Applying for Your Visa (Scholars) — USC OIS

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Applying for Your Visa (Scholars)

The U.S. J-1 Exchange Visitor Program promotes educational and cultural exchange between international scholars and the U.S. academic community. At USC, J-1 visitors include research scholars, short-term scholars, professors and students who come to study, conduct research and collaborate with the university.

The Form DS-2019 is the “certificate of eligibility” for J-1 status. All exchange visitors must have this document to obtain a J-1 visa and enter the United States. J-1 exchange visitors are issued DS-2019s by OIS at the sponsoring academic department’s request.

If you are an exchange visitor who is already in the United States and would like to transfer to USC, please refer to our instructions for transferring to USC.
Every exchange visitor who wishes to begin an “initial” program of study or research must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. You will need information from your DS-2019 when paying the fee.

Print the fee payment receipt to present at the visa interview and at the U.S. Port of Entry.
Visit the U.S. Department of State’s website to complete the DS-160 visa application. Find out more about the required documents below.

Here are some tips for completing the application:

Use only the “back” and “next” buttons that are part of the application — not your web browser’s arrows.

Be as accurate as possible with any questions asked.

Do not submit the application until it is complete.

At the end of the online application, print the confirmation page with the barcode, as it is required for all phases of the interview.
To obtain the most current and accurate information on the visa application and interview process, exchange visitors should review the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where they will schedule their visa interview.

Check out the interview tips below to prepare.
J-1 visa holders may enter the United States up to 30 days before their DS-2019 start date. If you plan to arrive late, you may enter no more than 15 days from your DS-2019 start date. After 15 days, you will need an amended DS-2019 from OIS.

You will need these documents:

Original DS-2019

Valid passport

J-1 visa stamp in passport*

SEVIS fee payment receipt

Financial documents consistent with DS-2019

*Citizens of Canada and Bermuda are exempt from obtaining a J-1 visa, as they do not need a J-1 visa stamp in their passport to enter the United States as J-1.

Required Documents for a Visa Application

Both pages of USC DS-2019
Confirmation receipt showing completed nonimmigrant visa application Form DS-160 with the assigned ID number
Passport valid for at least six months after the proposed date of entry into the United States
Visa processing fee payment receipt
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Proof of funding for amounts listed on the DS-2019

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How to Prepare for a Visa Interview

To obtain a J-1 visa as an exchange visitor, you will need to attend an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. To ensure the interview goes smoothly, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Be brief. Interviews are typically around five minutes long. Because of this, it’s best to keep answers and explanations short and to the point.
Speak in English. Practice interviewing in English with a native English speaker. Being fluent and confident will help you during the interview. However, avoid preparing a speech.
Speak for yourself. Having others speak on your behalf does not make a good impression on the consular officer, so make sure to make your case independently.
Keep documents organized. It should be immediately clear to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be read or evaluated quickly.
Stay positive. Do not argue with the consular officer and avoid coming across as rude or sarcastic, even if the visa application is denied.

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How to Show Ties to Your Home Country

Occasionally, individuals are denied visas if the consular officer is not sufficiently convinced of their intentions to return to their home country after completing their visit.

Applicants from countries facing economic problems, or from countries where many nationals have remained in the United States as immigrants, will have more difficulty obtaining visas. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their stay in the United States.

This means that visa applicants must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they have a “permanent residence” or “strong ties” to their home country, illustrating that they do not intend to immigrate to or obtain residency or citizenship in the United States. Fortunately, a visa denial is not permanent and can be reversed if the individual can show new, irrefutable evidence.

Here are some ways to demonstrate strong ties to your home country:

Know your program. If you are not able to articulate the reasons you will pursue a particular program in the United States, you may not succeed in convincing the consular officer that you do not plan to immigrate.
Understand how the program fits into your career plans. Be able to explain how your J-1 appointment in the United States relates to your future professional career when you return home.

If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence.

If your family decides to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same embassy or consulate where you applied for your visa.
Once you submit your visa application, we recommend setting your social media accounts to “public,” as the U.S. Department of State now reviews publicly available social media content as part of the visa screening and vetting process. Keeping your profiles public can help avoid delays or additional scrutiny during processing.

Visa applications may be in pending status while security clearances are being processed by the U.S. Department of State. There are often longer delays for security checks in China and Iran. It is not possible to expedite the security clearance process, and USC is unable to intervene on the scholar’s behalf.
Common reasons for a visa application denial are:

Section 221(g): Lack of required documentation

INA 214(b): Failure to demonstrate eligibility for the visa category being applied for (insufficient “ties to home country” is a possible reason)

If you receive a denial:

Request written documentation for the reason of denial if you don’t get a letter explaining why the application has been denied.

Politely ask the officer how to improve your chances for next time and what additional documentation should be provided to reverse the denial.

Thank the consular officer and take down their name for future reference.

Do not get upset or argue with the consular officer.

Applying for Your Visa (Scholars) — USC OIS