The Ultimate J-1 Visa Guide

How Do You Get a J-1 Visa?

There are ten steps to getting a J-1 visa in the United States. However, you cannot apply for the program if you don’t meet the U.S. government’s eligibility requirements.

These are the steps your attorney will walk you through if you’re interested in obtaining this type of visa:

1. Determine which program is the right choice for you.
2. Contact a sponsor to participate in an exchange program.
3. Wait for your sponsor to choose you as a participant.
4. Pay your sponsor’s required fees.
5. Receive a Form DS-2019 from your sponsor.
6. Pay the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, fees.
7. Go to the U.S. Department of State website to fill out a nonimmigrant visa application form (Form DS-160) and pay the application fee.
8. Schedule your interview.
9. Bring documents and attend your interview.
10. Find out whether your visa is approved or denied.

Here’s a closer look at each step.

#1. Determine which program is the right choice for you.

There are a variety of programs that may allow you to come to the United States on a J-1 visa. Typically, those programs are based on your intent while you’re in the U.S.

The programs allowed under the Exchange Visitor Program include:

• Short-term scholars who will lecture, observe, consult, train or demonstrate special skills. These people are typically professors, researchers and graduate students in their home countries.
• Professor and research scholars who will research, observe or consult in connection with a research project. Usually, these people are professors, researchers and graduate students in their home countries.
• Alien physicians who will pursue graduate medical education or training at an accredited school of medicine or scientific institution. Often, the people who participate under this program are graduate medical students with adequate prior education and training.
• Interns who will participate in a structured internship program that matches their field of study.
• Trainees who will participate in structured training that’s in their current professional field. These people usually have post-secondary degrees or certificates from outside the U.S. and a year of work experience, or 5 years of work experience.
• Specialists who will observe, consult or demonstrate special skills. These people are recognized as experts in a field of specialized knowledge or skill.
• Secondary school students who will attend U.S. accredited public or private secondary schools for an academic semester or year while living with an American host family. These are secondary school students from other countries who haven’t completed more than 11 years of primary and secondary study, and they must be between the ages of 15 and 18.5 years old.
• College and university students who will participate in a degree or non-degree program at an accredited post-secondary school, or who will be part of a student internship program. These students are college or university degree or non-degree applicants.
• Summer work travelers who provide foreign students with opportunities to experience North American culture while working in temporary or seasonal jobs.
• Camp counselors who will serve as counselors in U.S. summer camps. These must be bona fide youth workers, teachers, students, or people with specialized skills.
• Au pairs who provide host families with child care and take courses at a U.S. post-secondary academic institution. People who come to the U.S. as au pairs must be secondary school graduates (or equivalent). For the most part, au pairs must be between the ages of 18 and 26, be in good health, and have previous child care experience. They must also clear criminal background checks and have an international driver’s license with more than 50 hours of driving experience. Typically, au pairs must not have previously lived in the U.S. as an au pair, although they may have lived in the U.S. under other circumstances in the past.
• Teachers who will teach full-time in a primary (including pre-K) or secondary public or private school in the United States. These people must be current teachers or people who have had at least 2 years of full-time teaching experience within the past 8 years (and has or will complete an advanced degree).

#2. Contact a sponsor to participate in an exchange program.

Your immigration attorney can help you find the appropriate sponsor for the exchange program you want to use. You can also search the U.S. State Department’s website to find designated sponsors.

#3. Wait for your sponsor to choose you as a participant.

Sponsors must choose their own participants, and they must agree to support and monitor them during the program. You have to wait until your sponsor chooses you before you can move on to the next step.

#4. Pay your sponsor’s required fees.

Most sponsors charge program fees, which vary significantly. You’ll be responsible for paying all the fees associated with the program you choose.

#5. Receive a Form DS-2019 from your sponsor.

If a sponsor accepts you and you pay the appropriate fees, your sponsor will issue a Form DS-2019. Your attorney can help you fill out and file the Form DS-2019.

#6. Pay the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, fees.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, requires fees. You’ll need to print out your receipt and keep it for your own records.

