For help with the application process, documents required, and possible petitions that may arise with your J-1 visa, an immigration attorney is a valuable resource. He /she would begin by explaining to you the specific requirements for the visa and then fill you in on whether you meet the requirements or not. Most of the procedures in the application process are very complex and are better handled by a lawyer, it will take a short time for them to review your immigration needs, give you advice on the most effective way forward and then set you on the right path. Hurdles are minimized any time a lawyer is involved.
Eligibility
University and college students, teachers, short-term scholars, researchers, government visitors, specialists, and any other education exchange visitors who have formal invitations from institutions in the United States are eligible to apply for the J-1 visa.
The Process
To start with, students who plan to travel to the United States for internship must first obtain a certificate of eligibility, commonly referred to as form DS- 2019, from the institution they intend to join. It is, as a matter of necessity, important that the names on this form be identical to those used in your passport, otherwise your offer will be declined.
Form DS-2019 usually comes with instructions on how to pay the SEVI’s fee, which is a mandatory fee paid to the department of homeland security by all applicants. Be sure to keep the receipts issued upon confirmation of payment so that you can produce them when required.
Next, you need to get the application form (DS-156) from any United States consulate in your country and complete it. Generally, you'll be required to pay some money in order for your visa application to be processed. The consulate will then schedule an interview for you. The time it will take to have the visa issued to you differs from one country to another.
Documentation
The consulate will also require that you produce the following documents:
• Your letter of acceptance to the program.
• Evidence of sufficient funds to fund the program.
• Documents indicating that you intend to go back home at the conclusion of the program.
The biggest problem encountered by people applying for this type of visa is mismatch of names. You ought to thus make sure that your name is in the same order on all the documents submitted. J-1 visa applications come with minimal glitches, provided your documents are in order and you also follow the application procedure. Additional data about Canadian immigration can be reviewed on the site of photobucket.
