Visa Application Procedure

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Visa Application Procedure

Step 1

All nonimmigrant visa applicants (this includes students) must pay the Application Fee and VFS Service Charge at a designated branch of HDFC bank before applying for a visa. When going to HDFC Bank, please carry with you a photocopy of the 1st page of the applicant's passport.

Step 2

You will now be required to schedule an appointment with the US Consulate in India at Mumbai. This can be done online on the USA vfs website, using the barcode number from your HDFC Bank Fee Receipt.

The fee receipt gets activated 2 working days from date of issue. Do not attempt to take an appointment till then.

Step 3

You are then required to submit your forms with one recent photograph and documents as per the checklist to any of the application centers in Mumbai, Pune or Ahmedabad. It is recommended that you forward your documents immediately after scheduling an interview but no later than 4 days prior to the date of interview.

Step 4

Report to the US Embassy or Consulate where your appointment for a visa interview is scheduled. You will need to carry the printed Appointment Letter, the Visa Application Forms, one recent photograph, the original HDFC Bank Fee Receipt with its two barcode stickers. Applications without an original HDFC Bank Receipt or with an incorrect photograph will NOT be accepted. You will also be required to carry all supporting documents (in original).

Step 5

If you are issued a visa, your passport will be returned to you via courier. Optionally, you may collect it across the counter.

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Posted in: Ahmedabad,HDFC Bank,India,Mumbai,Pune,Travel,United States,Visa

Apply for Visa (Canada or USA)

When to Apply

You are encouraged to apply for your non-immigrant student visa at the earliest. To ensure you get an early and timely date you may apply at anytime, however a student visa may be issued no more than 120 days prior to the start date mentioned on your I-20.

	Pre-departure help and information
	Winny advises you like and friend and a guide with all the information about studying in USA . USA being one of the preferred destinations across the globe, getting a visa for the same could be a tough task. A decision of studying abroad cannot be hurried or taken at an impulse. It takes a lot of foresight and planning before you can fly out of India for studying in the US . What you need to keep in mind before you start a mental journey to studying in the US are few distinct things:
	Profiles of U.S. institutions, including course descriptions. Application procedures and strategies. Financial assistance options. Information on standardized tests required for admission, such as the TOEFL, SAT, GMAT, and GRE.
	WINNY helps you in finding the course and university of your choice. We advice you on what tests to take so as to qualify for the course and university. We also help you with all the documentation for Application and Visa procedure. In short a step-by-step procedure is followed to make sure all the actions are taken accurately and in time.
	Tuition Fees
	Tuition, fees, and other educational costs vary greatly. To understand these costs and your financial obligations, please meet the counselor at WINNY and study the material sent to you by the university or college you will attend. If you have questions you can also mail these institutes directly to guide you further. The fees are generally based on factors like :
	University Ranking Course Duration Location
	Living Costs
	Living costs vary widely and depend on geographic location and individual lifestyles. If you are bringing family members with you, this will, of course, increase your monthly expenses. Living expenses are highest in the large cities, in California, and in the Northeast. Costs can be much lower in the South, the Midwest, and other areas. University catalogs and Web sites are good sources of information on current living costs. Be sure to take into account the extra expenses of vacation periods. Most university dormitories and eating facilities close during vacations. Sometimes, however, a dormitory is kept open for students who are unable to go home. Vacations are a good time to travel, but there are considerable expenses involved. After you arrive on campus, discuss the matter of housing during vacation periods with the international student adviser so you will know what to expect and can make appropriate arrangements.
	Bank Account
	It is mandatory for a student to have an account in a bank in US. You shall be making all regular payments in and out of this account. Some banks have special schemes for students; these can be checked out once you come to the US.
	English Proficiency Test for USA
	The success of your educational experience in the United States rests largely on your ability to understand, speak, read, and write the English language. Experience has shown that no other single factor is as important to academic success as proficiency in English. Most academic institutions in the United States require as part of their application process that foreign students take an English examination, like the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). Some schools require a second institutional English proficiency exam before students are allowed to register for classes. Requirements vary with different schools and there may be costs involved. Since these requirements vary, it is better to seek information from the sites.
	Your student visa
	The most common student visa is the F-1 visa. A small number of students travel to the United States on an M-1 visa if they are completing a program of hands-on technical or vocational training or on a J-1 visa if they are on a sponsored exchange program.
	Legal Documents
	As a foreign national entering the United States, you must have certain documents as evidence of your legal status. These includes
	Valid passport, issued by your country, with at least six months validity beyond your entry date. Non-immigrant visa placed inside your passport by a consular officer of a U.S. Embassy or consulate. Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 A-B, I-20 M-N, or DS-2019form) for students and scholars. Arrival-Departure Record (I-94 form), which will be issued to you, usually on the airplane before landing, filled out by you and reviewed and stamped by the immigration officer at your point of entry into the United States.
	You may have additional clearance procedures on arrival, in which case you will be directed to a private work station where a photograph and electronic (ink-less) fingerprints will be taken to verify your identity, and a short interview conducted and follow-up appointment scheduled to verify your plans.

