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 you have created an account and received your password, log in and create a training request.
    1. If attending CFA for the Commercial Pilot Program (or the Professional Pilot Program), the first course you will take is course name “Initial”. The Course ID will be “02” for Private. The aircraft used in this training will be a Cessna 172. Please list all these aircraft in the training request.
    2. If you already have an FAA private license and are seeking an advanced rating, please use course name “Instrument” and course ID “02” for Instrument Rating. The aircraft used in this training will be a Cessna 172. Please list all these aircraft in the training request.
    3. If you already have an FAA instrument license and are seeking an advanced rating, please use course name “MEL” and course ID “02” for Multi-engine and for Commercial. The aircraft used in this training will be a Beechcraft-76. Please list all these aircraft in the training request.
    4. If you already have an FAA commercial license and are seeking an advanced rating, please use course name “CFI” and course ID “02” for Certified Flight Instructor.

Note: Your FAA Medical Certificate, photos and fingerprints can be completed upon your arrival 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 [email protected] or call (619) 448-2212.