Non-Immigrant Visas
Exchange Visitors/Workers
Anyone wishing to take up prearranged employment, training or research in the United States under an officially approved program sponsored by an educational or other nonprofit institution requires an exchange visitor (J-1) visa. Persons covered by these programs include post graduate students, medical students coming to the United States as residents or interns, foreign scholars sponsored by universities as temporary faculty, and some business trainees. In addition, there are several exchange visitor programs for young people, including summer employment programs, intern programs for university students, and au-pair programs.
Exchange (J) Visas
Persons who will be participating in an exchange visitor program in the U.S. need to apply for an exchange visitor visa at the Consular Section. You need to submit a valid passport, one photograph, your DS-2019 form from the exchange organization and a 2-part bank receipt proving payment. Dependents of J-1 visa holders, except children under 16, need to apply in person for J-2 visas. If you wish to apply for your spouse and children, you must also submit valid proof of the relationship and a valid passport, one photo, and a 2-part bank receipt proving payment. Click here to see schedule of fees. Every person, including children, regardless of age, needs to hold his/her own individual passport to enter the United States. If the principal applicant and the dependent(s) are traveling separately, an additional DS-2019 form is required. The visa is normally issued the same day.
How to apply: The first step is to obtain from the sponsor of the exchange visitor program the Form DS-2019 entitled "Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status." An exchange visitor visa cannot be processed without this form. All three copies of the DS-2019 or four copies of the DS-2019 must be furnished together with the following:
• Evidence to show that the applicant has sufficient funds to cover all expenses including tuition while in the United States. If the terms of the Exchange visitor grant will cover the living expenses and other costs, the fully completed DS-2019 will be sufficient;
• Evidence to show that the applicant has a residence abroad to which he/she intends to return at the end of the stay in the United States. This is generally established by evidence of family, professional property, employment or other ties and commitments to some country other that the United States sufficient to cause the applicant to return there at the conclusion of his/her exchange program.
Re-issuance: If applying for the re-issuance of a J visa, only page three (pink copy) of the DS-2019 or DS-2019 endorsed by the issuing school official or program sponsor need be presented. Pages one and two are surrendered to the immigration official on you initial arrival in the United States.
J-2 Visas: There is no requirement that the spouse and/or children of a J-1 visa holder apply for a student (F-1) visa if they wish to study in the U.S. they may study on a J-2 visa. However if they are qualified, they may apply for the F-1 visa. If you have school age children, you should refer to the regulations governing the issuance of F-1 visas.
Do you have a valid J-1 visa? If you have a valid J-1 visa you may continue to use it provided you are going to participate in the same exchange visitor program for which your visa was originally issued, you will arrive in United States before the expiration date shown on your visa and you will carry with you a valid DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status, showing the same exchange visitor program number as the one shown on the visa. If all three conditions are not met, you will require a new J-Visa.