J-1 Visa

To enter the United States as a J-1 scholar under CWU’s sponsorship, you must have a valid J-1 visa stamp in your passport endorsed with CWU’s name or J-1 program number.  If you have an unexpired visa stamp with another J-1 sponsor named on it, please check with the United States Embassy for advice on the need to change sponsors.

To apply for a J-1 visa, take your DS-2019 form, passport, and the DS-2019 forms and passports of your dependents if they will be accompanying you to the United States Consulate of Embassy.  The visa officer may ask you to document funding that does not come directly from CWU (with such documents as a letter of award or support, a back statement, proof of income, etc.).  Your dependents will need J-2 visas and you should be prepared to show proof of marriage to you spouse and parenthood of each child.  Each dependent will have his or her own DS-2019 that is signed by the J-1 scholar.  Dependents do not sign these forms.  Any child who is 21 years of age or older cannot enter the United States on a J-2 visa.  Children who are U.S. citizens should not enter the U.S. on J-2 visas; they should use their U.S. passports.

Two special notes:

• Canadians do not need passports (although recommended) and do not need a visa to enter the United States but they do need to show the DS-2019 form at the port of entry to obtain status as a J-1 exchange visitor.
   
• Citizens of certain countries other than Canada may enter the United States in “WT” or “WB” status without visas, but only as tourists for a maximum stay of three months, not as exchange visitors or students.  To change, in most cases, they have to leave the United States Consulate before flying back to the US.  You should not enter the US with a “WT” or “WB” status if you are coming as a faculty member or researcher at CWU.