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Posted in: Ahmedabad,Canada,Immigration,India,United States,USA,Visa,Winny

How can WINNY EDUCATION SERVICES Educational Consultants help me?

1. How can WINNY EDUCATION SERVICES Educational Consultants help me?

WINNY EDUCATION SERVICES has been counseling and assisting students to study at Canada and USA for more than three decade now.

WINNY EDUCATION SERVICES has trained counselors who have got experience and expertise to assist students. All our offices provide students with...

• Free counseling and information on various courses and institutions - guidance is provided as to which courses and institutes students should apply to as per their previous qualification, career goals and interest.
• Admission Application Assistance
• Visa Guidance and assistance with Visa Procedure, including preparation for visa interviews.
• Travel and Accommodation arrangement
• Pre-departure Orientation
• Procuring Residential Facilities with Indians for students going abroad

It is a one-stop shop for any student looking at studying abroad.

2. When are the intakes for Canada?

January and September. For Universities, the primary intake is in September / Fall Session, although very few do allow for a January / Winter Session intake. For Colleges, there are usually 3 intakes in a year: September; January; May.

3. When can I start my admission procedure?

Atleast 6 or 7 months before the intake

4. Is IELTS compulsory for admission?

Yes, it is highly recommended that you appear for either IELTS / TOEFL.

5. Which documents I need to submit for admission?

Depending on the college/university you choose to apply, checklist of required documents will be given to you from WINNY

6. Do I need to submit true copies?

Yes. True copy has to be done by Public Notary.

7. How many hours can I work while studying?

20 hours per week and full time during vacation.

9. Are there scholarships / loans available to international students?

Education in Canada is highly subsidized and very cost effective as compared to other countries. There are very few scholarships at the undergraduate level, although some universities do offer full scholarships & partial entrance scholarships that are primarily based on your academic performance. There are many more opportunities for scholarships at the graduate (MA) and post-graduate (PhD) level. Apart from these Indian students can also avail of scholarships offered by Indian education trusts & bodies.

10. Is there an application fee for the institutions in Canada?

Yes, most universities and colleges have an application fee that can vary from CDN$30 - $250. These fees must be submitted in the form of a Canadian Dollar draft or paid via a credit card along with the application.

11. How is the ranking of the Canadian institutes done?

There is no official or recognized ranking for educational institutions in Canada. Most educational institutions in Canada are publicly funded and provide quality education with worldwide recognition and acceptance.

12. When should I lodge my visa file?

It is strongly recommended that you apply at least two months before the start of your studies.

13. What is the File Processing time?

You can usually expect an Initial Response in 10 working days from the date of application. Please note that medical examinations are usually required for students from India and Nepal. This adds a minimum of two weeks to the processing of your application.

14. Where should I submit my visa file?

Do not worry about that. WINNY EDUCATION SERVICES would be doing the needful.

7. What is VFS?

Visa Facilitation Service - It collects file and forwards it to Canadian High Commission, Delhi. There is a VFS Centre in Ahmedabad.

8. Do I have to submit whole file in Original?

No. the whole file will have to be submitted in Photocopy with True Copy done by Public Notary.

