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EXCHANGE VISITOR VISAS The Immigration and Nationality Act provides two nonimmigrant visa categories for persons to participate in exchange visitor programs in the United States J visa or Q visa. The "J" visa is for educational and cultural exchange programs designated by the Bureau of Public Diplomacy in the Department of State and the "Q" visa is for international cultural exchange programs designated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The "J" exchange visitor program is designed to promote the interchange of persons, knowledge, and skills in the fields of education, arts, and sciences. Participants include students at all academic levels; trainees obtaining on-the-job training with firms, institutions, and agencies; au pairs or nannies; teachers of primary, secondary, and specialized schools; professors coming to teach or do research at institutions of higher learning; research scholars; professional trainees in the medical and allied health fields; and international visitors coming for the purpose of travel, observation, consultation, research, training, sharing, or demonstrating specialized knowledge or skills, or participating in organized people-to-people programs. The "Q" international cultural exchange program is for the purpose of providing practical training, employment, and the sharing of the history, culture, and traditions of the participant's home country in the United States. BACKGROUND REQUIREMENTS Exchange visa applicants must establish to the satisfaction of the consular officer that they have binding ties to a residence in a foreign country that they have no intention of abandoning, and that they will depart the United States when they have completed their program. They should therefore bring evidence of strong and compelling ties to Indonesia or a third country that will cause them to leave the U.S. at the end of their program. It is impossible to specify the exact form the evidence should take, since applicants' circumstances vary greatly. At the visa interview, consular officers try to determine that an applicant has adequate funds to avoid unlawful employment while in the United States, a credible support arrangement for himself while in the United States, specific and realistic travel plans, strong ties abroad, and credible support arrangements for his family living in Indonesia. Financial Resources Participants in the "J" exchange visitor program must have sufficient funds to cover all expenses, or funds must be provided by the sponsoring organization in the form of a scholarship or other stipend. "Q" exchange visitors will be paid by their employing sponsor at the same rate paid to local domestic workers similarly employed. Scholastic Preparation "J" exchange visitors must have sufficient scholastic preparation to participate in the designated program, including knowledge of the English language, or the exchange program must be designed to accommodate non-English speaking participants. The "Q" exchange visitor must be at least 18 years old and be able to communicate effectively about the cultural attributes of his or her country. Medical Education and Training Exchange visitors coming under the "J" program for graduate medical education or training must meet certain special requirements. They include having passed the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in Medical Sciences, demonstrating competency in English, being automatically subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement (explained in detail later), and being subject to time limits on the duration of their program. Physicians coming to the United States on exchange visitor programs for the purpose of observation, consultation, teaching, or research in which there is little or no patient care are not subject to the above requirements. Forms/Petitions Participants in the "J" program must present a Form DS-2019 prepared by a designated sponsoring organization. Participants in the "Q" program must have the designated sponsoring organization file Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS will notify the sponsor on Form I-797 when the petition is approved. It should be noted that the approval of a petition does not guarantee visa issuance to an applicant found to be ineligible under the Immigration and Nationality Act. APPLICATION PROCESS In Indonesia, an application for an exchange visitor visa to go to the United States can only be made at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, which is located at Jl. Merdeka Selatan No. 5, Jakarta Pusat, or the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, which is located at Jalan Raya Dr. Soetomo 33. The Consular Agent in Bali and the U.S. Consulate in Medan can provide basic information and information about visa application forms, however, all applications for visas must be submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta or the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya by appointment. REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT Applicants who wish to schedule an appointment for a nonimmigrant visa interview should first fill out the Electronic Visa Application Form. After the form has been printed out, applicants should log on to our online appointment system as follows to schedule an appointment: - at the US Embassy in Jakarta; - at the US Consulate General in Surabaya; Applicants may complete the online scheduling process even when the embassy and/or Consulate General is closed. Applicants may also see an entire list of available interview dates, so they may choose the one that is most convenient for their schedule. Additionally, applicants outside of Jakarta or Surabaya will no longer need to make a long-distance phone call to schedule their appointments. To use the sysetm, the applicant will enter into the online appointment system their electronic barcode from the third page of their application and other personal identifying information. After scheduling an appointment online, an applicant will receive an immediate confirmation of the appointment which should be printed and brought to the interview. The NIV Online Appointment System may be accessed by any computer with internet access. In addition to instructions in English, applicants may view translated instructions in Indonesian by placing their cursor over the text on the screen.
