Going to San Francisco for school is different than my past school adventures, as this time, I am actually considering it a move. I am purging through my closet and donating over half of my clothes to the Women's Shelter. Along with the dreadful task of packing, there are a lot of other things on the "Moving To-Do" list.
The first thing I had to do was confirm my space at the school back in February with a confirmation deposit. I then had to compile all of the financial documents indicating I have the means to live in the United States for the duration of the school year. I had to prove that I had the funds for tuition, accommodations, health insurance and other living expenses in the form of bank statements (or official loan documents for those who obtained loans). Once these forms were filled out and sent to the school, I received my I-20 in the mail and simply paid a SEVIS fee online. (Canadians don't need a student visa to study in the U.S. As we travel across the border, we must provide the above mentioned financial documents, our I-20 form and the receipt of our SEVIS fee payment, with a valid passport of course!) For those of you with Nexus, once I had my I-20 form, I went down to my local Nexus enrolment centre and they took a photocopy of it and changed my primary purpose of travel to the student status. It was super easy!
The government documentation was actually the easy part, as my list of other things to do is constantly growing. Some examples of what I have/will continue to be up to before my move are cancelling and arranging cable, internet and cell phone service, setting up an American bank account and applying for credit, ensuring I have up to date immunizations and preparing my resume for the school's Fast Track career program. Now, that isn't my complete list but you get the idea. California is only a three hour flight away but it is in another country so everything changes!
Have you done the move from Canada to the United States before? Am I missing any critical steps? The big move is near!!
The first thing I had to do was confirm my space at the school back in February with a confirmation deposit. I then had to compile all of the financial documents indicating I have the means to live in the United States for the duration of the school year. I had to prove that I had the funds for tuition, accommodations, health insurance and other living expenses in the form of bank statements (or official loan documents for those who obtained loans). Once these forms were filled out and sent to the school, I received my I-20 in the mail and simply paid a SEVIS fee online. (Canadians don't need a student visa to study in the U.S. As we travel across the border, we must provide the above mentioned financial documents, our I-20 form and the receipt of our SEVIS fee payment, with a valid passport of course!) For those of you with Nexus, once I had my I-20 form, I went down to my local Nexus enrolment centre and they took a photocopy of it and changed my primary purpose of travel to the student status. It was super easy!
The government documentation was actually the easy part, as my list of other things to do is constantly growing. Some examples of what I have/will continue to be up to before my move are cancelling and arranging cable, internet and cell phone service, setting up an American bank account and applying for credit, ensuring I have up to date immunizations and preparing my resume for the school's Fast Track career program. Now, that isn't my complete list but you get the idea. California is only a three hour flight away but it is in another country so everything changes!
Have you done the move from Canada to the United States before? Am I missing any critical steps? The big move is near!!