The necessary materials for applying for these two visas are as follows:
B- 1 Visa: B- 1 Visa is issued to applicants engaged in short-term business activities. Business activities include signing contracts, attending exhibitions or conferences, short-term training or negotiating business with customers. Visa holders shall not be employed during their stay in the United States. B 1 the applicant shall present relevant documents concerning his business activities in the United States, including the invitation letter sent by the inviter in the United States, documents indicating the purpose of visiting the United States, and personal information of the applicant, such as marriage certificate, employment certificate, bank deposit certificate, payroll, etc.
B-2 visa: B-2 visa is issued to applicants who travel to the United States, including sightseeing, medical care, visiting relatives and friends, attending meetings, etc. Visa holders shall not be employed during their stay in the United States. Applicants need to produce invitations from relatives and friends in the United States, or letters proving that they have participated in tour groups or conferences, documents proving the applicant's financial ability or the financial ability of relatives and friends in the United States, or documents proving the applicant's personal situation, such as marriage certificate, employment certificate, bank deposit certificate, payroll, etc.
Student visa
(F- 1, M- 1 visa)
In order to obtain a visa to study in the United States, the applicant must prove that:
Their only purpose (not only the main purpose) is to learn;
They have the ability and plan to be full-time students in the United States;
On the premise of not engaging in unauthorized work, it has enough funds to pay tuition fees, living expenses and all expenses for dealing with emergencies;
They have inseparable social, economic and other factors that make them leave the United States after completing their planned studies.
Applicants must prove that they have been unconditionally accepted by institutions that are qualified to recruit international students. The school must provide a complete I-20 form and admission notice. In addition, applicants should also prove their ability to successfully complete their studies, and provide some materials that can prove their learning ability and educational background, such as graduation certificates, transcripts (including subjects and grades studied), TOEFL transcripts and other grades required by the school, such as GRE and GMAT. All applicants for F 1 and M 1 must present a valid I-20 form issued by their school.
Applicants must prove that they have plans to return to China after completing their studies in the United States. They can prove this in many ways. For example, they can show that China needs what they have learned in the United States. Usually, students from famous domestic schools can find good jobs after returning to China.
To F, M and J student visa holders or exchange scholars: According to the regulations of the US Department of Homeland Security, F, M and J non-immigrant visa holders are not allowed to enter the United States 30 days before the start of the school or the project. The commencement dates of classes F and M are based on the dates on the I-20 form. Grade J is based on the date on DS-20 19. Please carefully arrange the schedule of your visit to the United States.
Important travel information of F, M and J categories.
To F, M and J student visa holders or exchange scholars: According to the regulations of the US Department of Homeland Security, F, M and J non-immigrant visa holders are not allowed to enter the United States 30 days before the start of the school or the project. The commencement dates of classes F and M are based on the dates on the I-20 form. Grade J is based on the date on DS-20 19. Please carefully arrange the schedule of your visit to the United States.
SEVIS
All students and applicants for exchange scholar visas and their immediate family members must register with SEVIS. SEVIS refers to the information system for students and exchange visitors. Inviting units (such as schools) are responsible for inputting your information into the system. For questions about SEVIS, please contact your inviting organization directly.
Exchange visiting scholar
(J- 1 visa)
The "J" exchange visiting scholar program aims to promote the exchange of knowledge and technology between people in the fields of education, art and science. Participants include students from universities, middle schools and primary schools; Persons who have participated in on-the-job training in companies, institutions and offices; Teachers in primary schools, middle schools and professional and technical schools; Professors and scholars who teach or engage in research in institutions of higher learning; Persons who receive professional training in medical institutions; And visiting scholars who aim at research, training and displaying professional knowledge or skills.
"J" exchange visitors must have sufficient academic preparation and knowledge of English language to ensure that the applicant will study the whole process in the receiving educational institution or other research institutions. If the applicant's English level is not enough for him to complete the whole study. The college must document that special training has been arranged for them to improve their English.
