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Spouses and Children: Requesting Dependent Documents

General information

Dependents are legal spouses or unmarried minor children under the age of 21. Dependents must possess either an I-20 or DS-2019 in order to enter the U.S. Children born in the U.S. are not considered dependents in this context. Domestic Partners are not eligible for dependent status but may apply for B-2 visas.

Dependents in F-2 status

Dependents may accompany you, the F-1 student to the U.S. or follow to join you at a later date. Dependent family members hold F-2 status.

In order to qualify for F-2 status, individuals must establish to the satisfaction of the officer at the U.S. consulate and the immigration officer at the port of entry that:

  • He or she is your spouse (marriage license) or child (birth certificate) of the F-1 student.
  • He or she has sufficient funds to cover his/her expenses while in the U.S..
  • He or she intends to leave the U.S. upon completion of your F-1 status.

Each F-2 dependent must be in possession of his or her own original I-20. To request an I-20 for a dependent, complete the Dependent Document Request Form. A new I-20 will be issued to you as well as each dependent. The new I-20 will show the addition of your dependent(s) as well as their living expenses.

F-2 dependent living expenses for 2007-08

Dependent spouse                                9 months: $6,626                    12 months: $8,835

Dependent child                                    9 months: $3,771                      12 months: $5,028

Evidence of these additional funds will need to be presented at the U.S. consulate. Graduate student funding (RA/TA) will not entirely cover dependent expenses.

F-2 dependents may not accept employment or engage in business under any circumstances. Employment is defined as providing services, part-time or full-time, for financial or other compensation, including self-employment.

An F-2 dependent's status is valid only if you maintain status. Though the regulations do not define the amount of time an F-1 student can be outside the U.S. without affecting the status of the F-2 dependents who remain in the U.S., such periods of separation should be brief.

The spouse of an F-1 student may not engage in full-time study, and the F-2 child may only engage in full-time study at an elementary or secondary school (kindergarten through twelfth grade). The F-2 spouse and child may pursue avocational or recreational studies. An F-2 spouse or child who desires to engage in full-time study, other than as described above, must obtain F-1 status.

Dependents in J-2 status

Dependents may accompany you, the J-1 the Exchange Visitor to the U.S. or follow to join you at a later date. Dependent family members hold J-2 status.

In order to qualify for J-2 status, individuals must establish to the satisfaction of the officer at the U.S. consulate and the immigration officer at the port of entry that:

  • He or she is your spouse (marriage license) or child (birth certificate).
  • He or she has sufficient funds to cover his/her expenses while in the U.S.
  • He or she intends to leave the U.S. upon termination of your J-1 status.

Each J-2 dependent must be in possession of his or her own original DS-2019 form.  To request a DS-2019 for a dependent, complete a Dependent Document Request Form.  A new DS-2019 will be issued to the J-1 student and each dependent. 

J-2 dependent living expenses for 2007-08

Dependent spouse                                9 months: $6,626                    12 months: $8,835

Dependent child                                    9 months: $3,771                      12 months: $5,028

Evidence of these additional funds will need to be presented at the U.S. consulate. Graduate student funding (RA/TA) will not cover dependent expenses. Like J-1 students, J-2 dependents are required to have health insurance coverage at all times while in the U.S.

Dependents may request employment authorization from Immigration. Income from the J-2's employment may be used to support the family's customary recreational and cultural activities and related travel, among other things. Employment will not be authorized if the income is needed to support the J-1.

A J-2 spouse or child is eligible to study full or part-time. There are no restrictions on studying for individuals in J-2 status.

A J-2 dependent's status is valid only if the J-1 exchange visitor maintains status. Though the regulations do not define the amount of time a J-1 exchange visitor can be outside the U.S. without affecting the status of the dependents who remain in the U.S., such periods of separation should be brief.

Requesting a dependent document


  1. Complete and submit Dependent Document Request Form together with the following documents, to ISS:
    • Copy of the passport identification page for each dependent.
    • Funding support letters, if applicable, from your academic department or government sponsor.
    • Financial documents verifying the availability of funds to support each dependent (i.e. a bank letter).
  2. Allow one week for processing.
  3. You will receive an email from your ISS adviser when your document is ready for pick up.