J2 (Dependent of exchange student visitor) visa application documents

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Documents for J2 Visa applicant

Spouses and/or children may accompany an exchange visitor and qualify for J-2 visas, if dependents are included on the DS-2019. Please check the upper right hand corner of your DS-2019 to be sure your family members are included.

If your interview is at the U.S. consulate in Mumbai, you will need to submit some of the documents in advance to VFS, as listed here. Rest of the documents should be carried to the interview. For the interview at U.S. embassy in New Delhi and the U.S. consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, you will need to take all the documents to the interview.

Mandatory documents

Passport
One photograph
Confirmation page of online submitted Form DS-160 with CEAC bar code.
Visa Fees
Fees to be paid in advance at participating HDFC bank before taking an appointment.
Original interview appointment letter and one copy.
Sample
All pages of original SEVIS generated Form DS-2019 in original, approved and signed by the primary applicant's sponsor organization in the U.S.

All students, as well as their spouse and dependent children (everyone that is applying for the U.S. visa) must be registered in SEVIS. Sponsor organization is responsible for entering the information for the Form DS-2019 into SEVIS.
Original Proof of payment of SEVIS Fee Receipt I-901 and one copy, if applicable.
Copy of Form 7002, if applicable

Supporting documents

Photocopies of the first page, address page and last page of your current passport.
A copy of the Form DS-2019 of the Principal Applicant.
Photocopy of the principal applicant's valid visa, if applying separately.
Original marriage certificate for spouse along with entire wedding photo album.
Make sure that the groom and the bride are easily identified in the photographs. It is important to have the specific photographs showing important parts of the marriage ceremony. e.g., for Hindu marriage, putting sindoor in bride's "maang", putting "mangalsutra" around bride's neck, rounds around the fire etc.
Wedding invitation card.
Original birth certificate for each child.
Additional financial resources to support the dependants. If funding is via a scholarship, graduate assistantship or the like, please supply details including documentation from the source of funding. If self-funded or funded by anyone else in India, original bank passbooks are the clearest evidence of what funds are available.
If applying separately, a good quality photocopy or the original of the primary applicant's passport - all 36 pages. The copy should be of GOOD quality and the photo must be clearly identifiable.
Consulate may request additional documents if the principal has been in the U.S. for some time, including transcripts showing that s/he has maintained full-time student status as an F-1, or information showing that the principal is still engaged in his/her J-1 research.

It is always easiest if dependents apply at the same time as the principal applicant; for example, the J-1 researcher applies for her own J-1 visa and J-2 visas for her spouse and children at the same time. However, it is not mandatory to do so.