you received. This is one of the rules you agreed to when you received your student or exchange visitor status. If you do not follow this rule, you are not maintaining your status.

It is best to contact the DSO immediately after entering the country so that there is no question of your arrival. If you cannot enter the United States for the term listed on your Form I-20 or if you will be late by a few days, immediately contact your designated school officials so that they can accurately enter this information in your SEVIS record.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have strict rules on employment for international students in F-1 status.  These rules are fairly simple but must be followed to prevent the student from being deported due to a violation of these rules.

Please keep the following guidelines:

• According to NPC Policy, upon initial entry to begin a new course of study, an F-1 student may not begin on-campus employment until their second semester in the States.
• F-1 students are generally permitted to work part-time on the premises of the school that issued their currently valid I-20, with the school as the employer, while they are attending that school and maintaining their F-1 status, subject to the restrictions discussed in this section. This type of employment does not require P/DSO authorization or updates to the SEVIS record.
• On-campus employment must either be performed on the school’s premises, (including on-location commercial firms which provide services for students on campus, such as the school bookstore or cafeteria), or at an off-campus location which is educationally affiliated with the school.  In the case of off-campus locations, the educational affiliation must be associated with the school’s established curriculum. In any event, the employment must be an integral part of the student’s educational program.
• Employment authorized under this paragraph must not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session. An F-1 student may, however, work on campus full-time when school is not in session or during the annual vacation.
• Positions on the NPC campus are posted on our website under the “Extra Help” or “Part Time” heading:  Employment Opportunities
• Internships are also available through NPC.  For information on those opportunities our DSO can direct you to the proper department.
• Off campus employment is usually not authorized except under extreme economic circumstances.
• Although on-campus work authorization does not require specific DSO approval under DHS regulations, the Social Security Administration requires a letter from the DSO when a student applies for a social security number on the basis of on-campus employment (See Obtaining a Social Security Card section below).
• An F-1 student may work while the Social Security number application is being processed. Employers may wish to reference Social Security’s fact sheet, Employer Responsibilities When Hiring Foreign Workers. This fact sheet contains information on how to report wages for an employee who has not yet received an SSN and is available online at https://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/hiring.htm. There is no provision in the Social Security Act (the Act) that employers must have their employees’ SSNs before hiring them. Neither is there any provision in the Act that prohibits an employee from beginning work if he or she has not yet obtained an SSN.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of training designed to give the F-1 student hands-on experience while they are still completing their studies. Although the student will work off-campus (in most cases), CPT is not an off-campus work authorization. The CPT authorization allows the student to work off-campus for credit towards the student’s major of study. To qualify for CPT, the following criteria must be met:

• Student has been enrolled on a full-time basis for at least a full academic year.
• The internship or work training must relate directly to the student’s major area of study.
• The internship or work training must be an integral part of the school’s established curriculum. In other words, your degree plan must include an internship component.
• The student must be able to complete CPT before the program end date on the I-20.
• Student must secure the internship or training opportunity before CPT is authorized by the DSO (Note: please let the International Student Office know that you are considering CPT to ensure you are eligible before doing the work of finding an internship).
• CPT must be authorized BEFORE the student can begin work.
• The student will look for off-campus internships or practical training opportunities (jobs) that are part-time opportunities (limited to 20 hours a week).  The work can be a paid or unpaid internship. Even if the internship is unpaid, a CPT request must be submitted. 

Below are the steps to apply for CPT at National Park College:

1. Before seeking CTP opportunities, contact the International Student Office to ensure you qualify for CPT.
2. Contact your academic advisor to ensure that your program of study (major) has an internship component and you will receive credit for your internship or practical training (this is required for CPT).
3. Seek internship or practical training opportunities and apply for work. The work can be a paid or unpaid internship.  Even if the internship is unpaid, a CPT request must be submitted.
4. Complete the top portion of the CPT Authorization Form.
5. Send the completed form to your academic advisor to complete the bottom portion of the form for authorization.
6. After your academic advisor completes the bottom portion of the form, he or she will submit the form to the International Student Services Office to complete your authorization in SEVIS and print a new I-20.

The Social Security Administration issues a nine-digit number that allows employers to report wages to the United States government.  This number is recorded on a card that allows the user to supply this information to their employer or other agency as another form of identification.  Once obtained, this card is vitally important and the user must secure this number to protect against identity theft. Before going to the Social Security office, please obtain the following documents:

• An on-campus employment authorization letter from the DSO (International Student Coordinator)
• Employment verification letter from the on-campus employer

For the instructions on how to obtain a Social Security Card, please visit https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/obtaining-a-social-security-number 

A driver’s license is required to operate a motor vehicle in all states and territories of the United States of America.  

• Study the Arkansas Driver’s Manual.  This explains all the traffic laws and regulations of the State of Arkansas. Study the manual and take the written portion of the driver’s test. Bring your I-20, passport, and I-94 to the exam. If you do not pass the written test, you may take it again as many times as you would like. It is not unusual for people to fail the written test on the first attempt.
• In Arkansas, you can take the written driver’s exam and the driving test on the same day.  The written test is typically scheduled for the afternoon, while the driving test is usually in the morning.  It’s advisable to schedule an appointment to ensure you have the correct date and time for both tests.

Location Testing Sites in Hot Springs:

Hot Springs Motor Vehicle Office

• Department of Motor Vehicles
• 1609 Albert Pike Road, Suite U
• 501-624-0832
• Hours of Operation: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm / Monday – Friday

Hot Springs Driver Control Office

• Government Services
• 906 Airport Road, Suite A
• 501-623-1239
• Hours of Operation: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm / Monday – Friday

Hot Spring (Dt) Motor Vehicle Office

• Department of Motor Vehicles
• 200 Woodbine Street, Suite 142
• 501-624-4472
• Hours of Operation: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm / Monday – Friday

A driver’s license does not give you authorization to work off-campus! Never drive a vehicle that is not insured.