Family Member Visa Information

Family Member Visa Information

• F-1 and J-1 students/scholars on Carnegie Mellon University documents who wish to bring their immediate family members as F-2 or J-2 dependents should contact OIE with the request. OIE will issue an original I-20 or DS-2019 form for each immediate family member - only spouses and dependent children are eligible for dependent visas. Dependents of those in F-1 status will receive F-2 I-20s allowing them to apply for F-2 visas; dependents of those in J-1 status will receive J-2 DS-2019s allowing them to apply for J-2 visas. Note to J-1 visitors: If your DS-2019 was not issued by CMU, request dependent documents from your J program sponsor.
• Parents, domestic partners and relatives are not eligible for the F-2 or J-2 visa. Refer to the OIE "Inviting Relatives and Friends: B-2 Tourist Visa" handout for information on how to advise your relatives to apply for a B-2 tourist visa.
• The Foreign Affairs Manual (page 26-27) outlines information regarding a longer B-2 entry admission for a bona fide domestic partner.

Request a Dependent Immigration Document

To request an I-20 or DS-2019 for dependents, submit the following to OIE:

1.       Dependent Immigration Document Request Form.

2.       Copy of passport picture page for each family member.

3.       Original documentation of finances to support yourself (tuition plus living expenses) plus additional funds to support your immediate family member dependent(s) for one year. This means including updated funding information for both yourself and your dependent(s). Funding documentation may be a combination of:

• Original, personal bank statements in English and in US dollars (we cannot accept faxes, photocopies or web printouts) from savings or checking not more than 6 months old.
• Department letters of support for assistantship, etc. are acceptable if they are not more than 6 months old.
• Sponsor support letter outlining the support AND documentation of the source of support (for example, original bank statements showing adequate savings, a letter from the employer indicating adequate salary, etc.) not more than 6 months old.

Note: It is advisable to request 2 original sets of the above documentation to submit to both OIE and to either the Embassy/Consulate at the F-2/J-2 visa interview or US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) in the change of status application (outlined on the OIE Change of Status handout).

Funding Amounts

Funding amounts for students and dependents can be found on the OIE website or on the table below:

Please note that F-2 dependents are not eligible for employment or full-time/part-time studies in the United States. J-2 dependents may apply for employment authorization to USCIS. Click here for more information about J-2 Work Authorization.