J1 visa process(Offer letter, DS-2019, SEVIS, DS-160, visa, interview)

Introduction

 

This article introduces the process to apply for a visa interview after receiving an offer letter from a research institute/university.

 

The main procedure is as follows.

 

1. Receive an Offer Letter
2. Receive DS-2019 from affiliated institution/university Immigration Office
3. Paying SEVIS fee
4. Apply for DS-160
5. Paying for Visa
6. Applying for a Visa Interview

 

Refer: Pixabay

 

Receive an offer letter

 

In the case of woojoodrem, I received a notice of post-doc recruitment from the principal investigator in early December 2020.

I applied to the lab in early October 2020, and I heard that I was accepted to post-doc for a week after the interview in early December 2020.

So I thought the process was going quite quickly.

After receiving the acceptance notice in December 2020 and discussing going to work in the spring of 2021, the offer letter writing began.

 

It took quite a long time to get the offer letter, although the application process was fast.

 

On February 25, 2021, the department officials began requesting the submission of documents (visa, photo, application form) for the preparation of the offer letter, and on April 28, 2021, I received the offer letter and completed the signature.

 

I am planning to go to work on July 1, 2021, so the required documents for my visa should have been issued in May 2021.

 

However, after signing the offer letter, procedures such as internal registration of the affiliated agency continued and visa documents were not issued.

 

It was not until June 2, 2021, that we decided to amend the offer letter to postpone the day of work by one month due to a delay in visa documents (Fig. 1).

 

Fig. 1. The mail about the delay in visa process

 

However, it took another 13 days for this amended offer letter to arrive, and the reason was that the president's signature was delayed.

 

On June 15, 2021, my department office submitted my offer letter to the Immigration Department, and was informed that it would normally take 2-3 weeks to issue a visa (Fig. 2).

 

Fig. 2. Mail about visa document period since completion of the offer letter

For other examples, the period from completing an offer letter to issuing a Visa document after passing an interview varies greatly.
It's finished as early as a month, but it usually takes 2-3 months to more than half a year.

 

Receive DS-2019 from affiliated institution/university Immigration Office

 

After completing the offier letter, DS-2019 will be sent when the Visa paperwork is completed by Immigration.

 

In the case of woojoodream, DS-2019 will be shipped to Fedex on June 25, 2021.

 

Immigration introduces procedures and documents for issuing visas with DS-2019 documents (Fig. 3).

 

Fig. 3. DS-2019 Shipping and Visa Application Procedure Mail

 

The institution to which woojoodream belongs has enclosed a separate notice of the application process, so I proceeded accordingly.

 

I will introduce the details in the article below, but to summarize, the procedure is as follows (Fig. 4).

 

1. Paying SEVIS fee
2. Apply for DS-160
3. Paying for Visa
4. Applying for a Visa Interview

 

Fig. 4. J-1 exchange visitor visa overview

 

Paying SEVIS fee

 

SEVIS stands for Student and exchange visitor program,

and SEVIS fee is paid by reporting to the Department of Homeland Security that it will be in SEVIS.

 

The amount of SEVIS fee is about $220.

 

The description of SEVIS fee is located on the site below.

https://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901

I-901 SEVIS Fee

 

This site contains a description of SEVIS.
The video introducing SEVIS payment method is as follows.

https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/i-901-sevis-fee-payment-video

I-901 SEVIS Fee Payment Video | Study in the States

 

The SEVIS fee payment will be made through the link below.

https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html

Department of Homeland Security - Form I-901

 

Click 'Pay I-901 Fee' on the first screen of the link above (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5. Procedure of paying SEVIS fee

 

Then you will see the screen shown in Fig. 6 and enter the information you received from the Immigration office (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6. Applicant validation

 

After you enter the applicant validation, you will enter the applicant information (Fig. 7).

Fig. 7. Applicant information

 

For woojoodream, 'Form DS-2019 (J-1)' is selected (Fig. 8).

Fig. 8. Select DS-2019(J-1)

 

Enter the email, address, and other information required afterward (Fig. 9).

Fig. 9. Details of applicant information

 

Enter the information, check the contents, and proceed with consent (Fig. 10).

Fig. 10. Consent process

 

View the information you have entered since (Fig. 11).

Fig. 6. Confirm Input

 

Next, proceed with the payment process (Fig. 12).

Fig. 12. Payment process

 

Final confirmation of payment information and click 'SUBMIT PAYMENT' (Fig. 13).

Fig. 13. Submit payment

 

If the payment is successful, a payment completion notification will be confirmed (Fig. 14).

Fig. 14. Payment success

 

Click 'VIEW/PRINT PAYMENT CONFIRMATION' in Fig. 14 to save the confirmation as a PDF file.
Afterward, you need this confirmation for the visa interview,

so I save it, print it out, and keep it.

This is the end of the SEVIS fee payment process.

