Applying for the J-1 Visa at the U.S. Embassy
After you are accepted into the Career Training USA program, your next step is to apply for a J-1 Visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country. All Interns and Trainees must attend an embassy interview to get a J-1 Visa, with the exception of Canadian citizens.
4-Step Process
Step 1
Gather Documents
Step 2
Complete DS-160
Step 3
Schedule Interview
Step 4
Attend Interview
You will receive an email from InterExchange with your SEVIS ID number and instructions for accessing and printing your:
- DS-2019 Form
- DS-7002 Training Plan
- SEVIS fee payment receipt
These documents are required for your visa application and interview. Be sure to print these forms and sign the DS-2019 Form under “Exchange Visitor Certification.” The embassy will not accept digital forms.
Ready to apply for your visa? The first step is completing your visa application.
Complete the DS-160 Form: Head over to the Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center to fill out and submit your DS-160 Non-immigrant visa application. Use the video below to guide you through the application.
Social Media Handles: The Department of State requires all applicants to provide their social media handles, such as Facebook, X, and Instagram, on the DS-160 application. You must answer this question, but you can write “None” if you don’t have any accounts.
- What to Include: Please list all your social media accounts, even if you don’t post often. To help speed up the vetting process, include the exact URL for each account, not just your username.
- Be Truthful: It is essential to be complete and honest when filling out your application. Providing false information during the application or interview could lead to your visa being denied.
Make your accounts public: At your visa interview, consular officials will instruct you to adjust the privacy settings on all of your social media profiles to “public” to facilitate social media vetting.
- Visit the website of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your country of nationality or residence.
- Go to their nonimmigrant visa page to find the appointment scheduling link. Check their website for any country-specific instructions.
- Pay the required visa fee (this is separate from the SEVIS fee paid by InterExchange).
- Once your appointment is scheduled, follow our tips on preparing for your interview and gathering the required documents.
Need an Emergency Appointment?
If interview wait times are long and there are no available appointments before your program start date, you may be able to request an emergency or expedited appointment. Instructions vary by embassy, but here are the general steps:
- Schedule the earliest available appointment online.
- Follow the embassy’s specific instructions to submit a request for an expedited appointment. Instructions are typically found in the Frequently Asked Questions and J-1 visas fall under the “student or exchange visitors” category.
- Wait for a response from the embassy.
Granting an emergency appointment is at the embassy’s discretion. If your request is denied, you should keep your original appointment date and continue to check the website for any earlier openings. Contact InterExchange if your arrival will be delayed.
After a successful visa interview, the embassy will typically keep your passport and documents. Visa processing and social media vetting may take 3-5 days, and your passport with the J-1 visa will be returned in about 5-10 days if approved.
If your visa is denied, notify InterExchange as soon as possible. We will discuss your options, as you may be able to reapply. InterExchange allows for a maximum of two interview attempts. If your visa is denied a second time, we will have to cancel your application.
Canadian citizens do not need a J-1 visa to enter the U.S. and are exempt from the embassy interview. When you enter the U.S. to begin your program, simply present printed copies of your DS-2019, DS-7002, and SEVIS fee payment receipt to customs officials. Be sure to follow Step 1 above and sign your DS-2019 Form before your trip.