Visa category comparison
Requesting Dependent Visas
Explore an overview of the process and materials needed to request dependent visas.
F-1 or J-1 students dependent visa requests
In order to request new visa documents for your dependents from the ISO, please use the on URcompass (new, incoming students should add dependents through the New Student Intake Forms).
The Add or Remove F-2 or J-2 Dependent(s) e-form has multiple parts. The first part asks for confirmation about your personal details and the request you are making, and the second part asks for information and documentation for the dependents you are hoping to add.
In the third part of the form, the primary visa holder will be required to show proof of financial support of $7000 USD for each dependent (in addition to your other estimated expenses). Please follow the guidelines below to document financial support:
- Proof of financial support must include the bank or financial institution, name of the account holder(s), account number, type of account, current balance and currency, and statement date. A common form of documentation provided is a recent bank statement.
- Documents must be unaltered and recently issued, not more than 6 months.
- Statements printed in a language other than English will require a written translation. Be sure to include this when uploading documentation.
- If you have extra funding from the university that you want to use towards adding dependents, you must provide an updated school funding document if your previous funding letter was issued in a previous school year. To obtain this new funding letter, please reach out to your academic advisor or department coordinator.
- If you want to use funding from a sponsor or relative, you must have documentation from their financial sources with a Statement of Financial Support signed by them, as well.
If you have any questions about any part of the form, please reach out to the ISO and we will assist you.
J-1 researchers or professors dependent visa requests
In order to bring dependents to the US, the J-1 researcher or professor must show evidence of financial resources sufficient to support their spouse and/or children. As a rule, our minimum funding requirement for each dependent who will accompany the J-1 principal to the US is $500 USD per month. This amount doesn’t include the cost of health insurance and medical evacuation and repatriation of remains insurance, which are required of all J-1 and J-2 visa holders by the US government.
To request dependent documentation, please use the Family Questionnaire (PDF).  When ISO receives all the necessary paperwork, we’ll make a determination whether a DS-2019 is appropriate. If so, we’ll issue a new copy of your DS-2019 for the purpose of dependent visa application and travel to the US.
B-1/B-2 visitors
There are no dependent categories for visitors, so if other family members such as parents, siblings, or extended family want to visit you in the US, they must apply for their own B-1/B-2 visa or waiver. Reference our Inviting Family and Friends page for more guidance.