Welcome to Southern Methodist University!
The International Student & Scholar Services team is excited to welcome you to SMU, Dallas and the United States. As you prepare to come to SMU, we hope that the following information will help you ease your transition to SMU and the Dallas/Forth Worth area. Please read this page carefully, as this page will contain information on what you need to do before you arrive to campus and during your first week at SMU.
There are many non-immigrant visa classifications.The only two categories under which an international scholar may be appointed to SMU are the J-1 Exchange Visitor and H-1B Temporary Worker visas.The ISSS Responsible Officer will make recommendations on the appropriate visa to use for each individual exchange visitor. The type of visa chosen depends on many factors: the source and amount of the exchange visitor's salary or funding, the nature and duration of the appointment, how soon the appointment will begin, whether the individual is currently in the U.S. or has recently been in the U.S., and if they are subject to certain restrictions. Exchange Visitors must not plan to enter the U.S. without the appropriate visa documents processed by SMU, the Department of Homeland Security or The Department of State.
Please complete the Visa Determination Questionnaire. The ISSS Responsible Officer will review the answers provided in the questionnaire and make recommendations on the type of visa you should apply for.
Upon submission of the Visa Determination Questionnaire, the ISSS office will provide a recommendation on the most appropriate visa type.
1. If the ISSS office has determined that the H1-B visa is appropriate for the foreign national, the hosting department will receive an email with the contact information of their liaison at Human Resources.
2. If the ISSS office has determined that the Exchange Visitor should come to SMU as a J-1 Exchange Visitor, the hosting department will initiate the DS-2019 request process. The request will be submitted through DocuSign.
Once all required documentation has been submitted, the ISSS office will begin processing the request, which may take up to 7 business days. Once DS-2019 Form has been issued, ISSS office will send an email to the Exchange Visitor and the Hosting Department.
Forms:
After receiving the SMU DS-2019, scholars are required to pay a $220 USD I-901 fee associated with the SEVIS ID number on the DS-2019. Please visit fmjfee.com to pay for the I-901 fee and print a copy of the SEVIS fee payment receipt, as you will need it in order to apply for a J-1 Visa a U.S. Embassy or Consulate and when entering the U.S.
It is preferable to apply for a J-1 visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your home country. However, you may be able to apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate outside of your home country, but the acquiring of visa might be more difficult if you are not a citizen of that country and could take longer for processing.
There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you apply. Please consult the instructions available on the embassy or consulate website where you will apply.
Complete the Online Visa Application
While interviews are generally not required for applicants of certain ages outlined above, consular officers have the discretion to require an interview of any applicant, regardless of age.
|
If you are age: |
Then an interview is: |
|
13 and younger |
Generally not required |
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14-79 |
Required (some exceptions for renewals) |
|
80 and older |
Generally not required |
You must schedule an appointment for your visa interview, generally, at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be difficult to qualify for a visa outside of your place of permanent residence.
Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early.
Pay the non-refundable visa application fee of $160 USD, if you are required to pay it before your interview. When your visa is approved, you may also pay a visa issuance fee, if applicable to your nationality.
*This information has been provided by the U.S. Department of State. Please visit travel.state.gov for more details on the visa process.
Exchange Visitors will also pay a $200.00 SEVIS maintenance fee to the SMU International Student/Scholar Services Office through TouchNet.
Note: Citizens of Canada and Burmuda are exempt from getting a J-1/J-2 Visa, but must present a valid passport, SMU I-20, and proof of the I-901 fee payment at the port of entry to the U.S.
Upon issuance of the J-1 Visa, scholars will need to schedule an appointment with the ISSS office to complete their mandatory “Document Check-In” after they have arrived in the U.S and BEFORE beginning teaching/researching activities at SMU.
Once a scholar has a J-1 Visa, they can enter the U.S. with their visa and DS-2019 no earlier than 30 days prior to the program start date on the DS-2019.