9. Is medical exam compulsory?

Yes. It's must for all students from India.

10. Can I go to any doctor for my medicals?

No. You are required to do your medicals only from the list of panel doctors provided by Canadian High Commission.

11. How much financial support am I required to show?

You must demonstrate that you will have enough money during your stay in Canada to pay for tuition fees and living expenses for yourself and any accompanying dependents, and return transportation for both yourself and your dependents.

12. Do all applicants have to face the visa interview?

An interview with a Canadian Visa Officer may be required. If an interview is required, these will be scheduled in advance at a time convenient to applicants.

13. Is IELTS compulsory for admission and visa?

Yes.

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Posted in: Canada,Canada – United States relations,College,Education,IELTS,Student,TOEFL,United States

Why study in US / CANADA University

Flexible Course Structure

Students have the option of choosing the appropriate pace for their studies. For instance, a number of students have been found to work as "co-op students" in order to gain industry exposure while continuing their studies. This not only gives them financial support, but also helps them stay abreast of the latest developments in industry. Universities allow students to restructure their courses by opting for electives so that they can pursue their interests.

Placements

Extensive alumni networking, academia-industry confluences, seminars and numerous other events contribute to healthy placements. Your college experience will put you in touch with a lot of people from around the world. You can expect placement either in the US/Canada/UK or anywhere else in the world, thus giving your career a global platform.

Further Studies

Whether it's an MS/MTech or a PhD or an MBA that you are looking at, your application will have the added advantage that comes with an international degree. Apart from great training which will equip you suitably for higher studies, you also gain insights into their academic system. This in turn should help you perform better in your academic pursuits.

Campus Life/Diversity

Your experience of studying abroad will add to your sense of responsibility and initiative. You will see new avenues of fulfilling your ambition. You will also find it easier to communicate, make friends and work with people from all over the world.

Thus opting for undergraduate studies abroad can be the best decision of your life! Apart from its impact on your academic training, it has tremendous value as an experience that will broaden your horizons and propel your career to great heights.

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A Career in Sales & Marketing in Canada

Sales and marketing representatives can work in almost all industries and as a result, career choices are endless. Canada's Best Careers Guide suggests, "To those who are alert, career prospects in Canada in the early 21st century are dazzling! Never before have there been so many different job and career opportunities; an enormous variety of fascinating options for you to choose from."

Reported to be Canada's leading business futurist, author Frank Feather advises that the best career prospects are found by analyzing global, national and provincial trends.

His list of growth industries includes: information and high-technology; business services including computers; personal services including financial and medical; leisure, tourism, recreation and entertainment; plastics, ceramics and new materials; robotics and all outer-space industries; hydro and solar electricity; mass/urban transit and aircraft/airports; biotech farming and aquaculture; and environmental restoration.

A sales or marketing career hitched to one of these industries has an excellent chance of success.

Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) shows that recent unemployment rates and earnings in sales and marketing occupations have been more favorable than for the economy as a whole. Except for insurance and real estate sales, these occupations were not very sensitive to overall economic conditions. Statistics showed that the separation rate in sales and marketing is low, indicating that workers tend not to lose or leave these jobs.

Business service professionals, including those in marketing, earned well above average for Canadians. Sales, marketing and advertising manager earnings were among the highest for occupations in sales and service. Insurance and real estate sales occupations earnings were also higher than average, although some sales and related occupations showed below average earnings.

Statistics showed that youth (those under 29 years of age) made up a significant portion of new hires in many sales and marketing occupations, with about half the new wholesale sales representatives being under 29. Almost 40 percent of new insurance and real estate sales representative were below 30. Business service professions showed a much lower percentage of youth in new hires -- less than 16 percent in some areas and only 25 percent for marketing researchers and economic development officers.

Indications from HRDC are that familiarity with desktop publishing and database technologies will be important for these occupations due to the development of electronic forms of sales and marketing through the Internet. "Increasing use of computer-based technologies will affect the work and skill requirements for persons employed in all of these occupations."

HRDC noted that rapid technological change means that those working in wholesale sales must stay abreast of the ever-changing product lines available on the market.

