For International Visitors Interested in Coming to Jefferson > For foreign students and scholars preparing to travel to Jefferson
For foreign students and scholars preparing to travel to Jefferson
When can I make my arrangements for travel to the U.S. and Jefferson?
OIES strongly recommends that you make your travel arrangements after you have
received your visa application materials/entry documents and after your visa
application has been approved by a U.S. Consular official.
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What do I do once I receive my entry document and pre-arrival materials?
First, review all the materials to make sure there are no misspellings or other
mistakes on your documents. If everything is correct and accurate, you may use
these documents to apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate nearest
you. If corrections need to be made to your visa application materials, please
contact OIES.
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How do I apply for a visa?
Since visa application procedures differ from each consular office and sometimes
from day to day, you should find information about the Embassy or Consulate you will
use for your visa application on the internet at http://www.usembassy.gov
Generally, however, you will be expected to present the following to the consular
officer:
-
An application (Form OF-156 or DS-156, available from the Embassy or Consulate)
-
Visa application fee
-
Also, all male nonimmigrant visa applicants between the ages of 16 and 45,
regardless of nationality and regardless of where they apply, must complete
and submit a DS-157 in addition to the Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-156).
The DS-157 is used in conjunction with the DS-156 to determine visa classification
and eligibility. Regardless of listed exceptions*, consular officers reserve
the right to require a DS-157 from any applicant for any visa classification.
*The only exceptions are as follows: Applicants for A-1, A-2, G-1, G-2, G-3,
G-4, NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, NATO-6 and TECRO E-1 visas are
not required to submit a DS-157. Also, all applicants for crew-list visas
are exempt from the DS-157 requirement. Please Note: This form is required for all male A-3, G-5, and NATO-7 applicants between the ages
of 16 and 45, as well as for all male C (C-1, C-2 and C-3) and D applicants
between the ages of 16 and 45.
- Your entry document (I-20 for F-1 student status, DS-2019 for J-1 status, form I-797 for H-1B status), signed by you and by the designated school official/responsible
officer
- A passport valid for at least six months
- Copies of any I-20, DS-2019, or other immigration document(s) you
ever have received
- Proof of "non-immigrant intent"--intention to stay in the U.S.
temporarily and solely for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study
- Proof of a residence outside the U.S. to which you intend to return after
completing the temporary period of study, research or training
- Proof of financial ability to cover the cost of education and living expenses
while at Jefferson (see above on original financial documentation)
- You also should be prepared for the consular official to review your English
proficiency, unless there is a notation otherwise on your student entry document
For more information about the visa interview, read about "What Consuls Look For" from the
U.S.
Department of State.
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In what situations might my first-time visa application be denied?
Below are examples of situations in which your visa application may be at risk.
Please contact OIES if any of these cases applies to you.
- You intend to make an application in a "third" country (e.g.,
you are from P.R. China, but you intend to go to Canada to obtain a visa).
- This is your first application for a visa.
- You are returning home after a long stay in the U.S. (3 or more years).
- There is a serious political or economic crisis in your home country.
- You are waiting for the results of an application for permanent residency
- You are married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
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What can I do if my visa application is denied?
If your visa application is denied, before you leave the U.S. Embassy or Consulate,
obtain a written explanation of the specific reason you are denied the
visa and ask about re-application procedures. Also, try to obtain the full name
of the officer who interviewed you, as well as her/his fax number. OIES might
be able to help you if you can tell us this information.
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How can I prove to the consular officer that I intend to return to my home
country (non-immigrant intent)?
From "What Consuls Look For" on the U.S. Department of State web
site:
"Applicants generally establish their ties abroad by presenting evidence
of economic, social, and/or family ties in their homeland sufficient to induce
them to leave the United States upon the completion of studies."
This could include:
- Proof that your immediate family members reside in your home country
- Proof that you own property or maintain a bank account in your home country
- Showing the high likelihood of employment in your home country in your field
of study after you complete your program in the U.S. (evidence of job searches,
interviews, letters of prospective employment from employers in your home
country, etc.)
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What do I do once my visa application has been approved?
Once you have made your travel arrangements, contact your department. Your
department should then contact OIES to schedule your required orientation appointment
with our office.
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What are the health insurance requirements for J-1 status holders?
OIES encloses some health insurance company brochures with each DS-2019 pre-arrival
packet.
As an Exchange Visitor in the United States, under a rule effective September
1, 1994, you must carry health insurance for yourself and your J-2 dependents
for the full duration of your J program. Government regulations stipulate
that if, after that date, you willfully fail to carry health insurance for yourself
and your dependents, your J-1 sponsor must terminate your program, and report
the termination to the United States Department of State (DOS).
The following requirements have been established for the type and amounts of
coverage you must carry if you hold J-1 or J-2 status:
- The policy must provide "medical benefits of at least $50,000 for each
accident or illness."
- If you should die in the United States, the policy must provide at least
$7,500 in benefits to send your remains to your home country for burial.
- If, because of a serious illness or injury, you must be sent home on the
advice of a doctor, the policy must pay up to $10,000 for the expenses of
your travel.
- The policy may establish a waiting period before it covers pre-existing
conditions (health problems you had before you bought the insurance), as long
as the waiting period is reasonable by current standards in the insurance
industry.
The policy must be backed by the full faith and credit of your home country
government, or the company providing the insurance must meet minimum rating
requirements established by DOS (an A. M. Best rating of "A-" or above,
an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of "A-i" or
above, a Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of "A-"
or above, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above).
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