It is important that you have the proper documents to present to immigration officials at the U.S. port of entry. Be sure to carry your DS-2019, visa, passport, and financial documentation with you because you will need to show them to immigration officials when you enter the United States. Please do not enter the United States in tourist visa status unless you are coming to the United States for tourism only.
You should plan to arrive with enough money to meet the initial expenses of your first weeks in the United States. Until you are living in an apartment/house, you should expect to spend from $20-$40 per day for meals at moderately priced restaurants and from $100-$400 per night for off-campus accommodations. You may use an automatic teller machine (ATM) to get U.S. dollars at a U.S. airport using your existing bank card from home.
To avoid delays and cash-flow problems, you may want to open an account in a U.S. bank in your home country or in a non-U.S. bank (also in your home country) that has a branch in the United States. You would then be able to transfer funds from the bank in your country to a bank in the United States. It is very important for you to be familiar with your government's regulations for transferring funds to the United States. You should also check with your bank in your country regarding fees charged for transferring funds to the United States.
You should try to bring your belongings with you because the University cannot store baggage sent ahead. You may ask your department or school if someone is able to accept your baggage, but it is usually not possible to do so. Please do not send packages or baggage to the ISSS office since we do not have storage space. Once you have a U.S. residential address, personal effects and packages under a certain weight may be mailed to you by international parcel post. Consult your local post office for details.
If you are bringing children J-2 dependents, records of your children's immunizations are required before they may enroll in public schools in the United States. Please review the current immunization requirements. Be sure to bring copies of your medical records translated into English and those of any accompanying family members with you to the United States.
J-1 Exchange Visitors and their J-2 dependents are required to have medical insurance coverage with the following minimum benefits [22 CFR 62.14].
Scholars and their dependents typically purchase health insurance while in their home country because they are required to have valid health insurance from the start and end date of their program with the university. For a list of U.S. health insurance providers that have plans that meet the minimum requirements, please see the Health Insurance Providers form.
If you will not be using a U.S. health insurance provider, please ensure that your health insurance plan meets the minimum requirements and that proof of health insurance clearly demonstrates that you are enrolled in a plan the has the requirements stated above. Proof of insurance that meets the Department of State requirements must be provided by the international scholar upon arrival to the U.S. to ensure compliance with Federal Regulations governing the J-1 Exchange Visitor program, along with the Health Insurance Compliance form.
Forms:
Exchange Visitor Health Insurance Policy and Company Information
Exchange Visitor Health Insurance Verification Form (exchange visitors not receiving compensation from SMU)
Exchange Visitor Health Insurance Verification Form (exchange visitors receiving benefits or SMU exchange students)
Please see our list of temporary housing accommodations near SMU. For more long-term housing we recommend you use an apartment finder. Typically students seek housing accommodations near SMU for convenient access to campus. However, housing near SMU is typically more expensive.
Things to keep in mind while looking for an apartment:
To compare electric plans, we recommend you look at powertochoose.org.
Present the following documents to the inspections officer at the U.S. port of entry (do not pack these items in your checked luggage):
The officer will stamp your passport or I-94 card and mark it "J-1" and "D/S." "D/S" means that you can remain in the United States as long as you remain in valid immigration status.
You may take a taxi/uber/Lyft from DFW International Airport to Dallas. The cost to SMU is approximately $30-40. You can also take a shuttle bus to your destination. See below for a list of some shuttle bus companies and pricing:
Public transportation is also an option. Although, public transportation may be less expensive, it may take a lot longer for you to make it to Dallas. For more information on the local train system, please visit www.dart.org
Exchange Visitors MUST check-in with the International Student and Scholar Services office upon arrival and BEFORE beginning activities at SMU. Please be sure to bring the following documents with you, to your appointment:
If you are receiving university benefits, you must also schedule an orientation with Human Resources.
Forms:The ISSS office hosts various events year-round to help students and scholars acclimate to U.S. Living. Please visit our Events Calendar page for a list of events happening at SMU.
In addition to attending our events, we recommend that you review the Post-Arrival Handbook for an extensive list of resources on and around campus.