Free trade and the increasing use of information technology will likely increase opportunities in sales and marketing, while government spending restraint and restructuring in the financial sector will have the opposite effect according to HRDC.

"Marketing researchers and economic development officers with a strong understanding of other economies and of international trade and investment issues are likely to have the most success."

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A Career in Business Management in Canada

MBAs and other management program graduates are faring well in today's economy according to statistics. In the most recent survey published by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), close to 90 percent of all MBA graduates were employed full-time, which was more than 10 percent higher than the average for all master's degree graduates combined.

University statistics for graduate employment were even more impressive for MBAs. Most Canadian universities reported an 80 to 90 percent employment rate for MBAs within 90 days of graduation. Several universities that tracked employment longer reported 100 percent employment for MBAs one year of graduation.

And satisfaction among graduates of business and specialized administration master's programs is high—over 90 percent for both. A high 85 percent of administration grads said they would choose the same program again even though more than 60 percent thought their training did not directly match their work and almost 50 percent thought they were overqualified for their jobs. But even those percentages are average or below average for graduates from all fields who feel their training didn't match or that they were overqualified.

Business graduates were spread throughout several career areas with most becoming auditors, accountants and investment professionals. Others worked in administration and regulatory occupations, retail management, legislative or policy jobs, research and consulting.

Management grad work prospects for 2001 were rated good by HRDC, noting that "the unemployment rate and earnings for these occupations are more favourable than for the economy as a whole." While the number of management program graduates is increasing, job openings seem to be increasing at the same rate. And the areas where MBAs work, particularly finance, insurance and real estate, wholesale trade and professional services industries, are expected to have above average growth compared to other fields.

Your business masters' degree will give you significantly higher earnings than others. HRDC's last published survey reported that average wages for MBAs were significantly higher than the average wage for all masters' level graduates combined.

Two years after graduation you'll probably be making 55 percent more than undergraduates from the same field—and a full 90 percent more than business graduates from community colleges.

And as an MBA that wage percentage gap will continue to increase over time. MBAs have a tendency to change jobs between their third and fifth year of work, moving between managerial and administrative positions. When you have been in the workforce for five years, you can expect to earn almost 30 percent more than the average master's graduate.

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Accounting & Finance Careers in Canada

Students planning on a career in finance or accounting often graduate from commerce or business program. Finance and accounting professionals work in auditing or accounting firms, government, banks or other financial institutions, investment companies or securities-related businesses such as stock brokerages or any corporate environment.

According to Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) work prospects in these areas are fair to good. The most recent survey published by HRDC showed lower than average unemployment rates and higher than average earnings for people in these occupations.

HRDC advises that more than 90 percent of graduates from commerce and business programs were satisfied with their work, and more than 70 percent said they would make the same educational choice again. About 30 percent of graduates felt they were overqualified for their work, which is about average for all graduates, but almost 60 percent, slightly higher than average, thought their training directly matched the work they were doing.

Statistics showed that graduates in the area of auditing, accounting and investing did not change jobs frequently.

According to Canada's Best Career Guide, the number of accounting graduates is declining, which it suggests means there will be less competition for jobs. It also suggests, however, that large auditing/accounting firms are merging, which will result in the reduction of full-time employees. This said, the author Frank Feather -- reported to be Canada's leading business futurist -- still lists accountant/ auditor in the top 30 careers for 2000-2010, noting reasonably low (2 out of 5) stress levels and relatively high income (3 out of 5).

In the areas of banking and brokerage, Canada's Best Career Guide suggests that the old standard jobs, such as bank tellers and stock brokers, are disappearing. Automated services are eliminating jobs in those areas, which are being replaced by either broader skilled employees or more specialized positions.

Human Resources Development Canada seems to agree. HRDC noted that financial institutions are increasingly seeking professionals with a broad range of financial sector skills and that computerization increasingly affects these occupations: "With the re-engineering of the workplace, administrators with specialized skills in data or communications should be more successful in the labour market."

HRDC predicted that most of the increase in labour requirements in finance and accounting will occur in professional services, insurance and real estate and business service sectors.

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