What should I bring?

• Immigration documentation
  
  Bring all the immigration documentation you have; it's far better to bring more than you need than to be sent home for more paperwork. Specific F-1 visa documentation includes an I-20 Form (Certificate for Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status), signed by your school officials; and completed and signed DS-156 and DS-158 (nonimmigrant visa applicant forms).
  
  You will also need a passport valid for travel at least six months beyond your intended stay; one 2-by-2-inch passport photograph; a receipt to show payment of the visa application fee; and a SEVIS I-90 fee receipt.
  
  Additional documentation
  
  You should also be prepared to provide official transcripts and diplomas from your previous schools; any testing scores you may have, such as TOEFL, SAT, GRE and GMAT; and financial evidence that your sponsors have sufficient income to support you, including tax documents and bank statements.
  
  If you are bringing dependents, be prepared to provide proof of your relationship, such as birth and marriage certificates.
  
  

F-1 visa interview questions

• The job of immigration officials is to discover in a few minutes who you are, whether you have the academic ability to complete your studies in the United States, and whether you have the financial resources to do so. So it's critical to present yourself properly and communicate effectively in your interview.
  
  A few typical questions:
  
  Why did you choose this university?
  What other universities did you apply to?
  Who is your sponsor and what do they do?
  Do you have any relatives in the United States?
  Why don't you want to study in your country?
  Will you go home over the summers?
  What will you do when you finish your studies?
  
  The last question is one of the most important. Immigration officials review hundreds of thousands of F-1 visa applications every year, and their job is to quickly deduce whether applicants truly intend to return home once their studies are complete.
  
  So, be sure to be prepared for your F-1 visa interview, with documentation in hand, and answers ready. And, be ready to persuade officials that you really want to return home.