Global Educational Concepts - Application Deadlines and Costs

Preparing For Your J-1 Visa Interview
Once you have received your DS 2019, SEVIS fee receipt (I-901 form and/or I-797C form) and your GEC Work Agreement, it is time to prepare for your J-1 visa interview. You will need to complete the following application form electronically. Please follow the instructions very carefully as incomplete or inaccurate information may result in your appointment being cancelled. If your appointment is cancelled, you will be required to complete a new form and reschedule the appointment.
DS-160 Form - The DS-160 Form is a fully integrated online application form that is used to collect the necessary application information from persons seeking a non-immigrant visa. The DS-160 is submitted electronically to the post where you will apply for the visa. Consular Officers will use the information entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application and, combined with a personal interview, will determine an applicant's eligibility for a non-immigrant visa. You will be required to upload a photograph into the form. Please review the Department of State photo specifications before uploading the photograph. If it does not comply, it will be rejected. You will receive a confirmation page which you are required to print and present with your visa application documents. The DS-160 form may be accessed at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
You will receive specific interview instructions for the Consulate/Embassy where you apply.
J-1 Visa Interview Appointment
Once you receive your DS-2019 form and SEVIS fee receipt and have completed your DS 160 form, you will need to make an appointment for an interview at the U.S. Consulate in your home country or country of permanent residence. If you are studying or residing in a foreign country, you may be able to apply for your J-1 visa in the country of study or temporary residence. In some cases, the U.S. Consulate may require you to apply for their J-1 visa in their home country. When scheduling your interview appointment by phone or on the web, you may be charged a fee for the call. The average J-1 visa interview appointment time varies, but can be up to 31 days during the peak season. It is important to make your appointment as soon as possible after you receive your DS-2019 form. Applicants who have had previous arrests or criminal convictions or who have violated terms of a previous visa, etc. should make their visa interview appointment date at least 60 days in advance. If for some reason, you have to cancel your interview appointment, call to cancel and reschedule an appointment for the earliest possible date. Remember, during peak season, you will most likely have to wait a long time before you can get a new appointment date, so only cancel your appointment if you have a valid reason.
J-1 Visa Application Fee
You will be required to pay a $140 Machine Readable Visa application fee. This fee is charged by the U.S Embassy/Consulate. You will receive instructions on how to pay this fee. You will need to bring the payment receipt with you to your visa interview appointment. This fee is non-refundable regardless of whether you are issued a J-1 visa or refused. The fee is subject to change per the U.S. Department of State.
Additional Documents
The U.S. Embassy may wish to see additional documents at your interview to prove that you have sufficient funds to cover your initial expenses while in the U.S. Recent bank statements from you or your parents may be sufficient evidence. Evidence to show that you have ties to return at the end of your stay in the U.S. is often required at the time of your interview appointment. Examples include evidence of school attendance (i.e. registration for next semester), employment (i.e. letters that indicate your position, length of employment and salary), other evidence of financial, family and property (i.e. mortgage statements) ties, and commitments to a country other than the U.S., which would be a sufficient reason for you to return at the conclusion of your stay in the U.S. Prior, expired passports, including any that contain previously issued U.S. visas, are also good evidence that show your intention to return at the end of your program. If you have ever been arrested and/or have a criminal conviction, have a medical ineligibility, or have been denied entry into or deported from the U.S., you will be required to furnish documents relating to your situation in support of your application. The U.S. Embassy in the country where you are applying for your visa may require additional documents. You will need to review the U.S. Embassy website for additional requirements.
