VISA & SEVIS Information

J-1 Incoming Exchange Students

Obtaining an exchange visitor visa

Take the following documents to the United States (U.S.) Consulate in your home country to apply for a student or exchange visitor visa. Canadian citizens are exempt from visa requirement.
Visa Information: http://unitedstatesvisas.gov/

a) valid passport
b) Form DS-2019
c) Admission letter from NAU
d) Photograph
e) Form DS-156 http://evisaforms.state.gov/
f) Males between the ages of 16-45 will also need to complete DS-157
g) SEVIS fee receipt www.fmjfee.com

h) Recent financial support documents

For more information on getting a visa please visit:
http://travel.state.gov/nonimmigrantvisas.html
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1267.html

Please DO NOT enter the U.S. on a visa waiver, tourist visa or border crossing card. You must enter the U.S. on a J-1 visa if you were issued Form DS-2019.

YOU CANNOT ENTER THE U.S. MORE THAN 30 DAYS AHEAD OF THE REPORT DATE ON YOUR DS-2019.

If you arrive after the start date on Form DS-2019, the officer at the Port of Entry will either give you Form I-515 to enter or not permit you to enter the U.S. You need to bring Form I-515 to the CIE upon arrival at NAU.

J-2 Visa

Only the spouse and unmarried children (under 21 years of age) of the exchange visitor are eligible for J-2 status. DS-2019s for the family members will be issued only if the funding for their support and required health insurance is adequate. $5,000 is required for spouse and $3,000 for each child per semester.

SEVIS Form I-901 Fee Payment

All students receiving SEVIS Form DS-2019 with an issuance date of September 1, 2004 or later are required to pay a SEVIS fee of $100, prior to obtaining their visa. You can go to www.fmjfee.com to fill Form I-901 and pay the SEVIS fee.

You can now pay the SEVIS fee locally using the Western Union Quick Pay service. This initiative allows Western Union to collect the SEVIS fee in local currency, along with the needed Form-901 data and electronically transmits the payment and data to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

If you are from a country that does not require a visa to enter the U.S. to study, pay the fee and allow time for processing before you appear at the U.S. Port of Entry (POE). You will not be able to pay the fee at the POE.

Specific Information for Arrival to the United States

Read Form DS-2019 carefully before signing it.
A visa does not guarantee entry to the U.S. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has the authority to deny admission at the Port of Entry (POE). Have all your documents in order upon arrival. Prior to disembarking from the airplane, the flight attendant will give you a long white form called the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record which you need to fill out. This card is an important document and there is a fee to replace this card. Do not lose it.
At the POE the USCIS Officer will ask for your Form DS-2019, I-94, and passport. You will be asked to show your NAU admission letter and financial guarantee statement. You may be fingerprinted and photographed. After checking your documents the officer will stamp your passport and Form DS-2019 to indicate the entry date, location, non-immigrant classification and length of authorized stay. The officer will then return the documents. Make sure that the I-94 is attached to your passport before you leave the counter. Therefore, please allow at least 2 – 3 hours for connecting flight (s) when you buy your ticket.

UPON ARRIVAL IN FLAGSTAFF PLEASE REPORT TO THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WITH YOUR PASSPORT, DS-2019 AND FORM I-94 (ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE CARD). A HOLD WILL BE PLACED ON YOUR ACCOUNT IF YOU DO NOT CHECK-IN.