 

 

Apply for DS-160

 

For the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-160), enter the link below.

https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/

 

Start the procedure on the homepage.
Select the country(s) you want to issue a visa from the red box marked (Fig. 15).

Fig. 15. Enter the information on the homepage and proceed with the procedure

After entering the country information,

enter 'START AN APPLICATION' to proceed with the procedure (Fig. 15).

 

The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act Notes will then be guided to the following procedure,

and click 'I Agree' at the bottom (Fig. 16).

Fig. 16. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act Notices

 

Then write security questions and answer to secure personal security (Fig. 17).

 

It is very important to note the 'Your application ID' and 'security answer' shown in Fig. 17.

The reason is that even if you log out in the middle, you can rewrite the saved contents based on Your application ID and security answer.

The DS-160 takes about 2 hours to complete, the login duration is 90 minutes, and if you don't record your Application ID and security answer, you have to repeat the same process.

 

Make sure to note 'Your application ID' and 'Security answer'!

 

Fig. 17. Security question

Now start typing your personal information (Fig. 18).

Fig. 18. Personal information - 1

 

Then enter your remaining personal information (Fig. 19).

Fig. 19. Personal information - 2

 

Enter information about the visa type (Fig. 20).

Fig. 20. Travel information

 

Next, enter the travel companion information (Figure 21).

Fig. 21. Travel companions information

 

Write about your previous U.S. travel information (Fig. 22).

Fig. 22. The previous U.S. Travel Information

 

Write about your address and phone information (Fig. 23)

Fig. 23. Address and phone information

 

Enter your passport information (Fig. 24).

Fig. 24. Passport information

 

Enter information about your family (Fig. 25).

Fig. 25. Family information

 

Write information about present work/education/training information (Fig. 26).

Fig. 26. Present work/education/training information

 

Enter security and background part (Fig. 27).

Fig. 27. Security and Background: Part 1

 

Fill out contacts in the United States (Fig. 28).

Fig. 28. Additional point of contact information

 

Upload a photo for the visa (Fig. 29).

You must comply with the appropriate ratio and regulations for the visa photo,

and it is recommended that you receive and submit electronic files when taking the visa photos at a photo studio.

Fig. 29. Upload photo

 

Review the information you entered (Fig. 30).

Fig. 30. Review

 

After completing the information review, you will sign and submit it.

 

 

Paying for Visa

 

You have to pay for the interview before applying for it.
This is because the interview application process requires a receipt for payment (Fig. 31).
Receipt Name can create the account number from which the account was transferred.

Fig. 31. MRV receipt information

 

The link for the J-1 Visa fee payment is as follows.

https://ustraveldocs.com/kr_kr/kr-niv-eft160.asp

미국 비자 신청 | 비자수수료 이체(Electronic Funds Transfer) - 대한민국 (한국어)

 

Make an online transfer to the account information in Fig. 31 below (Fig. 32).

The online transfer Bank of America (BOA) account number will correspond to the Receipt Name in Fig. 31.

Fig. 32. Online transfer information

 

Applying for a visa interview

 

The visa interview will be conducted through the link below.
Click "Schedule Interviews" at the bottom of this link (Fig. 33).

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/kr_kr/kr-niv-appointmentschedule.asp

미국 비자 신청 | 인터뷰 예약 - 대한민국 (한국어)

Fig. 33. Link for an interview appointment

 

 

To apply for a visa interview, you need to register as a member and get an ID.
I log in after getting my ID issued.
On the first screen after logging in, click 'New application/Schedule application' on the left panel (Fig. 34).

Fig. 34. New application / Schedule appointment

 

In the following screen, select 'Already completed the DS-160' because you submitted the DS-160 earlier (Fig. 35).

Fig. 35. Visa type

 

On the following screen, select the visa class J-1 (Fig. 36).

Fig. 36. Select visa class

 

Approve the Terms and Conditions when it appears (Fig. 37).

Fig. 37. Terms & conditions

 

Next, enter passport information,

DS-160 verification information, etc. (Fig. 38).

Fig. 38. Personal information

 

If you have a companion family, add family information (Fig. 39).

Fig. 39. Group/Family information 

 

Here are some questions about Eligibility for the Interview Waiver (Fig. 40).

Fig. 40. Eligibility for the Interview Waiver

 

Enter visa delivery information issued as follows (Fig. 41-42).

Fig. 41. Specify Documentation Delivery

Fig. 42. Delivery

Schedule the interview after entering the transfer information.
As shown in Fig. 42, the possible days and times are shown (Fig. 43).

Fig. 43. Interview appointment slot

 

After completing the interviews appointment (Fig. 44),

it is able to receive booking information via E-mail, or download PDF files (Fig. 45).

Fig. 44. Appointment confirmation

Fig. 45. PDF file of the interview confirmation

 

I've completed the interview reservation after a long process.
In the case of woojoodream, it took about 3 hours from SEVIS.
I think it would be better if you prepared it comfortably.