According to the "J" exchange visiting scholar program, the personnel participating in the undergraduate study and training of medical majors must meet the following special requirements. These include: you must pass the examination for foreign medical students. Prove that you have enough knowledge of English language; You must go back to China to live for two years after completing the exchange program, and you must plan to leave after the arrival of your stay in the United States. Doctors who go to the United States as visiting scholars for investigation, consultation, teaching or research without practicing medicine are not subject to the above conditions.
Necessary materials:
Complete application forms for DS- 156, DS- 157 and DS- 158.
Receipt for payment of visa application fee at CITIC Industrial Bank
A valid passport. Passports must be valid for at least 9 months longer than the planned stay in the United States.
Two recent photos of American passports.
Applicants for "J" must present a complete DS-20 19 form issued by American sponsors or inviting organizations. Applicants for a "Q" visa need an I-797 approval form. Participants in the "Q" exchange visit program need to have a non-immigrant work approval form I- 129 approved by the US Department of Homeland Security and issued by the guarantor. When the work permit is approved, the Department of Homeland Security will notify the guarantor on the I-797 form. It should be pointed out that if the applicant does not meet the requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Law, even if his work permit has been approved, he cannot be guaranteed a visa.
Prove that there are enough scholarships or personal funds to pay all their expenses or make other arrangements for their expenses. "Sufficient funds" means that the applicant will neither become a burden to the public nor pay for it through unapproved work during his stay in the United States.
Other requirements:
Applicants should also provide materials that can explain their departure from the United States after the expiration of their stay in the United States. It is the relevant documents that can prove that you have close social, economic or other ties in China that you don't want to give up, so as to prove to the consul who asks questions that you will return to China after a short stay in the United States.
A brief description of the research project you will conduct in the United States.
To F, M and J student visa holders or exchange scholars: According to the regulations of the US Department of Homeland Security, F, M and J non-immigrant visa holders are not allowed to enter the United States 30 days before the start of the school or the project. The commencement dates of classes F and M are based on the dates on the I-20 form. Grade J is based on the date on DS-20 19. Please carefully arrange the schedule of your visit to the United States.
Important travel information of F, M and J categories.
To F, M and J student visa holders or exchange scholars: According to the regulations of the US Department of Homeland Security, F, M and J non-immigrant visa holders are not allowed to enter the United States 30 days before the start of the school or the project. The commencement dates of classes F and M are based on the dates on the I-20 form. Grade J is based on the date on DS-20 19. Please carefully arrange the schedule of your visit to the United States.
SEVIS
All students and applicants for exchange scholar visas and their immediate family members must register with SEVIS. SEVIS refers to the information system for students and exchange visitors. Inviting units (such as schools) are responsible for inputting your information into the system. For questions about SEVIS, please contact your inviting organization directly.
Employment visa
(H，L，O，P，Q)
Instructions for applying for a work visa
H, L, O, P and Q visas are issued to applicants working in the United States. All these visas require American companies or other institutions that intend to hire applicants to obtain the approval of the US Department of Homeland Security before they can hire foreign employees. If approved, the employing company will issue an I-797 form to the applicant, allowing him to apply for a visa.
H visa: H visa is issued to applicants who work in the United States for a short time.
The approval must be approved by the US Department of Homeland Security. If the applicant applies for a US work visa in China, he must wait until the consulate receives the I-797 approval form from the Department of Homeland Security before applying for a visa.
If the applicant changes his identity in the United States, his approval letter does not need to be sent from the Department of Homeland Security to the embassy, but when applying for a visa, the applicant must show the original I-797 form.
All applicants are advised to present a copy of the I- 129 form during the interview.
L visa: l visa is issued to people who will be sent to work in American branches or related companies. Applicants must hold a managerial position in the United States, or have specialized knowledge, and have worked for the same employer or company for at least one year in the three years before applying for a visa.
L 1 and L2 visas: one-time entry, valid for six months, without paying any other fees; For multiple-entry visas valid for two years, an additional fee of $ 120 is required. If you want to apply for a multiple-entry visa, please bring enough fees. From March 8, 2005, applicants for the L- 1 visa package must pay an extra $500 for the fake investigation. Candidates can exchange US dollars or RMB according to the foreign exchange rate of the day during the interview.