Appointments are scheduled workdays excluding public holidays . Appointment times are staggered; applicants should arrive at the Embassy at the time stated. Applicants who qualify for the business visa program in Jakarta can see our Business Visa Program page for more information on how to prepare for an interview. The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya will accommodate requests for expedited visa interview appointments on a space available basis for humanitarian reasons or for truly urgent business travel. Failure to plan adequately ahead for routine business travel does not constitute an emergency. Conferences and seminars are not normally considered emergencies. Qualified business travelers applying with an APEC Business Travel card will received expedited appointments. Requests for expedited appointments in Jakarta can be submitted via email to jakconsul@state.gov or via fax to + 62 (21) 385 7189. Requests for expedited appointments in Surabaya can be sent via email to consurabaya@state.gov. Please provide the passport number and a written explanation of why the travel is urgent and include contact information for consular staff to verify the claimed emergency situation. All requests must include telephone or e-mail contact information in Indonesia for the visa applicants. If you must travel earlier than your scheduled appointment, or if you missed your appointment, you must reschedule your appointment using the online appointment system. Please do not come to the Embassy without rescheduling. Applicants may only schedule one appointment at a time. Applicants who schedule multiple appointments on different days will only be permitted to apply for a visa on the date of their first scheduled appointment. All other appointments will be deleted from our system. Most visa applicants must use the appointment system described above. However, applicants under 14 years old or over 80 years old may qualify for a visa without coming for an interview. Generally, the consular officer will waive the personal appearance requirement for any applicant under 14 years of age. For example, if a family is traveling on vacation to the U.S., any children under 14 do not have to accompany their parents to the visa interview. Every applicant age 14 or older must sign his or her own application form and will have his or her fingerprints scanned at the time of the interview. THE VISA APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW Visa interviews are conducted directly between the consular officer and the applicant. Third parties, including lawyers, are generally not allowed to be present at the interview, though Exceptions are granted for those people who do not speak English nor Indonesian and need a translator, or for people who need physical assistance. All visa applicants between 14 and 80 years of age (except those applying for diplomatic visas) will have their fingerprints scanned at the time of the interview. The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya require the use of the Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF). The EVAF is a simple, online Internet application that allows visa applicants to access, download, and fill out their visa applications on the Internet. The use of the EVAF will result in shorter lines and waiting times since visa clerks will no longer need to manually enter visa application information. Handwritten applications or those typed using a typewriter can not be accepted. At the visa interview, the applicant must present the following:
Please note that the $131 application fee covers the expense of conducting the interview and processing the application. The application fee cannot be returned, even if the visa is denied or no application is ever filed. The visa application will normally be adjudicated at the conclusion of the interview. Certain applicants may be required to present additional information, or to await further processing, before their applications can be finally decided. Thus, all applicants are encouraged to apply as far in advance as possible before their intended departure, so that enough time is allowed to resolve any procedural problems, should any come up. FAMILY MEMBERS Spouses and unmarried minor children of participants in "J" exchange programs may apply for derivative J-2 visas to accompany or follow the principal J-1 visa holder. Each family member must obtain their own Form DS-2019 from the program sponsor, and meet all other visa eligibility requirements, including evidence that they will have sufficient funds for their support, and that they will depart the U.S. when the principal applicant's program ends. Dependents may apply to the USCIS for authorization to accept employment in the U.S. School-age minor children may attend public schools on J-2 status, and are required to attend school if residing in the United States. There is no derivative status available for spouses or children of a "Q" exchange program participant. SEVIS REQUIREMENTS Persons applying for F, J, and M visas with the initial I-20 or DS-2019 forms issued on or after September 1, 2004 will require payment of SEVIS fee, also known as the "SEVIS I-901 fee" before making a visa application. Some continuing students may not have to pay the SEVIS fee. Please consult this website to determine whether you need to pay the fee. Schools and exchange programs will also be encouraged to provide Form I-901 to their students and participants. DHS has provided students and exchange visitors two different methods for paying the fee: Payment options are described at http://www.ice.gov/sevis/index.htm. The fee can be paid through the Internet by completing Form I-901 and using a credit card. You may also use Western Union Quick Pay by printing out Form I-901 on line and taking the form to a Western Union office. The nearest Western Union to the US Embassy is located at Bank Mandiri Wisma Alia, Jl M.I Ridwan Rais No 10-18 Jakarta Pusat 10110 (Tel 021 2311533). You may also pay by mail using Form I-901 together with a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. dollars. Schools have the option of paying the SEVIS I-901 fee for prospective