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1) Completed Application
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2) Valid Passport
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If you have never had a passport issued to you, please contact your local passport issuing agency in your home country or country of permanent residence to apply for one as soon as possible.
Your passport must be valid on entry into the U.S. Your passport must have at least one blank page and it should be valid for a minimum of 6 months after your return date from the United States. British, Irish and E.U. passport holders must have a valid passport for the duration of your stay in the U.S. If your visit will be of short duration during which time your passport will expire, you should obtain a new passport before traveling, as you will be admitted to the U.S. only until the date on which the passport expires.
Any applicant who is currently in the UK with a UK Leave to Remain or UK Entry Clearance must ensure that it will allow multiple entries and be valid for a minimum of 6 months after the return to the UK.
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| 3) DS-2019 Form [Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status] |
This form will be issued by Global Educational Concepts (GEC), your program sponsor. We are authorized by the U.S. Department of State which is the government body that monitors your exchange program to the U.S. Once you receive the DS-2019 form from GEC, this will allow you to apply for the J-1 visa.
(The DS-2019 form can only be issued to you once you have submitted all of your application paperwork, and you have made full payment of your program fees.)
The DS-2019 form contains information that identifies your program sponsor, Global Educational Concepts (GEC), describes the program purpose and states the exact starting and ending dates that you are allowed to work in the U.S.
Please note, you are only allowed to work during your summer vacation dates as determined by your university. You are therefore not allowed to miss any classes or exams either before or after your summer vacation begins or ends.
The DS-2019 form also lists your individual DS-2019 or SEVIS number, which you will need when registering your SEVIS details.
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| 4) SEVIS Fee (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) |
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security collects, maintains and manages information about foreign students and exchange visitors during your entry to, stay in, and exit from the U.S.
GEC will complete the required SEVIS Fee form as part of your paperwork process and will pay the $35 fee from your paid program fees to process this document.
Applicants must bring a receipt showing proof of payment of the SEVIS fee to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate when you apply for your J-1 visa. You will receive a receipt at the same time you receive your DS-2019 form from GEC.
The SEVIS fee is non-refundable, even if your visa is refused.
Keep your SEVIS fee receipt as it is valid for 12 months from the initial payment. If you apply for a visa for the same program within this period, then you will not need to pay a new SEVIS fee. If you apply for a new visa based on a different program, then a new SEVIS fee will be required. If you have paid the SEVIS fee and are denied a visa, you do not have to pay this fee again if you are applying for another J-1 visa at a later date within the 12 months of paying the initial SEVIS fee, unless there is a fee differential.
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| 5) J-1 Visa Application Forms |
| Once you have received your DS-2019 form and have made your SEVIS fee payment, you will need to complete the following application forms. Please follow the instructions very carefully and remember to bring these completed application forms with you to your visa interview: |
| a) DS-156 Form – all J-1 visa applicants must complete this form. You can complete this form electronically at www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/electronic.html. Alternatively, you can complete the non-electronic form at http://evisaforms.state.gov/DS156_English.pdf. It is suggested that you complete the electronic form as this may help speed up the application process, although this data is not transmitted electronically to the U.S. Embassy. If you must use the non-electronic form, it is recommended that you type your answers and not handwrite them, so that it is clear and easy to read. |
| b) DS-157 Form – all male applicants and all nationals of China, Cuba, Northern Cyprus, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Vietnam are required to complete this form, which can be downloaded at http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/visa/ds0157.pdf. Again, it is recommended that your answers are typed and not handwritten. |
| c) DS-158 Form – all J-1 visa applicants must complete this form. You can download this form at http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/visa/ds0158.pdf. Again, it is recommended that your answers are typed and not handwritten. |
d) d) One passport sized photograph – must be taken within the last 6 months and be 2 inches (50 mm) square and must be glued or stapled to the appropriate section of the DS-156 form. Go to www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/photo.html for more details about photograph requirements.
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| 6) J-1 Visa Interview Appointment |
If you already 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 J-1 visa was originally issued (listed as P-#-#####)
- will arrive in the U.S. before the expiration date shown on your J-1 visa
- will possess a valid DS-2019 that shows the same exchange visitor program number (listed as P-#-##### found in box 2 of your DS-2019) as the one shown on the J-1 visa.
