Your Name Must Be the Same on All Legal Documents

The easiest way to limit certain bureaucratic problems in the U.S. is to ensure that ALL of your legal documents list your name exactly the same way as it is listed in your passport. To avoid unnecessary administrative difficulties, the spelling of your name should be exactly the same on your passport, your U.S. nonimmigrant visa stamp, and the document giving you eligibility for your visa classification (for J-1 visitors, the DS-2019 form; for H-1B visitors, the I-797 approval notice form).

Visa Application Forms and Personal Interview

(Note: Canadian citizens are NOT required to have a U.S. visa.) The basic U.S. visa application is Form DS-156; some visa applicants may be required to complete additional forms (DS-157 and/or DS-158). Although forms are available at every U.S. consulate, you may choose to access them online and print them out to take with you to the consulate.

There is generally an application fee for a U.S. visa, and most J-1 and H-1B visa applicants will be required to have a personal interview at the U.S. consulate. Waiting times for these interviews vary, depending on the specific consulate and time of year.

Use the links below to get details on:

• visa application fees and processes at the U.S. consulate at which you will apply for your visa
• visa application waiting times at the U.S. consulate at which you will apply for your visa
• general visa information and application procedures

Additional Documents Needed for the Visa Application

Check with the website of the U.S. consulate at which you will apply for a visa prior to submitting your application to ensure that you have all necessary documents.

Even if not specifically listed on the website, you should also plan to present the following:

J-1 Professors and Scholars:

• Letter of appointment or invitation from Rutgers
• Proof of funding, if not noted on letter of appointment
• If available, documentation indicating your intent to return home at the end of your J-1 program
• A letter from your department at Rutgers that briefly explains the scope and breadth of the work you will be engaged in at Rutgers (to assist the visa officer in assessing if you are in a field the U.S. government considers "technology-sensitive").
• Receipt showing proof of payment for U.S. government SEVIS Fee (see next section on this page).

• Letter of appointment or invitation from Rutgers
• The following documents, all of which must be obtained from the Center for International Faculty and Student Services:
  • H-1B approval notice Form I-797
  • Copy of Labor Condition Application
  • Copy of I-129 H-1B petition

Payment of the U.S. Government's SEVIS Fee via Form I-901 (FOR J-1 VISITORS ONLY)

If you will come to Rutgers as a J-1 visitor, along with your DS-2019 form you should have received information on payment of the U.S. Government's SEVIS Fee, as well as how to obtain a receipt showing proof that the SEVIS Fee has been paid. You must obtain and present proof of having paid the fee in order to apply for a J-1 visa and in order to enter the U.S. (For Canadian citizens, proof of SEVIS fee payment must be presented upon entry to the U.S.) If you will be paying your SEVIS fee online, be sure to print out the online "confirmation" receipt at the time it appears on your computer screen, as this will be the only chance you will have to access the confirmation receipt! Once you leave that screen, you will not be able to access it again. Regardless of whether you pay online or by another method, be certain to make several copies of the payment confirmation receipt for your records.

Requirement to Report to the Center and Attend a "New Faculty/Scholar Workshop"

If you are coming to the U.S. on a Rutgers-sponsored J-1 or H-1B visa, you will be required to complete a "check-in" at the Center for International Faculty & Student Services (CIFSS) and attend a workshop for new faculty and scholars which is offered once each week. Advanced registration for the workshop is required and must be made by your host department. As soon as you know what date you will arrive on campus, contact your employing department's administrator and ask that he or she register you for the next available workshop. The "New Faculty/Scholar Workshop" is provided by and at our Center every Wednesday afternoon from 3:45-5:00 p.m., and you can complete your required "check in" at that time. Workshop registrants must bring their passports and all immigration-related documents to the workshop. Important Note: Individuals on a J-1 visa must complete the "check in" process within 20 days of their DS-2019 start date, even if this means completing "check in" on a date earlier than the date of the workshop. In such cases, the host department must make special advanced arrangements with the Center.