If you are not currently in the United States, you need to apply for and receive your J-1 visa before you can begin your program at Indiana University. (Canadian citizens are exceptions.) If you are already in the United States in J-1 status, you need to transfer your J-1 SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record to IU.
If you have questions at any time, contact us and we will help you.
If you are a Canadian citizen with a valid passport, you do not need to apply for a visa stamp. However, you need to pay the SEVIS fee before entering the United States.
To request J-1 status for you, your hiring department at IU must submit an electronic request (e-form) through iStart. We request that your department submit the e-form at least three months before your start date to allow for OIS processing, mailing, obtaining a visa, and making flight and living arrangements.
During this application process, you will also submit information about any J-2 dependents you plan to bring with you.
After you receive your SEVIS ID number and the Exchange Visitor Program Number from your program sponsor, you can pay the SEVIS fee online. If you are bringing dependents with you, you will need their SEVIS ID numbers as well. (All of you will share a program number.) You do not need to wait to receive the DS-2019(s) to pay this fee.
Remember to print your online receipt. You will need it for your visa interview and visa application.
The online application includes a list of documents and information you will need.
Do this as soon as possible, as wait times for appointments vary by country. To see how long this process takes in your country, read the Department of State's visa wait time information.
See the list of U.S. embassies and consulates to find the nearest one and schedule your appointment.
You will be required to show several documents at your visa appointment, including:
Depending on what country you are from, you may also have to pay a visa fee at your appointment. Learn more.
Because you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa, you will need to prove to the consular official that you do not intend to immigrate to the United States. In other words, you need to show that you have definite plans to return home after your IU program is complete.
The embassy or consulate may require security clearances before it will issue your J-1 visa stamp. The requirement may be because of your name, birth country, country of citizenship, field of study, or field of research. Security clearances can take two to six weeks, or more than six weeks in rare cases. Plan for these wait times when you make arrangements to travel to the United States.
You can enter the United States up to 30 days before the start date on your DS-2019. You must arrive no later than 30 days after the start date.
Report to the Office of International Services upon your arrival at your IU campus. You should report to us no later than 30 days after the DS-2019 start date so we can validate your program. See where to find us.
If you are already in the United States on J-1 status and plan to come to Indiana University without leaving the country, contact us immediately. If you are eligible, we will assist with the transfer of your J-1 program to IU.
