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California Institute of the Arts

Immigration Document for Visa Process

International Applicants

For international students, navigating the visa and I-20 process is an essential part of preparing for your studies at CalArts. This guide outlines the key steps and deadlines, ensuring you are fully prepared for your journey as an international student.

Step 1: Application submission

Apply to the program of your choice. 

Read more about transcript requirements and English language proficiency (ELL). 

Step 2: Decision Reply form and tuition deposit

You will be notified by email when your decision is ready to view. Decision letters are viewed by logging back into the application and clicking the View Your Admission Decision link (please make sure pop-up windows are allowed). If admitted, your letter will contain instructions on accessing the Decision Reply form and the Non-refundable Tuition Deposit payment site.

Both the Decision Reply form and Deposit need to be turned in to reserve your space. You can find the step-by-step process here.

Step 3: Declaration of Finances and applying for your immigration document

A few days after you submit the Decision Reply Form and pay the deposit, you will receive an email with instructions on using the International Student Portal (F1 or M) OR email instructions & the form to apply for a J-1 visa. This is to apply for the Form I-20 or DS-2019 Student Visas.

All students who are not U.S. Citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. must complete the online Declaration of Finances (DOF) forms after they have been accepted and submitted their Decision Reply form and paid their deposit. This DOF form is to verify that you have sufficient financial resources to pay all educational and living expenses while attending the California Institute of the Arts. We encourage international students to be fully prepared to fund their education and living expenses for the entire length of their time at CalArts.

Declaration of Finances FAQ

I can’t complete the DOF yet. Can you extend the due date?

The recommended DOF deadline is 30 days after you have submitted your deposit. Please email us the date you can complete the DOF if you will be delayed at intlstudents@calarts.edu.

I have submitted the DOF with documents, but I forgot to include one more thing. It doesn’t let me go back to my form to upload any more. What should I do?

Please email us at intlstudents@calarts.edu.

I submitted my financial statements for a previous term. Do I have to submit the DOF again? Can I submit the same financial statements?

  • If you deferred your admission, please complete a new DOF form.
  • Please submit new financial statements that are issued within 3 months of your submission date.
  • Keep in mind the amount you need to show for the immigration document may have changed from last term.

I have a dependent who will be accompanying me to the US. What do I need to do?

You need to submit additional documentation as directed in the forms for the dependent spouse or child, including a copy of their passport and additional finances to support their stay.

What kinds of bank accounts can be used to show financial support?

  • Accepted: Liquid accounts such as checking, saving, and certificate of deposit accounts.
  • Not accepted: Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, credit card accounts, and ATM receipts are not accepted.

How much should the bank statement show?

The minimum amount should be at least the estimated cost of attendance (tuition and living expenses) for one academic year.

International students must meet the “off-campus” cost of living due to limited on-campus housing options. Contact International Programs Office intlstudents@calarts.edu for the one-semester exchange program tuition and fee cost.

Students with dependents will be required to show additional funding. You may need additional financial documents when you apply for an immigration visa at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate.

My bank statement is not in English and it doesn’t have the US dollar amount. Is it OK?

You will have to translate the whole statement into English and attach it to the bank statement. We will calculate the equivalent U.S. dollar amount based on the exchange rate on the day we review your documents.

My relative is sponsoring my educational cost. Do I need their bank statement?

Yes, you do. In addition if your sponsor is not your parent, you and your relative need to complete the Affidavit of Sponsor form and get it notarized to verify the identification of your relative.

I only have an email confirmation of my scholarship. Is it OK?

Email confirmation of CalArts scholarship is OK. We will see your scholarship in the system. For non-CalArts scholarships, you will need an official letter of scholarship confirmation from other organization confirming the amount given. 

My scholarship sponsor is asking me about J-1 visa. What do I do?

Students approved for Fulbright or IIE will receive a DS-2019 directly from that organization. Students with substantial funding that is not personal/family funds, such as home country sponsorship, may be eligible for J-1 through CalArts. For any questions about eligibility for J-1, please contact us at intlstudents@calarts.edu.

I have multiple passports. Which one do I upload?

Please upload the passport you will be using to apply for nonimmigrant visa. 

I have an I-20 from another school in the U.S - can I keep my same I-20?

Students who have an active I-20 with another school in the U.S can transfer their I-20/SEVIS record to CalArts. The transfer is not automatic. Students need to give their CalArts acceptance letter and CalArts school code to their current school’s international office and request the transfer, if eligible.After the transfer is made, CalArts can issue the student a transfer pending I-20 with the same SEVIS number. 

The CalArts SEVIS school code for transferring is LOS214F00423000.

Step 4: I-20 Issuance

After the Office of International Students & Programs issues the immigration document for your visa application, please review it for accuracy and print the document on paper and sign it. Any discrepancies you find on the document should be corrected so please contact intlprograms@calarts.edu.

