Coming to the United States

Whoever said that "getting there is half the fun" never applied for a visa. The process is complex, expensive, time-consuming, but worth the effort! Read the following information carefully, maintain a positive attitude, and don't lose your sense of humor. Keep in mind that hundreds of University of Washington J-1 Exchange Visitors arrive in Seattle every year. Soon, you will too!

A "visa" is a stamp on a page of the passport that allows you to travel to the border of the United States, where you ask an immigration officer for permission to enter the United States. The visa includes biographical data, visa type (J-1 or J-2), location of the visa issuing office, date of issuance, number of entries allowed (or "M" for multiple entries), expiration date, photograph and fingerprint. Applicants for visas are interviewed by a U.S. consular officer and the interview appointment should be scheduled as early as possible. Consulates charge a fee for issuing the visa. Note that the visa fee is in addition to the SEVIS fee. If possible, apply for the visa at a consulate in your home country. The visa does not need to remain valid after you have used it to enter the United States. Your DS-2019 and passport, however, must remain valid at all times.

• To apply for the J-1 visa, present the DS-2019, a receipt confirming payment of the SEVIS fee, evidence of funding, and passport to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. (Student Interns additionally present form DS-7002.) The consular officer may return the DS-2019 to you in a sealed envelope. Do not open the envelope!
• Applicants for J-2 dependent visas present to the consular officer their DS-2019s, passports, and evidence of family relationship (marriage certificate if spouse of the J-1, or birth certificate if child of the J-1).
• Canadian citizens do not require visas, but must present the DS-2019 and receipt showing payment of the SEVIS fee to the immigration officer upon entry into the U.S.

SEVIS, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, is a government database that maintains and manages information on exchange visitors during their stay in the United States. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires payment of a $180 SEVIS fee to cover operational costs of the SEVIS program.

• Who must pay the fee?
  New J-1 Exchange Visitors who use a Form DS-2019 to "begin a new program" are required to pay the fee.
• Who does not have to pay the fee?
  Continuing J-1 Exchange Visitors do not pay the fee. Dependents in J-2 status do not pay the fee.
• When does the fee need to be paid?
  The fee must be paid at least three days prior to applying for a J-1 visa at a U.S. consulate (or, for Canadian citizens who are visa-exempt, three days prior to entering the U.S.).
• How is the SEVIS fee paid?
  The SEVIS fee can be paid on-line with a credit card, or by mail with a check, or by using Western Union's "Quick Pay" service. Another person can pay the fee on your behalf.
• Will I be issued a receipt?
  Yes. You must present the receipt to the consular officer when applying for a visa, and to the immigration officer when entering the United States. We suggest you staple the receipt to your DS-2019 form.

To enter the United States to begin an exchange visitor program, carry the following documents:

• Passport valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected stay.
• J-1 (or J-2) visa stamp. (Canadian citizens are visa-exempt.)
• DS-2019.
• Receipt evidencing payment of the SEVIS fee.
• Documentation of the source and amount of your financial support.
• You must enter the U.S. within the 30-day period prior to the start date indicated in item 3 of the DS-2019. If unable to enter the U.S. before the start date, contact your sponsoring department to request a new DS-2019 and enter using the new form.
• Remember to visit ISO in 239 Gerberding Hall not later than 30 days after the start date (item 3 of the DS-2019) so that your arrival on campus can be reported to the government as required by law. Check-in is conducted every Tuesday at 3:00. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early so the one-hour check-in session can begin promptly at 3:00. Bring your passport, DS-2019, Seattle-area residence address and Insurance Compliance Statement. (Student Interns attend VISIT Program orientation rather than ISO check-in.)
  
  

Smart travelers plan ahead and know what to expect. Here are some tips:

• If you are beginning your Exchange Visitor program, arrange to enter the U.S. within 30 days prior to the start date indicated in item 3 of your DS-2019. If you cannot enter the U.S. within those 30 days, contact your sponsoring department to request an amended DS-2019 and enter using the new form.
• Always hand-carry your documents (you will not have access to your baggage until later) and be prepared to present them to an immigration officer at the airport. These documents will be returned to you.
• Upon entry into the U.S., you will be issued Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record. You will be asked to write your address on the I-94 (where you will live in Seattle).
• An immigration officer may ask your reason for entering the U.S. Tell the officer that you will be an Exchange Visitor at the University of Washington. Answer all questions honestly and completely.
• The officer will stamp your DS-2019 and I-94 for duration of status ("D/S"), and place these documents in your passport.
• The officer will also take your fingerprint and photograph.
• If the officer cannot initially verify your information of if you do not have all the required documentation, you may be directed to an interview area referred to as "secondary inspection." Be patient and cooperative. If the officer has questions about your affiliation with the University of Washington, suggest that he or she contact ISO.
• Federal law requires that J-1 Exchange Visitors report in person to their program sponsor within 30 days of the start date indicated in item 3 of the DS-2019. Do not forget to visit ISO in 239 Gerberding Hall so that your arrival on campus can be reported to the government as required by law. Check-in is conducted every Tuesday at 3:00. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early so the one-hour check-in session can begin promptly at 3:00.  Bring your passport, DS-2019, Insurance Compliance Statement, and local Seattle-area residence address. (Student Interns attend VISIT Program orientation rather than ISO check-in.)
  
  

These documents are needed to re-enter the U.S. in Exchange Visitor status after a temporary absence:

• DS-2019, endorsed for travel by ISO (bottom right hand corner of the form). The travel endorsement is valid up to 12 months. Carry all DS-2019s ever issued, not just the most recent one.
• Valid passport.
• Valid J-1 or J-2 visa. If the visa has expired, request a new visa at a U.S. consulate prior to returning to the United States.
• Under certain circumstances, you may be able to return to the U.S. from brief trips to Canada or Mexico or islands in the Caribbean even though the visa has expired. This is known as automatic extension of visa validity. To qualify, you must be applying for readmission to the U.S. after a temporary absence of not more than 30 days, have maintained and intend to resume status as an exchange visitor, have a previously authorized stay which is valid at the time of re-entry, and present a currently valid I-94, DS-2019, and passport. Citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and North Korea are ineligible for "automatic revalidation." With automatic revalidation, your visa will be considered to be "extended" (and "converted" to the proper visa category if you previously changed status while in the U.S.) to the date of re-entry, eliminating the need to obtain a new visa at a U.S. consulate before that particular re-entry. Note: If you apply for a new visa while in contiguous territory (Canada, Mexico, and islands in the Caribbean), you will not be able to return to the U.S. unless the visa is granted!
• Visit ISO before leaving the U.S. so we can review your documents and discuss travel procedures.
• Trips over 30 days outside the U.S. are not usually viewed as "temporary." Please contact ISO if you anticipate being outside the U.S. for longer than one month.