The F-1 visa is for students going to the United States for a bachelor's, a master's, a community college or an intensive English program. For an Algerian, the process has five steps: admission, the I-20 form, the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 form and the interview at the US Embassy in Algiers. Here is each step, with the rules in force in October 2026.
Step 1: get admitted to a certified school
You can only apply for an F-1 visa after being admitted to a SEVP-certified school: a university, a community college or an English school. The school then sends you Form I-20, the key document of your file. It shows your program, its dates and the yearly budget you must prove.
To choose a school, see our US university guides or our university search tool.
Step 2: pay the SEVIS I-901 fee ($350)
With the SEVIS number printed on your I-20, pay the $350 I-901 fee on the official site fmjfee.com. It must be paid before the interview. Keep the receipt.
Step 3: fill in the DS-160 and pay the visa fee
- The DS-160 is completed online on the State Department website. Choose Algiers as your application location and add a recent photo in the US format.
- The application (MRV) fee is $185. It is not refundable.
- For Algerians, the F-1 visa has no reciprocity fee: it is issued free of charge, with multiple entries and 24 months of validity.
- A $250 visa integrity fee, created by a 2025 US law, is due when the visa is issued. Its rollout varies by embassy: pay it only if the embassy asks you to.
Step 4: book the appointment in Algiers
Book online with the barcode from your DS-160. Since September 2025, every applicant must interview in person. The embassy is at 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir Ibrahimi, El Biar, Algiers. Phones and large bags are not allowed inside.
Before the interview, set all your social media accounts to public. The embassy asks this of every F, M and J applicant for its vetting.
Step 5: the interview
The consular officer checks three things: you are a genuine student, you can pay for your studies and you intend to respect your status. Prepare with our 25 F-1 interview questions for Algiers.
Documents to bring
| Document | Note |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid at least 6 months beyond your planned entry |
| Signed Form I-20 | Signed by you and the school |
| DS-160 confirmation | With the barcode |
| SEVIS I-901 receipt | $350 paid |
| Proof of funds | Bank statements, sponsor letter, scholarship |
| Diplomas and transcripts | Bac, licence or master's depending on your level |
| English score | TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, depending on the school |
How early should you apply?
An F-1 visa can be issued up to 365 days before your program start date, but you can enter the US no more than 30 days before that date. For an August start, aim for your I-20 in spring and your interview between April and June.
What changed in 2026
- Proclamation 10998 (January 1, 2026) restricts visas for 39 countries. Algeria is not one of them.
- Duration of status: a July 2026 rule would have replaced "duration of status" with a fixed admission period. A federal court blocked it on September 14, 2026, so students are still admitted for the length of their studies.
- OPT: an October 2026 proposal would add very high OPT fees. It is only a proposal, and OPT works normally today.
The most common reasons for refusal
Most refusals fall under section 214(b): the officer is not convinced by your study plan or your finances. Poorly explained funding, a program unrelated to your background and memorized answers are the usual causes. A refusal is not final: you can reapply with a stronger file.
Our team prepares your file and runs mock interviews with you. See our US visa support and our packages from 98,000 DZD.