Immigration document issuance FAQ

I deferred my admission to a later term. Can I use this immigration document, or do I need a new one?

  • If you are deferring Fall to Fall terms, you must submit a new DOF with new supporting documents for your new term, since the cost of attendance changes every year. You will receive instructions on how to complete this form once we are notified you are ready to attend. If we prepared your immigration document for a previous term but you couldn’t use it, we may be able to keep your SEVIS ID number the same. For deferring Fall to next Spring, you may not be required to show financial documents again.
  • SEVIS transfer students who have deferred admission will be issued a new immigration documents with a new SEVIS ID number.

When am I receiving my immigration document?

Once we review and approve your Declaration of Finances with the supplemental documents, we will issue your immigration document and you will receive notification on how to retrieve it. 

The whole process of review and immigration document issuance could take up to 6 weeks during peak processing times, so it is advised to apply as early as possible. 

Do I have to print my immigration document?

Yes, you will need to print your immigration document for the visa interview and to enter the U.S.

  • Sign and date on page 1 with a blue or black pen.
    • DSO (advisor) signatures can be electronic. This is accepted.
    • Keep your immigration document with your passport.
    • You will need your immigration document and other documents such as bank statements to apply for the visa. The U.S. Embassy web site will outline what the requirements are for the application. 

Do I need my immigration document to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee and make a visa appointment?

Yes. You will need the information on your I-20 including your unique SEVIS number and school code etc. to make a payment/appointment.

Are you going to mail me a paper immigration document later?

No, unless specifically requested by your consulate/embassy. As of March 25, 2020, immigration documents may be issued and distributed digitally. 

Step 5: SEVIS fee and embassy/consulate information

After receiving the immigration document, you will pay the SEVIS fee and make an appointment for the appropriate visa (F-1, M, J-1) at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. 

  1. Make sure all immigration document information is correct.
  2. Pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee. You will need your SEVIS ID number on your immigration document (the number starts with an N).
  3. Apply for the Visa

Visa and embassy/consulate FAQ

My visa appointment is very late and I’m afraid I won’t arrive to school on time. What do I do?

After you schedule a visa appointment, you may be able to request expedited processing time, although it’s not guaranteed.  Please contact the U.S. Embassy/Consulate that you applied with for their requirements on expedited processing for the visa type. There may be an additional fee involved.

Can I start my studies late?

  • No, CalArts does not have a late start policy at this time. There may be exceptions for natural disasters or other acts of nature out of our control.
  • The port of entry may not permit you to enter the U.S. if the start date on your immigration document has already passed. 

I have a student visa for CalArts in my passport. Does it expire if I defer my admission?

Your student visa is valid until the expiration date. If you defer your admission you can still use your visa stamp for your travel when you start on-campus in a future semester. However, we will need to issue you a new I-20 with future program dates which means you do pay the SEVIS I-901 fee again. 

I have a student visa stamp from another school in my passport and it is still valid. Do I have to apply for a new visa for CalArts? What about the SEVIS I-901 fee?]

You can use your previously issued student visa if it’s not expired at the time you will enter the US. We will, however, need to either issue a new immigration document for study at CalArts or transfer in a previous immigration document from another school (I-20 or DS-2019). Please contact our office to discuss what steps we may need to take intlprograms@calarts.edu.

If your CalArts immigration document has a new SEVIS ID number you have to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. If your new immigration document is transferred to CalArts it will have the same SEVIS ID number as your previous study and you won’t pay the I-901 SEVIS fee again.

I have two passports. Which one do I use?

Use the passport that you submitted with the Declaration of Finances that matches the immigration document we provided to you.

Do I have to go to the American Embassy/Consulate in my home country?

Not necessarily, however, it is the most common way.

Applying for a visa in another country other than your home country may be possible, but may have longer processing times or more scrutiny. 

Please contact the nearest American Embassy/Consulate for your particular situation.

Step 6: Orientation

All new international students are required to complete the CalArts online orientation courses and attend the International Student orientation on-campus before the start of the term. A detailed orientation schedule will be provided as it gets closer. The on-campus orientation will occur during the CalArts new student orientation, and a day/time will be sent to you.

CalArts will send you information and instructions to access the online canvas orientation modules. These will be released for Fall admits in early July (or early November for Spring admits) Topics include:

  • Immigration/visa regulations

  • Employment regulations

  • Social norms and expectations

  • U.S. law & CalArts regulations - drug and alcohol

  • Cultural adjustment issues

  • Culture and academic expectations

At the required SEVIS on-campus check-in you will need digital copies of your visa, signed immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019) and I-94, as well as your current U.S. physical address & phone number to complete check-in as a new student. 

Contact International Student Services

Email: intlprograms@calarts.edu
Phone number: 661-291-3418
Room number: F207