If all three above conditions are not met, you will require a new J-1 visa.
If you have been issued a J-1 visa for the same exchange visitor program within the last 12 months, you may not need to schedule an appointment for an interview, but you are advised to check with your local partner agency where you registered for the program or with the nearest U.S. Consulate.
Once you receive your DS-2019 form and SEVIS fee receipt and have completed your J-1 visa application forms, you will need to make an appointment for an interview at the U.S. Consulate in your home country or country of permanent residence. Applicants who are studying or residing in a foreign country may be able to apply for their J-1 visa in their country of study or temporary residence. However, in some cases, the U.S. Consulate may require applicants to apply for their J-1 visa in their home country.
An appointment for an interview at the U.S. Embassy in your country will be necessary. You may be charged a fee to make these calls.
Request a paying-in slip to be mailed to you when making your interview appointment, as you will need this when paying your J-1 visa application fee.
The average J-1 visa interview appointment time varies, but can be up to 31 days during the peak season. Therefore, 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.
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| 7) J-1 Visa Application Fee |
You will be required to pay a visa application fee of $100. Payment must be made in cash at a bank and you must use the paying-in slips supplied by the U.S. Consulate when you made your J-1 visa interview appointment.
The visa application fee can be paid at any bank. Make sure the bank teller stamps the receipt properly to show that the payment has been made, as you will need to bring the receipt with you to your visa interview appointment. This fee is non-refundable regardless of whether you are issued with a J-1 visa or refused.
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| 8) 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 there 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. |
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| Going to your J-1 Visa Interview |
Dress conservatively for your visa interview, as you would for a job 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
- Completed DS-156 form with photograph
- Completed DS-157 (all males and certain nationals)
- Completed DS-158
- Visa application payment receipt endorsed by bank
- GEC Work Agreement Form (only to be presented if requested during interview)
- Evidence of sufficient funds
- Evidence of ties to home country/country of residence
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| After Your J-1 Visa Interview |
Applicants who are applying for their visa should note that you will likely have to leave your passport at the U.S. Consulate for visa processing. Before 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 days for processing. In some special circumstances, it may even be a minimum of 14-16 weeks 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.
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| 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 baggage that you carry on the airplane with you. Do not pack these documents in your checked luggage, as you will not have access to it 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.)
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| 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. There are several procedures that you will be required to do as follows:
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U.S. Immigration
- I-94 Card – this is the small white card that will be given to you on board the plane before arriving to the U.S. Fill out this form before you arrive and do not fill out the green I-94 visa waiver form. One half of your white I-94 card will be stamped with your date of entry to the U.S. An immigration officer will write “J-1” and “D/S,” which stands for “Duration of Status. This means that you are able to work in the U.S. according to the dates on your DS-2019 form. You are also eligible to stay in the U.S. for a maximum of 30 days after your DS-2019 expiry date for tourist purposes only. Make sure your copy of the I-94 card is not torn and that the entire number in the top left corner is readable. Ask the immigration officer to staple it into your passport so you do not lose it.
- Passport with J-1 visa & DS-2019 Form – present these documents to the immigration officer who will scan your DS-2019 Form and stamp it with your date of entry. Make sure the immigration officer returns your DS-2019 to you before you leave immigration.
- Proof of Funds – you must be able to show proof of sufficient funds to cover your initial expenses to the immigration officer if you are asked. Traveller’s checks or cash is sufficient evidence.
- GEC Work Agreement Form – you may be asked questions as to the purpose of your visit to the U.S. and what you will be doing during your program. A copy of your Work Agreement Form will have these details along with address and contact information. It should be presented to the immigration officer if s/he wants to see more evidence from you, as s/he may want to contact us 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.
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U.S. Customs
- After you pass through U.S. Immigration, you will pick up your checked baggage.
- If your bags have been lost by the airline, report this immediately to the airline so they can deliver your luggage to you when it arrives. Make sure you have a delivery address and phone number where you can be reached. If your luggage has been damaged by the airline, get a Property Irregularity Report for your insurance purposes.
- Present your passport and your completed blue and white Customs Declaration Form to the U.S. Customs Officer (this form will be given to you on board the plane to the U.S.).
- If you have prescription drugs with you, make sure they are clearly marked.
- Do not bring alcohol into the U.S. unless you are at least 21 years old.
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