Visa Application Process
Please complete the following steps 4-6 months before your desired start date.
1) Pay the $750/1000 University Services Fee online
2) DS-2019 Request Form.* Applicants intending to become a visiting scholar for six months or less need to decide which J-1 visitor category to apply for: Short-Term Scholar or Research Scholar. For more information, see 24-Month Bar for J-1 visitors.
You will need to attach the following documents to your DS-2019 Request Form:
a) A financial statement* verifying that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your dependents while you are a visiting scholar at Berkeley (required amount: minimum $2000/month for scholar, plus $600/month for a J-2 dependent spouse and $400/month for each J-2 dependent child.) The document can be a Letter from Department Chair or Dean on university letterhead stating approved sabbatical leave verifying and detailing funding for entire period of desired affiliation (see Sample Letter of Financial Proof), or a financial statement from your bank showing a sufficient balance. The letter must be dated within the past six months.
b) Photocopy of the biographical page of your passport.* If family members will accompany you, please include photocopies of their passports.
c) Proof of English Proficiency.* Per Department of State federal regulations, scholars must have “sufficient proficiency in the English language, as determined by an objective measurement of English language proficiency, successfully to participate in his or her program and to function on a day-to-day bases [22 CFR 62.10(a)(2)]. Please submit one of the following documents with your application. Please note that the following recommendations are not intended to guarantee a visa approval at the embassy:
- An objective, recognized English language test. The following scores are acceptable to fulfill the English proficiency requirement. Host departments may choose to require different scores and validity dates of scores specific to their programs.
» International English Language Testing System (IELTS) — a score of 6.5 or higher on the academic
module
» Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) — a score of 80 or higher on the iBT; or 550 or higher
on the paper-based exam (PBT); or 213 or higher on computer-based. - Signed documentation from the scholar's academic institution or English language school. To satisfy the U.S. Department of State criteria, the certification by an academic institution or English language school must include the following on school letterhead stationery. Use the recommended template letter.
d) All previous DS-2019 copies. This applies only to scholars who have entered the U.S. on J-1 visas before.
After receipt of the completed forms and appropriate fees, CJS will submit your application to the VSPA office for approval. The VSPA office approval will grant you visiting scholar status at the UC Berkeley campus once they've received your University Services Fee. This process usually takes about one week. For non-US residents, CJS will then submit to the Berkeley International Office an application for a DS-2019 form, which will allow you to apply for a J-1 (Visiting Scholar) visa. The Berkeley International Office will issue the DS-2019 form two weeks after receipt of application.
The DS-2019 will be issued electronically, and after signing the document digitally, you will be responsible for printing a copy. You will need a printed copy for your visa interview and application at your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate, as well as to present to U.S. Immigration officers at the airport when you arrive.
After receipt of the DS-2019, you must pay a one-time Homeland Security processing fee, which can be done online. Once this fee has been paid, you may take your (and accompanying family members') DS-2019 and passport to a local U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your country to apply for your visa. You MUST bring your DS-2019 form with you when traveling to the United States. For more information, see Understanding Your DS-2019.