Requesting a Form I-20 – Berkeley Summer Sessions

This article reviews the steps and requirements to request an F-1 Form I-20 to attend Berkeley Summer Sessions as a visiting student.

You may first want to review Do I Need an I-20?

When can I apply for my I-20?

In order to request a Form I-20 document from UC Berkeley for your F-1 student visa, you will first need submit your Summer Sessions application and enroll as a full-time student. After you are enrolled full-time, you will be invited to log into your ISS Portal (you will receive an email and see a task in your CalCentral account). You will use your campus CalNet credentials to access your ISS Portal.

What is the ISS Portal?

While you are a visiting student, you will use this site to maintain your F SEVIS international student record including:

Apply for your F-1 I-20 visa documents
Report your arrival to the U.S.
Track and view all of your documents and requests

As you move through the stages of your UC Berkeley experience, your portal will provide different options. When it is time to request your I-20, you will be in the "Invited" stage.

How do I request my I-20?

Your first step is to log in to the ISS Portal and provide the information and documentation required to issue your Certificate of Eligibility Form I-20. Please follow all steps carefully to avoid delays.

You will need to upload:

Passport biographic page showing your full name and date of birth. Passport biographical pages are also required for each dependent (if applicable).
Summer Sessions Statement of Financial Responsibility signed by the student and the bank account holder.
Proof of financial support for yourself (minimum $7,200) and each dependent ($3,000) until the end of your program. We accept personal/family bank statements and/or institutional support/award letters.
- All bank statements must include the following criteria:
  - indicate the financial institution's name
  - indicate the account holder's name
  - Clearly show the account’s available balance
  - Clearly show the type of currency
  - Must be dated within 6 months of submission
  - Should have a signature or/and stamp, with logo or/and letterhead by the financial institution
  - Be translated into English (especially names), unofficial translations are accepted
  - Be from statements that show liquid assets that are immediately accessible
- Institutional Support/Award Letters must:
  - Be on official business letterhead
  - Clearly indicate the student’s full name, specified exact amount, and length of support
  - Must have an official signature in one of the following formats: Handwritten or hand-drawn signature using cursor or touch screen, Adobe signature, Docusign signature
  - Must be dated within 3 months of submission

How long will it take?

After you complete your request, International Student Services (ISS) will review it for completion and issue you a Form I-20 within 2-3 weeks. You will receive an email when it is ready so you can download your I-20. You can also log into the ISS Portal to check your status any time.

Once you receive your I-20, see Applying for your F-1 Visa [LINK]

What are possible delays?

Invalid Documents: All documents must be legible. If a document is deemed illegible or corrupted, you will be asked to upload it again.

Insufficient or Incomplete Financial Documents: Most delays are due to a student's financial documents. In most cases, the Statement of Financial Responsibility hasn't been signed properly or doesn't match the bank account holder's name.

Less than Full-Time Enrollment: If you are not currently enrolled full-time in courses, note that you must first navigate to CalCentral and enroll in the minimum full-time units before requesting your I-20. Your I-20 will not be issued if you are enrolled in less than full-time units. Waitlisted classes do not count.

After I receive my I-20, what's next?

Once you receive your I-20, see Applying for your F-1 Visa. Please also review our Summer Visiting International Student Tutorials to prepare for your arrival.