I-Visa

The I-Visa is a vital tool in a global system, where news and cultures are shared and dispatched across national lines. The I Visa is available to media employees including reporters, freelance journalists and film crew members; mainstream filmmakers are not eligible for this status. I visas are available to persons only to work for a foreign media outlet, or a U.S.-based subsidiary of a foreign media company.

Your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may be eligible for a derivative I status. Your employer must offer a letter detailing your position. I visas, however, are not available to fiancees. If your spouse or children wish to visit you in the U.S., they may choose to apply for a B-2 visa. They may also be eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program.

STEPS

Just submit your visa application to the American Consulate or Embassy in your home country.

DOCUMENTS

The Embassy or consulate will ask to see the following documents:

• A filled-in visa application Form DS-156.
• One recent photograph 1 & 1/2 inches square (37mm x 37mm) of each applicant, with the entire face visible. The picture should be taken before a light background and without head covering.
• A passport, valid for travel to the United States for at least six months longer than your intended visit.
• A letter from your employer detailing your position and expected stay in the U.S.