Visa Documents
Throughout your visa process journey you will come across several visa terms that you should familiarize yourself with. Most of them usually only contain letters and numbers, such as Form DS-2019, Form DS-7002 and, DS-160, and I-94.
A J-1 Participant Should Know These:
1
FORM DS-2019
This is the most important form during your program in the United States. Form DS-2019 is released by the visa sponsor and certifies you are eligible to participate in a J-1 program. You will need to take this form with you to your visa interview appointment, and you will have to present it to the immigration officer at the airport each time when you fly to the United States while you're on J-1 status. It contains all important information related to your J-1 program, such as your personal information, host company information, and the visa sponsor that approved your program eligibility.
2
FORM DS-7002
(Training Plan)
This form is also referred to as a training plan and contains all of your program objectives, goals, and things you will be doing during your program in the United States. It must be approved by yourself, your program supervisor, and the visa sponsor. Collecting signatures on this form is usually the last step before your DS-2019 gets issued. It is good practice to study all the content on your DS-7002 form before you attend your visa interview. The consular officer will also be reviewing Form DS-7002 during the visa interview appointment.
3
FORM DS-160
Form DS-160, the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, is the mandatory electronic form for individuals seeking a temporary U.S. visa, including for tourism, business, and education. When you schedule your visa interview appointment, you will first start with filling out Form DS-160, and needs to be submitted ahead of your appointment scheduling. There is only one official website that you should be using to fill out your DS-160, and we will also provide a comprehensive instruction guide on how to fill it out.
4
FORM I-94
There is only one official website where you can retrieve your Form I-94. This form will show all of your legal entries into the United States, as well as departures from the United States. I-94 can also be seen as a proof of legal visitor status. You will need to show your I-94 record to employers, universities, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), or any other third-party agency that requires proof of your legal admission status in the U.S. to apply for benefits, a driver's license, or to verify your legal visitor status.
5
SEVIS
SEVIS stands for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. It is a U.S. government database used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to track nonimmigrant students (F, M visas) and exchange visitors (J visas) in the United States. Before you attend your visa interview appointment, you will also need to be registered in SEVIS, and pay the applicable government fee of $220 to complete this step.