#7. Go to the U.S. Department of State website to fill out a nonimmigrant visa application form (Form DS-160) and pay the application fee.

Your attorney will fill out your Form DS-160 for you, and you’ll have to pay the visa application fee associated with the petition. Currently, the fee is $160.

#8. Schedule your interview.

You’ll need to schedule an interview (or your attorney can schedule one for you) at the U.S. embassy or consulate from which you plan to apply. Schedule your interview as soon as possible.

#9. Bring documents and attend your interview.

When you attend your interview (the consulate or embassy will give you a time and date to appear), bring your supporting documentation with you. You may need additional documents, but these are the documents you will certainly need:

• An original Form DS-2019
• Form DS-160 confirmation page
• Your passport
• 2-inch by 2-inch color photos of yourself (you will most likely need two copies of this photo)
• Your receipt for your visa application fee

#10. Find out whether your visa is approved or denied.

You’ll usually find out at your interview whether your application has been approved or denied. If you’ve been approved, the interviewing officer will let you know approximately how long it will take to receive your visa. Your interviewing officer might need more information, though – and in that case, you’ll be given an opportunity to provide it. If your visa is denied, you should call your attorney immediately and ask what to do next.

Eligibility Requirements for J-1 Visas

Not everyone is eligible for a J-1 visa. Different programs under the J-1 program have different eligibility requirements. For example, if you want to be an exchange high school student, you must be between the ages of 15 and 18 years, 6 months. You must also meet certain other criteria. Some program categories require a personal interview, such as the au pair or teacher category, and others have different requirements.

Regardless of individual program requirements, though, all J-1 visa participants must satisfy English proficiency and insurance requirements. All participants “must possess sufficient proficiency in the English language to participate in their programs,” according to the U.S. State Department.

How Long Does it Take to Get an Exchange Visitor Visa?

The wait time for an exchange visitor visa can vary from country to country. Every situation is different. For example, you may have to wait quite some time to get an interview in your home country, or your application may be missing information, which will make your wait time longer. It is important to note that you cannot enter the U.S. more than 30 days before your program’s start date.

The Insurance Requirement

Participants must carry medical insurance at the minimum benefit levels outlined in each program’s regulations. Sponsors are required by law to ensure that all participants have the appropriate medical insurance, and that the insurance meets regulatory requirements. Sponsors must also facilitate the purchase of coverage for participants who don’t have their own health insurance (or who have insurance that doesn’t meet the requirements of the program).

What About Dependents?

Some J-1 visa holders can bring eligible dependents with them to the United States. Dependents can come under the J-2 visa category and must meet admissibility requirements.

J-1 Visa Rules

If you come to the United States on a J-1 visa, you must stick to your program’s rules – and you must follow U.S. immigration law. You must renew your J-1 visa at the appropriate time (your attorney can help you do this), and you must maintain valid program status during your entire stay in the U.S.

What About Work?

Usually, J-1 visa holders can only work for their program sponsors during the time they’re in the United States. However, in some situations, J-1 visa holders can work for non-sponsor employers – but only if they meet eligibility requirements, which vary by category.

Can You Extend Your J-1 Visa?

Program sponsors can extend your program to its maximum length. Some programs have various lengths (such as exchange students coming to the U.S. for one semester or one year). If the U.S. government and your program sponsor grant you an extension, you’ll receive a new Form DS-2019 that reflects the change.

What to Do if You’re in the U.S. and Wish to Sponsor a J-1 Immigrant

If you’re in the U.S. and would like to sponsor a J-1 immigrant, you may want to talk to an immigration lawyer. You and your attorney can decide what type of participant you’d like to host in the U.S.

Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer About Getting a J-1 Visa?

If you’re interested in applying for a J-1 visa, working with a lawyer may benefit you. The application process can be confusing – and so can preparing for an interview and coming up with the right documentation. Your lawyer will be with you every step of the way, answering your questions and providing you with advice that helps you work through the process smoothly and efficiently.