US Student Visa Interview in Nepal: Consulates, Wait Times, and Refusal Reasons

Where you interview

The US Embassy in Kathmandu is the only US diplomatic post in Nepal that conducts nonimmigrant visa interviews, including F-1 student visas. There is no separate US consulate elsewhere in the country, every applicant interviews in Kathmandu regardless of home district.

What you pay before you book

Two government fees come before your interview. The SEVIS I-901 fee is $350, paid once your school issues Form I-20 (Study in the States ). The visa application (MRV) fee is $185, paid after you complete Form DS-160 (travel.state.gov ). A new visa integrity fee of $250 became law in July 2025 and applies on top of these fees, but as of August 2026 the State Department has not confirmed when Kathmandu will start collecting it (Boston University ISSO ). Check the embassy's visas page for the current fee total before your interview.

Booking your appointment

Appointment availability at the Kathmandu embassy shifts through the year, with heavier demand in the months before the August or September intake. Nepal's own student numbers grew fast in 2024-25, up about 48.7 percent to 24,890 students, which likely adds pressure on interview slots during peak season (IIE Open Doors 2025 ). Check the official visa appointment wait time page for Nepal shortly before you plan to book, rather than relying on a number from an old post. Wait times change without notice.

Social media screening before your interview

Since June 2025, F-1, M-1, and J-1 applicants must list every social media platform used in the past five years on Form DS-160 and set those profiles to public for the review period, according to guidance summarized by university international offices such as Stanford's Bechtel International Center . Consular officers check these profiles against your application for consistency and screen for security concerns. Leaving out an account or keeping a profile private during the review period risks delay or refusal, complete the DS-160 social media section fully and accurately before your interview.

How the interview itself unfolds

Arrive at the embassy at your scheduled time with your documents organized, security screening and biometric collection happen before you reach an interview window. Officers move through applicants quickly and decide most cases on the spot, based on your documents and a short round of questions about your school, program, and funding. Answer only what is asked, in your own words, rather than reciting a memorized script. Dress the way you would for a serious meeting, and arrive on time rather than early, most embassies do not admit applicants far ahead of their slot.

Documents to bring

• Passport valid well beyond your intended stay

• DS-160 confirmation page

• Form I-20 signed by you and your school

• SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt

• Visa fee payment receipt

• Admission letter and any scholarship or assistantship letter

• Academic transcripts, SEE, +2, and bachelor's certificates as applicable, and standardized test scores

• Financial evidence covering at least one year of costs, bank statements, or a sponsor's documents if someone else funds you

Organize your documents in the order the checklist lists them, in a single folder rather than loose papers. Officers move through the line quickly, and a disorganized applicant loses time and, sometimes, credibility in a process built around quick, confident answers.

If your interview date is later than your program start date allows

If the earliest available appointment on the official booking portal falls after your program start date, most posts including Kathmandu accept an expedited appointment request through the same portal, explaining your specific timing conflict with your I-20 start date. Approval is not automatic, submit the request as soon as you have your I-20 rather than waiting until the standard wait time becomes a real problem.

What the officer is deciding

Under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the law presumes every nonimmigrant applicant intends to immigrate permanently unless you show otherwise. For an F-1 interview, the officer weighs whether you have a clear academic plan, funding that matches your I-20 costs, and ties to Nepal, family, property, a job or business, or concrete plans, that make your return believable. Answer directly, keep your study plan and career goals consistent with your academic background, and avoid over-explaining.

Why applicants get refused

Most F-1 refusals cite 214(b) rather than fraud or missing paperwork. Common patterns officers flag include unclear funding sources, a study plan that does not match your prior education or career direction, weak or unexplained ties to Nepal, and inconsistent answers between your written application and your interview. A 214(b) refusal is not permanent and carries no formal appeal, you reapply once your situation changes in a way that addresses the officer's concern.

Nepal's fast growth in student numbers, up about 48.7 percent in a single year to 24,890 students in 2024-25, means consular officers interview far more first-time applicants now than a few years ago. A first-time applicant with a thin financial history or a study plan that does not clearly follow from prior coursework faces closer questioning than a returning student with an established record.

If you are refused, what to fix before reapplying

1. Read the refusal slip and identify which concern it points to, funding, ties, or plan credibility

2. Strengthen that specific weak point, a clearer funding letter, evidence of family or property ties, or a more coherent explanation of why this program fits your background

3. Do not reapply with the same documents and hope for a different officer, present something materially stronger

4. Pay the visa fee again and book a new interview once you have addressed the gap

After your visa is issued

A visa stamp lets you request entry, it does not guarantee it. A Customs and Border Protection officer makes the final call at the airport. Rules allow entry no earlier than 30 days before the program start date on your I-20. A separate DHS rule taking effect September 15, 2026, replaces open-ended duration of status with a fixed admission period tied to your I-20 program length, keep your I-20 current if your program runs long (Study in the States ). Carry your I-20, admission letter, and financial documents in your hand luggage, not checked baggage, officers ask for them on arrival.

Sources

• US Embassy in Nepal

• Study in the States, Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee

• travel.state.gov, Visa Fees

• ustraveldocs.com, Nepal Visa Wait Times

• Boston University ISSO, Visa Integrity Fee

• Stanford Bechtel International Center, Social Media Vetting

• IIE Open Doors 2025, Nepal Country Fact Sheet

• Study in the States, Fixed Time Period of Admission FAQ