U.S. Visa & TSA Process

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Students not from the U.S. wishing to attend California Flight Academy are required by law to obtain a M-1 Student Visa and complete the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requirements. 

To learn more about each process, please see the respective section below.

U.S. Student Visa

The process of obtaining a M-1 student visa is fairly simple.  CFA will provide you with the I-20 form via mail (such as FedEx) which will arrive at your permanent address provided to us in your application. Once you receive your I-20 form you must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee online at www.fmjfee.com. This fee maintains the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Call your local U.S. Embassy to make an appointment to apply for your M-1 Visa.  This process could take several weeks, depending on demand. To prepare for your appointment, you must bring the following:

• Original I-20 form issued from California Flight Academy.
• Valid Passport with expiration date of at least 6 months past your intended period of stay.
• Proof of payment for the I-901 SEVIS fee.
• Proof of financial certification and evidence of ties in your country.
• Please visit www.usembassy.gov or contact your local U.S. Embassy to ensure you have all the required documents. 

TSA Process

The TSA requires all non-U.S. citizen applicants of CFA to complete the AFSP process. To complete this process, you must:

• Go to www.flightschoolcandidates.gov and click on “Create New Student Account”.
• Complete the required information and ensure it matches your passport information.
• After creating your account, login and create a training request. If you are attending CFA for the Commercial Pilot program including the Private Pilot License, you will list “Private Pilot” as your first course and “PPL” for the course ID. When asked for the aircraft used, please list all of the following: Cessna 152, Cessna 172 and PA 28-161. If you are enrolling in an advanced course at CFA, please list “IFR” for Instrument Rating, “CML” for Commercial, “MEL” for Multi-Engine Landing or “CFI” for Certified Flight Instructor.
  
  Note the finger printing and medical examination requirements can be completed once you arrive in the U.S.

If you need additional assistance with obtaining a Visa or completing the TSA Process, please complete the Request Information Form or contact your Admissions Advisor at info@flycfa.com or call (619) 448-2212.