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An Indian student said the F1 visa interview date was cancelled for refusing to pay an additional fee to an agent.
An Indian student claimed on Reddit that an agent asked for an additional Rs 20,000 for an F-1 visa interview, which the Redditor refused to pay and received a message that the appointment was canceled.
The student, who is planning to pursue a programme at a US university, originally had an I-20 showing an August 31, 2026 programme start date. "Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a visa interview appointment before my school start date, so my agent told me the intake would probably have to be moved to January 2027," the student said.According to the student's account, the agent later informed that he had secured an October 19 visa interview appointment.
But for that, an additional ₹20,000 was to be paid. "I refused because I wasn't sure why I needed to pay this extra amount. He then told me that if I didn't pay, he would cancel the appointment. He actually cancelled it, and I received the cancellation confirmation," the Reddit post read."Now when I log into the official US visa scheduling website, my application is still showing as “Open” and the post is Mumbai, but there are currently no available appointments.
I have not paid my SEVIS fee yet either. My I-20 still shows the old August 31, 2026 start date, although my agent says I should move my studies to January 2027," the student said."I’m worried because I don't know whether I should continue using this agent, try to manage the appointment myself, ask my school for a new I-20 for January, or do something else first. I also don't want to pay ₹20,000 if it's simply an agent's additional charge and not an official visa fee," the post added.What are the official F-1 visa fees?The US Department of State lists the application processing fee for F, M and J visas at $185. Students applying for an F-1 visa are also generally required to pay the I-901 SEVIS fee before the visa can be issued. The SEVIS fee is separate from the visa application fee. There is no standard US government fee described as a ₹20,000 "appointment fee" for an F-1 interview.
Getting visa slots through agents
Though USCIS has warned against paying any extra money to any individual or company and called these immigration scams.
"IT'S A SCAM: Sometimes businesses and websites pretend to be immigration experts or say they have special connections to the government," USCIS recently posted on social media. "They might also “guarantee” that you can get a visa, Green Card, or work permit faster if you pay a fee."On the USCIS website, they have a full statement on this. "We recognize that the immigration process can be complex and that applicants, petitioners, and requestors are at risk of becoming victims of scams or fraud. We encourage you to use the information on this webpage to help safeguard your information and avoid becoming a victim," it says"You do not need a representative to file forms with USCIS. You may file forms by yourself and represent yourself before USCIS. If you choose to have a representative, make sure the person helping you is an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Department of Justice -recognized organization. Only attorneys or accredited representatives (or certain law students or law graduates working under their supervision) are authorized to represent you on immigration matters before USCIS," it adds.But many Redditors said that only agents are getting visa interview slots and there is no other way to get a slot in such an emergency situation like college admission.