O, P and Q visas: These visas are issued to performers or professionals with special talents who go to the United States to perform, teach or participate in cultural exchange activities.
Spouse-child visit visa
(female grade two, female grade two, female grade one, male grade four)
To obtain a visa to visit your spouse or parents in the United States for a short time, the applicant must prove that he is the spouse or minor child of the visa holder F- 1, J- 1, M- 1, H-2 or L- 1, and he wants to enter the United States.
Instructions for applying for a non-immigrant visa:
F-2 visa: issued to spouses and children of international students (F- 1 visa holder).
J-2 visa: issued to spouses and children of visiting scholars (J- 1 visa holders).
M-2 visa: issued to spouses and children of international students (M- 1 visa holders) studying in professional or other recognized non-academic institutions.
H-4 visa: issued to spouses and children of short-term workers (H- 1 or H-2 visa holders) in the United States.
L-2 visa: issued to the spouse and children of managers of multinational companies (L visa holders).
Applicants are required to provide the following materials:
Applicants must provide relevant documents to prove their relationship with American visa holders. For example: the original marriage certificate, birth certificate, photos and so on.
Receipt of visa application fee paid at CITIC Industrial Bank.
Provide proof of family status in the United States. For example, a copy of your passport and visa when you go to the United States, the relevant I-20 form for applying for a student visa, the DS-20 19 form for exchanging a scholar visa or the I-797 form for a short-term work visa.
Prove that the applicant or his main visa holder in the United States has enough funds so that it will not become a burden to the public. Or will not seek illegal employment in the United States.
Instructions for artists and their technical assistants to apply for American visas
Foreign literary and artistic workers and their technical assistants who intend to perform live performances and produce audio-visual products (movies and video products) in the United States should obtain the approval of the US Department of Homeland Security before applying for visas. The procedure of applying for approval is complicated, so the US Consulate suggests that American organizers, funders and producers of literary and art programs ask a professional lawyer who has applied for approval for artists to apply for approval for these literary and art workers. According to different situations, applications are divided into the following categories: H, L, O, P and Q.
Note: Many organizers in the United States and China believe that if the organizer is a non-profit organization, there is no ticket for the live performance and the actors are not paid, there is no need for approval. This is not right. There are only three types of foreign literary and art workers who perform in the United States without approval:
Amateur actors with a B visa do not need approval. They can perform freely in America. Generally, such actors have major jobs, occupations or studies that have nothing to do with their hobbies, and they are not entitled to any other remuneration except travel expenses. Please note that underage actors must be regarded as professional actors, especially those full-time students whose main source of funds is performance income.
Cultural publicity performance: the performance funds are all borne by the foreign central government, and the purpose of the performance is to introduce the culture of the country to the audience. This kind of performance does not require approval. As such cast members hold Class B visas, they are not allowed to receive any remuneration from the United States, and American sponsors, sponsors or organizers are not allowed to interfere in the production or sale of tickets. All expenses must be borne by the central government of the sending country. If the United States participates in the project production, it needs to apply for approval from the US Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Foreign musicians who record music in recording studios run by American citizens and permanent residents can hold class B visas without approval.
Types of American visas for news and broadcast media operators
The non-immigrant visas issued by the United States to news and broadcast media vary according to the purpose of visiting the United States.
Staff of newspapers, magazines, television and broadcasting industries and other media organizations who travel to the United States for the purpose of reporting facts on the spot should issue an I (Media Representative) visa. They don't need approval, but they need to provide media work qualification certificates.
Media representatives who go to the United States to participate in the production of art programs should have the approval of the Department of Homeland Security before applying for visas. According to different situations, it is generally class H or P ratification, but in some special cases it is class O, class L and class Q ratification. Television, radio and film production companies had better find an expert lawyer with media experience from a law firm, who can provide special advice for current production projects.
Media representatives attending meetings, buying and selling media equipment or buying broadcasting rights are generally considered as ordinary business visitors and can hold B-type visas.