Obtaining a J-1 Visa
How to get a J-1 visa
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 CPP. (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 CPP.
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.
Apply for a J-1 visa
To request J-1 status for you, your sponsoring department at CPP must submit an electronic request (e-form). We request that your department submit the e-form at least three months before your start date to allow for ISSO 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.
Your CPP department has to submit the J-1 Application for New Exchange Visitors form. Your department will have to provide your passport, proof of English proficiency, and proof of funding.
The form contains:
- Department Contact Information
- Applicant Information
- Program Information
Your department may ask you to complete the Applicant and Dependents Information sections of the form. If so, you will receive a link to these sections.
After we review and approve the form, you’ll receive an email with your SEVIS ID number and Exchange Visitor Program Number. While we’ll create your DS-2019(s), your department will mail them to 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.
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:
- Your DS-2019
- A valid passport
- Your SEVIS payment receipt
- Visa application forms
- Current financial documentation that lists the sources and amounts of financial support you have secured for your program, totaling at least $1200 per month for the duration of your invitation.
- If you are bringing your spouse, unmarried children under the age of 21, or both, you must also show access to $500 per month for the first dependent and $250 per month for each additional dependent.
Depending on what country you are from, you may also have to pay a visa fee at your appointment. Learn more.
Enter the United States and validate your program
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 ISSO upon your arrival at your CPP 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.
J-1 transfer to CPP
If you are already in the United States on J-1 status and plan to come to Cal Poly Pomona without leaving the country, contact us immediately. If you are eligible, we will assist with the transfer of your J-1 program to CPP.
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