Who needs the M-1 student visa?
Anyone coming to study at a vocational or other recognized non-academic school. A language program is not M-1: it needs the F-1 visa.4



Apply to a vocational school, receive your Form I-20, pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, fill in the DS-160 application, pay the U.S. visa fee $185, book the visa appointment, prepare the documents, attend the interview, the consular officer decides on your visa, pay DHL €10, get your passport, travel.
You live in Kosovo. Your passport is from Kosovo. Going to the U.S. Visa type Student (M1).



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| Fee for the U.S. visa for vocational studies (M-1)Paid to the U.S. Department of State, before the interview. Not refunded.2 | $185 |
|---|---|
| DHL's serviceThe passport with the visa delivered home. Only if the visa is approved.3 | €10 |
| The A Company's serviceThe A Company applies to a school for you, pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, fills in the DS-160 application, pays the U.S. visa fee, books the visa appointment, prepares the documents for the interview, and pays DHL for passport delivery. Paid to The A Company, when the service is done.30 | €100 |
Total€275
At the European Central Bank rate of October 14, 2026: €1 = $1.1195
When the SEVP-approved school accepts you, you are registered in SEVIS and the school issues your Form I-20.5

With your Form I-20, pay the $350 SEVIS I-901 fee online at fmjfee.com, not at the Embassy; someone else may pay it for you. It must be paid before the visa is issued. Your spouse and children on M-2 do not pay it.6,7,8
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The online visa application, at ceac.state.gov. Print its confirmation page and bring it to the interview.5
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The visa application fee. It is paid from your profile in the online appointment system. By card online, in euros or in dollars, or in cash at VFS in Pristina, Lidhja e Prizrenit St., No. 20, Tophane, with the deposit slip printed from your profile and an ID. This comes before the appointment, because you can book the interview only once it is paid. Then the payment is activated within one business day and can be used to book an appointment for one year. The fee is not returned if the visa is refused. Keep the receipt number, because it cannot be replaced if lost and you need it for the appointment.2,9,10
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In 15 days
An estimate for the wait time the U.S. Department of State publishes for F, M and J interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina. Updated by the U.S. Department of State on October 21, 2026. Checked by The A Company on November 3, 2026. You book your date after paying the fee.21
Book the interview at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina online, on the official appointment site. As a new student, the visa can be issued up to 365 days before your course starts, and you may enter at most 30 days before it.11,5
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Your passport, the DS-160 confirmation, the fee receipt, the SEVIS fee receipt, and the original Form I-20 signed by you and your school. Bring proof that money for all tuition and living costs of your whole stay is available now.5,12,7,8

PassportValid for travel to the United States.5

DS-160 confirmationThe confirmation page of your DS-160, printed.5

Form I-20Signed by you and by your school.5

PhotoAs the U.S. visa photo rules ask.5

Visa appointment confirmationYour interview appointment confirmation letter. It shows that you booked your appointment through the official appointment service.13

I-901 SEVIS fee receiptProof of your I-901 SEVIS fee payment. Printed. You need it for your visa interview.14
A consular officer interviews you and decides whether you qualify for the M-1 visa. For Kosovo citizens it is valid up to 12 months, for multiple entries, with no visa issuance fee.15

U.S. Embassy Pristina
If the visa is approved, you may pay a visa issuance fee, if one applies to your nationality. You are told how your passport with the visa will be returned to you.17

If your visa is approved, the passport comes back through the courier service. You get an email or a text message once the passport is ready.19

Do not buy airline tickets until you have received your visa. If you are allowed to enter, the CBP official gives you an admission stamp or a paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.20

Anyone coming to study at a vocational or other recognized non-academic school. A language program is not M-1: it needs the F-1 visa.4
For the time your course on the Form I-20 needs, plus 30 days to leave, at most 1 year at a time. Extensions add up to 3 years at most.8
It depends on your school. F-1 is for a university or college, a high school, a private elementary school, a seminary, a conservatory, or another academic institution, including a language program. M-1 is for a vocational or other nonacademic school.5
It is the form your school issues when it accepts you. First apply to a SEVP-approved school. When it accepts you, it registers you in SEVIS and sends you the Form I-20. You and a school official sign it, and you show it at the interview.5
Online or at VFS. Online with a debit or credit card, or in cash at the VFS Visa Application Center in Pristina, Lidhja e Prizrenit St., No. 20, Tophane.9,10
No. The visa application fee is non-refundable.2
In 15 days. The published wait for F, M and J interviews in Pristina, when last updated on October 21, 2026.21
Generally no. Apply at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country of your nationality or where you live, and be able to show you live there if that is why you apply there. Elsewhere it may be more difficult to qualify, and the fee is not refunded or transferred.25
Up to 365 days before your course starts, as a new student. You may not enter the United States more than 30 days before the start date; to arrive earlier you need a separate visitor (B) visa. Continuing students may get the visa at any time while enrolled.5
Your passport, the DS-160 confirmation page, the fee receipt if you paid before the interview, and your Form I-20, signed by you and your school official. The officer may also ask for your transcripts, diplomas or certificates, the test scores your school requires, proof that you will leave after your studies, and how you will pay your education, living and travel costs.5
On the State Department’s Visa Status Check, at ceac.state.gov. Choose your visa type, then enter your passport number and the first five letters of your surname.26
No. Any claim that someone can guarantee a visa is fraudulent. A consular officer decides at the interview whether you qualify.27
You may reapply. After a refusal under section 214(b), you submit a new application, pay the fee again, and must be able to show significant changes in your circumstances since your last application.28
Every fact on this page comes from an official page. Last checked on . Rules change.