students, but are not required to pay the fee. Please contact your school to find out if the SEVIS I-901 fee has been paid for you. If the fee is paid on your behalf, you should receive a receipt from your school. Certain short-term exchange visitors (au pair, summer work/travel and camp counselors) will pay a reduced fee, $35. Only principal applicants pay the SEVIS fee prior to visa issuance - F2, J-2 and M2 derivatives do not pay. When applicants go to the Consulate for the visa, they should bring the receipt or their I-797 to prove you have paid the SEVIS fee. VISA ISSUANCE After the visa has been authorized, applicants are generally told to return two or three days later to pick up their passports with valid visas. Applicants who need their visas sooner than what the Consular Officer states should consult with the Consular Officer at the time of the interview. The Consular Officer will attempt to expedite issuance; however, due to the nature of the nonimmigrant visa issuance process, it is not possible to issue a visa in 24 hours or less. VISA PICK-UP INFORMATION The applicant or a representative may return to pick up the passport with visa at the appointed time. If the applicant sends a representative, the representative must bring with him/her the pickup ticket and know the name of the applicants whose passport s/he is acquiring. Applicants whose visas required additional administrative processing and whose visas are ready for processing will be contacted by consular staff at the number provided on the application For those subject to additional processing, please see the NSEERS page for further advice on entering and exiting the United States. THE VISA All those who receive a U.S. visa should check the accuracy of all the data on the visa, including name, date of birth, passport number, gender, and photo. Advise Consular Section personnel of any errors before leaving the Embassy. VISA VALIDITY The expiration date of the visa notes the last day you may use the visa to apply to enter the United States. The expiration date is not the last day you are allowed to remain in the U.S. Every time you plan to travel to the U.S, remember to assure your passport is valid for at least six months from the time you plan to depart the U.S. However, you may travel with two passports -- one expired passport with a valid visa and a new passport. INTERVIEW AT PORT OF ENTRY A valid visa does not guarantee you will be allowed to entry the United States. A U.S. immigration officer who will interview you when you arrive in the U.S. will determine if you are eligible to enter the U.S. and for how long. In the event the immigration officer finds you ineligible, you will not be allowed to enter and will be depart the United States immediately. When you enter the U.S., the immigration officer will take your picture with an electronic camera and scan your fingerprints again. U.S. immigration regulations permit J exchange visa applicants beginning a new program to enter the U.S. no more than 30 days before their program starts. Applicants who are continuing their program in the United States may enter the U.S. more than 30 days before the program resumption date. DURATION OF STAY IN THE U.S. The immigration officer who interviews you at the U.S. port of entry (where you arrive in the U.S.) will usually note the period of time you are allowed to remain in the U.S. congruent with the length of time of your program. You are expected to leave before the period stamped at entry expires unless you request an extension of stay from the nearest Department of Homeland Security office. EMPLOYMENT Employment while in "J" exchange visitor status depends upon the terms of the program. Participants in programs that provide for on-the-job training, teaching, research, or other activities that involve paid employment may accept such employment. Participants in programs that do not involve work may not accept outside employment. The "Q" international cultural exchange program specifically authorizes paid employment as part of the program. SEVIS REQUIREMENTS The original Form DS-2019 provided to "J" exchange program participants by the program sponsor will include a SEVIS number identifying the student (or spouse or child of the student) for immigration tracking purposes during the course of the person's stay in the United States. While in the United States, persons in J status must report any change in their program status to the USCIS through the program sponsor. FOREIGN RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT Certain "J" exchange visitors who participate in programs which were financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by an agency of the U.S. Government or by the exchange visitor's government, or who are nationals or residents of a country which have been designated by the Bureau of Public Diplomacy in the Department of State as requiring the skills of the exchange visitor, must return to their country of nationality or last residence after completing their program in the United States, and reside there physically for two years before they may become eligible to apply for an immigrant or temporary worker visa. All Indonesian “J” visa holders, except high school students, are subject to this two year rule. "Q" exchange visitors may not participate in another "Q" program until they have been abroad for one year. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Questions about "J" programs, Form DS-2019, and the ability to change programs or extend within a program should be made to the Bureau of Public Diplomacy in the Department of State, Exchange Visitor Program Office, Washington, D.C. Questions about "Q" petitioning procedures, qualifications for various classifications, and conditions and limitations on employment should be made by the prospective employer or agent in the United States to the nearest USCIS office . We hope you enjoy your visit to the United States! Still confused? Please check out our most frequently asked questions page. Or, for more information, please contact one of our visa assistants by phone at + 62 (21) 3435-9000, by e-mail at jakconsul@state.gov or by fax at + 62 (21)385-7189. |
