Adding J-2 dependents

Immigration services

A J-1 exchange visitor’s spouse and/or children under 21 years of age are eligible to be in the U.S. in J-2 status as J-1 dependents. To initiate the process for bringing dependents to the U.S. who are still in their home country, exchange visitors must add the dependents’ names to their DS-2019 by providing the GEO’s immigration services with the following documents:

Updated proof of financial support totaling $1,250 for each month the J-1 visitor will remain and an additional $417 per J-2 dependent per month
Completed Adding J-2 dependents form
A copy of the biographic page from the passport of each new dependent

Once the new DS-2019 has been issued, it is the J-1 visitor’s responsibility to send the new DS-2019 to the family members. They will then take this document to the U.S. Embassy to request J-2 visa stamps in their passports. When they travel the U.S., they must bring the DS-2019 to the port of entry, where the entry guard will stamp and return the DS-2019s to the dependents.

For dependents already in the U.S., please call GEO’s immigration services at (804) 828-0595 for an appointment to discuss the situation.