Get A J1 Visa For America
A J1 Visa is one of the most popular non-immigrant visa programs to study in America. It is used by students, researchers and health professionals to work or spend time in America.The J1 visa is a great way to spend some time in the USA. You can work, go to school, get your foot in the door of a major company. If you’re lucky and do it right, you can come back as an immigrant years later.
Students who are considering studying in America and teachers who work at an international school abroad can find information on eligibility, regulations, application procedures and program fees here.
Visa application requirements can change over time and vary by country, so it is very important that you follow the most current application procedures for the J-1 Visa at the embassy or consulate where you will apply. Please also follow the steps below as you prepare to apply for your J-1 Visa.
Get A J1 Visa For America
NOTE: Canadian citizens are exempt from an embassy/consulate visit and will not need a J-1 Visa to cross the border into the U.S. The DS-2019 Form, however, must be presented and stamped at the border along with your SEVIS fee payment receipt. If you are a Canadian citizen, please review Steps 1 and 2 before travelling to the U.S.
Step 1: Review and Sign Your DS-2019 Form
The DS-2019 Form is not a visa application form or a J-1 Visa. Instead, it certifies your eligibility and allows you to apply for a J-1 Visa.
- Read both sides and thoroughly check the information (e.g. your name, dates). Errors on this form could result in a visa denial. Please inform InterExchange Career Training USA immediately if you discover any errors.
- Read the instructions on the back of the form and sign your name at the bottom of page 1 to accept the terms and conditions on page 2. Your signature is an explicit acceptance of the terms of the program.
- Keep your DS-2019 Form in good condition throughout the entire visa process and your stay in the U.S.
Step 2: Receive Your SEVIS ID
SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, which manages data about international students and exchange visitors in the U.S. It tells the U.S. government where you live, where you intern or train, and your legal status on the Career Training USA program.
Before applying for the J-1 Visa, you will receive an email from InterExchange that includes your SEVIS ID number, as well as instructions on how to retrieve your SEVIS fee payment receipt. These items are necessary for completing the DS-160 Non-Immigrant Visa Application.
As an exchange visitor, your SEVIS fee payment is required. However, if you are bringing any dependents, they do not have to pay a separate SEVIS fee.
NOTE: All applicants must pay the SEVIS fee to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to cover the SEVIS administration costs. InterExchange will submit your payment on your behalf, and it is non-refundable once payment has been submitted. The fee is $220, and this is already included in your program fees.
Step 3: Complete the DS-160 Online Appplication
Once you’ve reviewed your approval email, head to the Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center to fill-in and submit the DS-160 Non-immigrant visa application.
Watch our video belowfor tips on how to complete your DS-160 Application:
NOTE: The Department of State requires all Visa Applicants to submit their social media handles (including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) on their DS-160 Applications. A response to the questions related to social media is required. However, the form does allow the applicant to respond with “None.”
Applicants should complete the application fully and honestly as failure to provide accurate and truthful responses on a visa application or during a visa interview may result in denial of the visa by a consular officer. At present, you will not be asked for your passwords or to update any of your current privacy settings.
Step 4: Schedule Your Appointment with the U.S. Embassy/Consulate
Appointment and application procedures vary by embassy/consulate, so be sure to review the instructions for scheduling an appointment on the website of the embassy or consulate where you will apply for your visa.
IMPORTANT: Wait times are longer at certain times of the year and you may be unable to get an appointment before your proposed start date. If this happens, please contact InterExchange immediately to let us know your arrival will be delayed.
Step 5: Attend Your U.S. Embassy Interview
Before you attend your interview, review our tips on how to prepare for your embassy interview!
Remeber to bring with you the following documents to the U.S. Embassy/Consulate:
- Signed DS-2019 Form
- Signed DS-7002 Form
- Your passport (valid for at least six months beyond the end date on your DS-2019 Form)
- Proof of payment of the SEVIS fee and payment or proof of payment of the J-1 Visa fee
- All visa application forms required by your embassy/consulate
- Any supporting materials or information required by your embassy/consulate
Step 6: Receive Your Visa
If your J-1 Visa is granted, the embassy/consulate will put the visa sticker in your passport and return it to you, along with your DS-2019 Form, in approximately 3-5 business days.
If you are denied a visa, please contact InterExchange immediately to discuss your options for reapplying and to amend your program dates, if necessary. In many cases you will be able to reapply and will simply need to bring information that you did not have during your first attempt.
As a non-US citizen, you will generally need a visa to enter the United States. The J-1 exchange visitor visa allows participants to come to the United States for a temporary stay, if participating in one of the J1 Visa programs. If you are interested in pursuing one of these programs, you will need to find a sponsoring organization and apply for the J1 visa. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for a J1 visa:
Step 1. Find a J Sponsor
When applying for a J1 visa, you will need to find a designated sponsor to accept you into their program. Regardless of their physical location, many of these sponsoring organizations can place participants throughout the United States. The United Stated Department of State has the official list of designated sponsor organizations here. Keep in mind that many organizations screen their participants and look for those with proficient English language skills. Your sponsoring organizations can also help you with how to apply for a J1 visa.
Step 2. Apply for the DS-2019
Once you have applied and been approved by a designated sponsor organization, the next step is to submit the DS-2019 Form, also known as the “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchanger Visitor (J-1) Status”. This form is the official documents used by the US Department of State that will permit you to get an interview with the U.S. embassy or consulate. If you will be accompanied by your spouse or child(ren), they will also be given a separate DS-2019 form. This two-page form is issued by your designed sponsoring organization and will include a description of the exchange program, including the start and end date, as well as the cost of the program (with a breakdown on financial support).
Step 3. Pay Your Fees
You will be required to pay a SEVIS I-901 fee to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of your J-1 visa application – or this fee may already be part of your program fees to your sponsoring organization. It’s important to check with your sponsor to confirm whether it will be paid by you, or for you. If the sponsor pays the SEVIS fee on your behalf, be sure to get a receipt confirming payment.
Another fee you will be required to pay is the Nonimmigrant Visa Application Processing Fee, which is $160 and can be paid by visiting the Department of State’s Fee for Visa Services. Those participants who are part of a program with the U.S. Government, Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), or a U.S. Government funded educational and cultural exchange program are exempt from the Nonimmigrant Visa Application Processing Fee as part of their J-1 visa application.
Step 4. Interview with a U.S. Embassy or Consulate
In order to have your J-1 visa application accepted, you will need to have final approval by a consular officer at a US embassy or consulate. Depending on where you are located, waiting times to get an appointment can vary so it’s important to schedule early to ensure that you have sufficient time before your program begins.
If you will be traveling with a spouse and/or child, you can schedule an appointment for those family members who will be accompanying you. At the interview, you will be asked about the program, your intentions after the program, how you plan to cover your expenses, etc. It is important to stress that your intention is to complete the program and return to your home country upon termination. Be prepared to show your binding ties to your home country and bring any documentation that can further show your ties back home.
When applying for a J1 visa, you will need to submit the following documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate:
- DS-2019 Form, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status
- DS-7002 Form, A Training/Internship Placement Plan (for exchange visitor trainees or intern visa applicants)
- Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application
- A passport valid for travel to the U.S with validity six months after the intended period of stay in the US
- One 2×2 photograph
It’s important to check with your particular embassy or consulate to confirm the necessary documents when applying for a J1 visa. How to apply for a J-1 visa will be determined based on your embassy or consulate, as well as your personal situation, so it’s important to make sure you’ve read about what you need to do prior and during your interview.
