This article has been written by Mr. Soumik Mitra who is pursuing an LL.M. in International Business and Economic Law with a certificate in Securities and Financial Law at Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC.
Once you get the U.S. LL.M. offer letter you should take the steps that are given below without any delay.
- Apply for an education loan as soon as possible (assuming you cannot finance your LL.M. with your savings) as it takes almost 1 month to process your loan application. Also, visit a few bank websites and compare the interest rates. Through my research I found that in India, the State Bank of India has one of the lowest interest rates.
- Once you get the financial documents ready, contact your law school to get the I-20. The I-20 is a document which is issued by a U.S. government-approved educational institution certifying that a student who has been admitted to a full-time program has sufficient financial resources to stay in the United States. You will need this document to apply for a U.S. student visa.
- You may join the telegram groups which are there for students who are applying for U.S. student visas. However, be aware of people in these groups who say that they will help you to get a U.S. student visa if you pay them money. Don’t fall in such traps.
- Once you get the I-20, start your visa application process by filling up the DS-160.
- Once you fill up the DS-160, you have to schedule appointments for the US student visa interview and document submission on a different online portal. Fill up the short form in that portal and pay the fees (instructions will be provided in the portal). Once you pay the fees you can book slots in that portal for your document submission and interview. However, booking a slot/getting an appointment is not an easy job and it requires patience. There are some restrictions regarding the number of times you can log into the portal to look for a slot (ideally don’t log in more than 3 times in 24 hours). If you log in too many times your account will freeze for 72 hours and if slots are released in bulk during that time, then you will miss them.
- Once you get the slots, celebrate a bit. But not too much. Start preparing for your visa interview.
- Google what kind of questions are generally asked. Prepare your answers well. Read about other student interview experiences. Once you get the visa, celebrate with your family, enjoy and rest for a while. You deserve some rest after all those stressful days of hunting for a visa slot and preparing for the interview.
- Start connecting with lawyers in the U.S. who work in the area of law where you want to work in the future. Use LinkedIn. Networking matters a lot in the U.S. Please do NOT ask for a job. You can request lawyers to give you career-related advice. Ask them about their journey. Learn from them as much as you can. Most lawyers in the US are very approachable and helpful. You can do the 9th step even before your visa application. The earlier the better.
- Take a professional LinkedIn photograph. It matters here.
- Mould your Resume and conform it with the format which is followed in the U.S. This Resume format will ideally be shared with you by the Graduate Careers office of your law school.
- Submit your Resume to the Graduate Careers office of your law school so that they can review it. Get your Resume ready and error-free before you step in the U.S.
- Have a legal writing sample ready before you enter the US. You will need it to apply to various positions. Trust me, you do not want to write a paper while studying, networking and adjusting to life in a new country.
- Do not forget to look for a place to stay.
- Book your flight tickets. I booked my flight tickets before I got my visa as I was afraid that the prices will increase later. You can wait till you get the visa. Some airlines give student discounts. Research well before you book your flight and accommodation.
Disclaimer: Everything that has been written in this blog is based on my personal experience. I am not being paid by any institution or organization to write this blog. Nothing in this blog constitutes legal advice. The rules regarding US student visa application often change. For more information please refer to the US government websites.