SEVIS Fee: Te U.S. government now requires a fee of $100 for all new J-1 visa applicants
which must be paid prior to applying for your J-1 visa or, if you do not require
a visa (i.e., Canadians), before entering the U.S. Payment of the fee will need
to be verified at the time of the visa interview at the U.S. Consulate or upon entering
the U.S. at the airport or border crossing. Information about the SEVIS fee which
is paid using a Form I-901 is available here.
Visa Application: If you are outside
of the United States and require a visa to enter, you will need to apply for a J1
visa at the American consulate or embassy nearest to you. If you indicated that
your immediate family members (spouse and minor children) will accompany you to
the U.S., they should apply for a J-2 visa at the same time. Family members will
require their own DS-2019 form from our office in order to apply for the J-2 visa
and enter the U.S. As part of the visa application requirements, you will need to
present a valid passport, the DS–2019 form, and the documentation of financial support,
plus payment of the SEVIS fee. It is a good idea to apply for your visa as soon
as possible. You should contact the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy to inquire
about the details of their J-1 visa application procedures: appointment procedures,
how long will it take, what documents are required, what is the visa application
fee? If the application is approved, you will be issued a visa stamp in your passport
with the classification “J-1” (or “J-2” for dependents). The DS-2019 and other documents
should be returned to you by the Consular Officer. You will need to present these
documents along with your new visa to the immigration officer when you arrive in
the U.S.
NOTE: If you are a Canadian citizen, you do not require a visa to enter
the U.S. You should present the DS-2019 form along with your passport to the Immigration
Officer at the port of entry when you arrive in the U.S. You should also be prepared
to present the documentation of your financial support and SEVIS fee payment if
requested by the officer.
U.S. Immigration Inspection: When you arrive to the U.S.
you will go immigration inspection at the airport or border crossing – if traveling
by land from Canada or Mexico. You will be required to present your passport, J-1
visa stamp (if applicable), DS-2019 form and financial documentation. The officer
will also process what is called an I-94 form, referred to as the Admission/Departure
Record. This form was probably given to you on the airplane to complete. The officer
will process the I-94 form by placing the admission stamp on it with the notations
“J-1” and “D/S”. “J-1” of course refers to the status you are being admitted into
the U.S. “D/S” indicates that you are being admitted into the U.S. until the “duration
of your status”, or the duration of your J-1 program. The officer will then give
you the bottom section of this form which will be a white card approximately 4 inches
by 4 inches – some I-94 forms will look different. This is an important document.
Upon leaving the immigration inspection area, you should be in possession of your
DS–2019 form and the I-94 form (card). The I-94 form should include an admission
stamp with the notation ‘J-1’ and ‘D/S’.