我是 Margaret 签证官。 我最近才从湖南回来。 在长沙， 我跟几个学生讨论签证问题。  他们提了很多好问题，所以我想趁此机会写一篇博文。

My name is Margaret, and I’m a visa officer in Beijing.  I’ve recently come back from a trip to Changsha, Hunan Province, where I had the opportunity to meet with some student and discuss visa issues.  These students asked some excellent questions, so I wanted to share them on this blog.

Q. 如果计划明年夏天去美国，应该什么时候申请签证？

If I want to go to the U.S. next summer, when should I apply for my visa?

A. 我们夏天是最忙的， 所以我建议您越早申请越好。  您从录取您的学校拿到I-20 表以后才能申请签证。 一般来说，夏天需要提前至少2-3个月预约面谈。

The summer is our busy season, so I recommend all students to apply as early as possible.  You can apply as soon as you receive your I-20 form from the school you are attending.  We recommend that you apply at least 2-3 months before you plan to go the U.S.

Q. 听说武汉开了一个领事馆。我住在中国中部，能不能去武汉申请签证？

I heard that a new consulate opened in Wuhan.  I live in central China, so can I apply for a visa in Wuhan?

A. 您听得对。我们去年在武汉开了一个新领事馆。可是我们还没法在武汉做面谈。如果您平常住在中国中部请去北京申请。

You are correct that we’ve opened a consulate in Wuhan.  However, at this time the consulate does not conduct visa interviews. If you live in central China, please apply for your visa in Beijing.

Q. 您说面试中需要证明有足够的钱付学费和生活费。需要多少钱？

You said that during the interview I need to prove that I have enough money to pay for the tuition, room and board.  How much money do I need to have?

Ａ．　您需要多少钱是根据您的计划。每一个学校的学费和生活费都不一样。　您需要证明您有足够的钱支付第一年的所有费用。

The amount that you need depends on your plans and which school you will be attending.  The cost of tuition, room, and board varies depending on where you are doing.  You should be able to prove that you have enough to pay for all your costs for the first year.