What kind of visa is the American J visa?

J visa is a non-immigrant visa, which is issued to all kinds of foreigners who come to the United States to participate in the exchange visit program approved by the State Council. The purpose is to provide educational and cultural exchange opportunities for the United States and other countries, so as to enhance mutual understanding, promote international cooperation and develop friendly relations between countries.

1. What is a J visa?

The U.S. government warmly welcomes foreign citizens to participate in exchange and visit programs in the United States. Applicants must be accepted by the official program organizer in the United States before they can apply for an exchange visiting scholar visa. Once accepted, American educational institutions or project organizers will provide the applicant with the approval documents needed to apply for a visa.

The J visa corresponding to the exchange of visiting scholars program aims to promote the exchange of knowledge and skills between people in the fields of education, art and science. Participants include students from universities, middle schools and primary schools; Persons who have participated in on-the-job training in companies, institutions and offices; Teachers in primary schools, middle schools and professional and technical schools; Professors who teach or engage in research in institutions of higher learning; A scholar specializing in research; Persons who go to medical or related institutions for professional training; And international visiting scholars who go to the United States to engage in the following activities: travel, observation, consultation, research, training, sharing or demonstrating professional knowledge/skills, and participating in organized non-governmental exchange projects. American study abroad expert consultation

Second, how to apply for a J visa

When did you apply?

30-day rule: Anyone who has obtained a J-type exchange visitor visa should note that the regulations of the US Department of Homeland Security stipulate that all new exchange visitors are only allowed to enter the United States within 30 days before the plan listed on the DS-20 19 form takes effect. Visa holders who go to the United States before the prescribed time limit may be refused entry at the port of entry. Please consider this date carefully when you plan your trip to America. If the planned start date recorded on your DS-20 19 has expired, or you cannot arrive in the United States before this date, please ask your organizer to change this date in the SEVIS system.

Please note that the 30-day rule does not apply to exchange visiting scholars who continue to plan. Renewed visitors can apply for a new visa at any time, as long as they maintain their identity in the United States and their records in SEVIS system are valid. Continuing visitors can also enter the United States at any time before the next project begins.

2-2 application materials

To apply for a class J visa, the following materials are required:

1. electronic application form for non-immigrant visa (DS- 160). For more information about DS- 160, please visit the DS- 160 webpage.

2. A valid travel passport to the United States must be valid for at least 6 months outside the scheduled stay in the United States (except for countries that have special agreements to enjoy visa exemption). If the passport contains more than one person, each visa applicant needs to submit a separate application.

3. A (1) 2 inch by 2 inch (cm cm) photo taken in the last six months. For a description of the photo format, please see this webpage.

4. Unless the applicant's J visa program is funded by the U.S. government (the program code begins with "G"), a non-immigrant visa application fee of $65,438+$060 must be paid (it can be paid in local currency and the fee will not be refunded once paid). For detailed instructions on payment, please refer to this webpage. If a visa is issued, a visa reciprocity fee may be required depending on the nationality of the applicant. If you want to know the application scope and amount of visa reciprocity fee, please visit the website of the US State Department.

5. Form DS-20 19 provided by American project organizer.

6. You must pay your FormI-90 1 SEVIS fee unless the applicant's J visa program is funded by the US government (the program code starts with "G"). SEVIS website has more details.

In addition to the above materials, the applicant should also show the interview appointment form to prove that you have made an appointment for an interview from this service channel. You can also provide other supporting documents to the visa officer.

2-3 How to Apply

Step 1

Fill in the electronic application form for non-immigrant visa (DS- 160).

Second step

Pay the visa application fee.

Third step

Book an interview on this page. To make an appointment for an interview, you need to provide the following three pieces of information:

1. Passport number

2. The number on the payment receipt for visa application (please click here to get the number. )

Confirm the ten (10) digit barcode number on the page.

Fourth step

Please come to the embassy/consulate for an interview at the appointed time. You need to bring the printed reservation form, the printed confirmation page of DS- 160, recent photos of the last six months, all old and new passports and SEVIS expense receipts. If any of the above materials is missing, the application will not be accepted.

2-4 Supporting documents

The supporting documents are just one of many factors that visa officers need to consider in the interview. The visa officer will combine professional, social and cultural factors and make corresponding analysis and judgment according to the specific situation of each applicant. Visa officers need to weigh the applicant's intention to go to the United States, family background, long-term planning in the original country of residence and other information. Each visa application will be regarded as an independent case and given full consideration according to the law.

Note: Please do not use false materials. Deception or distortion of facts may lead to permanent refusal. In order to protect personal privacy, the applicant should bring the materials into the embassy or consulate in a sealed manner. The embassy or consulate adheres to the principle of information confidentiality and will not disclose the applicant's materials to anyone.

2-5 Please bring the following materials during the interview:

1. A document showing strong binding force in economic, social and family aspects: proof that you will return to China as scheduled after completing your studies in the United States.

2. Proof of funds and any other documents that you think can be used as supporting materials for the application: prove that you have enough funds to pay all the expenses of the first school year and find enough sources of funds for all the remaining expenses during your stay in the United States.

3. Unless you can show the original bank statement or the original bank passbook at the same time, we don't accept the copy of the bank statement.

4. If you have a guarantor, please bring proof of your relationship with the guarantor (such as your birth certificate), the original tax return of the guarantor, bank passbook and/or time deposit certificate.

5. Academic documents that can prove academic preparation: school transcripts with grades/ratings (preferably original), public examination certificates (A-levels, etc.). ), standardized test scores (SAT, TOEFL, etc. ) and diploma.

6. American study abroad/study plan and related detailed information, including the names and email addresses of American school tutors and/or department heads. Please click here for a sample research/study plan.

7. A resume detailing past academic and professional experiences, including a complete list of published works. Please click here to get a sample resume.

8. Official transcripts of courses taught by American educational institutions.

9. Tutor's personal profile, resume or printed web page (for graduate students appointed as tutors by American educational institutions)

Third, family visa.

3- 1 family members

If the spouse of the main applicant for J- 1 visa or unmarried children under the age of 2 1 want to accompany or reunite in the United States, they should apply for a J-2 visa. If the spouse or children do not plan to live and live in the United States with the visa applicant, but only want to travel during the holidays, they can also apply for a tourist (B-2) visa.

Spouses and/or children of exchange visiting scholars are not allowed to work in the United States on a J-2 visa unless they submit an I-765 form to USCIS to apply for employment authorization and get approval. Only in this case can J-2 visa holders work. For details, please refer to the PDF document named "EmploymentAuthorization" on the USCIS website.

3-2 If the applicant is accompanied by a family member, the applicant shall also provide the following materials:

1. Proof of the relationship between the applicant and his spouse and/or children (such as marriage certificate and birth certificate)

2. Spouse and each child must submit DS-20 19 respectively. This form is used to apply for a visa to the United States for your spouse/children, whether it is to accompany an exchange visiting scholar to apply for a visa to the United States or to apply for a reunion visa to the United States separately later.

Applicants for U.S. government-sponsored exchange visiting scholars (J visa) and their families do not need to pay visa application fees. The special application procedure is applicable to these applicants who participate in federally funded educational and cultural projects (indicating that the serial number of such projects begins with G- 1, G-2, G-3 or G-7, and is printed on the DS-20 19 form which proves that the applicant is qualified as an exchange visiting scholar).