Going to your J-1 Visa Interview
Arrive a few minutes before your scheduled interview time. If you arrive late, your appointment will be cancelled and you will have to re-schedule your appointment. Be prepared to talk about what you will be doing while you are in the U.S. as well as your plans for the future when you return home at the end of the program. The interview will typically be very brief, so only answer the questions that are asked of you. What to Bring With You to the Visa Interview: Valid passport Valid DS-2019 form SEVIS Fee Payment Receipt Confirmation page of the DS-160 form Visa application (MRV) fee receipt GEC Work Agreement Form Evidence of sufficient funds Evidence of ties to home country/country of residence Additional documents per the U.S. Embassy in the country where you are applying
After Your J-1 Visa Interview
When applying for your visa, please note that you will have to leave your passport at the U.S. Consulate for visa processing. Until your passport is returned to you, make sure your travel plans will allow you to travel with an acceptable alternative form of ID if you are traveling outside of the country where you applied for your visa. Routine applications take 5-7 business days to process before your passport will be released to you. Your passport may be mailed directly to you or will be released to your partner agency where you applied for the program or to you directly. This all depends on local procedures at the U.S. Consulate where you apply for your visa. If you are advised at the time of your visa interview that your application will take additional administrative processing, then you should allow at least an additional 60 - 90 days for processing. It is best to apply for your J-1 visa well in advance of your proposed date of travel to the United States as you should not make your final travel plans until the visa has been issued and your passport with your J-1 visa and your DS-2019 form have been returned to you. The processing times quotes are approximate and cannot be guaranteed. It is important that you keep this in mind when applying for the visa. It is not possible to expedite a case simply because you have not allowed sufficient time for the application to be processed.
Booking Your Flights and Traveling with Your Documents
Once you have received your passport with the J-1 visa and your DS-2019 form from the U.S. Embassy, you are ready to book your flight to the U.S. Remember, the earlier you can get all of your paperwork done, the cheaper your flight tickets will be When packing for your trip to the U.S., please remember to keep the following documents in your carry-on baggage. Do not pack these documents in your checked luggage, as you will not have access to them until after you have cleared U.S. Immigration: Passport with J-1 visa DS-2019 Form SEVIS Fee Payment Receipt Evidence of sufficient funds (i.e. bank/credit cards, traveller’s checks, cash) GEC Work Agreement Form Any other valuables (i.e. laptop, camera, fragile items, etc.) GEC Handbooks U.S. address where you will be staying upon arrival including any transportation information or arrival instructions that you have received.
Entering the U.S.
When you arrive from your international destination to your first entry point in the U.S., you will need to clear U.S. Immigration and Customs & Border Protection. The Department of Homeland Security Officer may ask you several questions, so be sure to answer them accurately and truthfully. You will also need to have the following documents ready to present to the Officer:
U.S. Customs & Border Protection Form I-94 – For non-immigrant visitors entering the United States with a visa, there is a requirement to fill a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form I-94 (white form). This form has two specific perforated sections to it. You must complete both sections of CBP Form I-94 upon arrival in the United States. The upper portion of CBP Form I-94 is an arrival record. The CBP Officer will stamp your CBP Form I-94 and your passport. The CBP officer will retain the arrival portion of the CBP Form I-94 and will return the bottom portion and your passport to you. The bottom section of CBP Form I-94 is a departure record and must be returned to U.S. officials upon exiting the United States. The bottom section of CBP Form I-94 is to be in your possession at all times until you depart the United States. It is your responsibility to ensure that your I-94 is turned in to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the end of your visit to the United States. Do not fill out the green I-94 visa waiver form. If you lose your I-94 card, it is expensive, difficult and time consuming to replace. Passport with J-1 visa & DS-2019 Form – present these documents to the CBP officer who will scan your DS-2019 Form and stamp it with your date of entry. Your passport will also be stamped. Make sure the CBP officer returns your DS-2019 to you before you leave Customs & Border Protection. Proof of Funds – you must be able to show the CBP Officer proof of sufficient funds to cover your initial expenses if you are asked. Traveler’s checks or cash is sufficient evidence. GEC Work Agreement Form – you may be asked questions regarding the purpose of your visit to the U.S. and what you will be doing during your program. Your Work Agreement Form has details of your work address, contact details, and program activities. It should be presented to the CBP officer if more evidence is requeseted from you. The officer may want to contact your work or training site to verify your details. Insurance Details – You are covered for health and accident insurance. If you need access to your insurance details during your trip, please refer to your Participant Handbook for those details and for contact information. Fingerprints & Photograph – you are required to be digitally fingerprinted and photographed by the immigration officer. This is a quick process and is in place for security purposes.