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Dependents

The spouse and unmarried minor children (under 21 years old) of an F-1/J-1 student can be admitted in F-2/J-2 status to accompany the student to the U.S. or follow to join the student at a later date.

F-2 Dependents

General information

  • F-2 visas are limited to spouses and unmarried children under 21 years old, no extended family.
  • F-2 dependents must have sufficient funds to cover their expenses or that other arrangements have been made to provide for such expenses.
  • F-2 dependents may remain in the U.S. providing they have a valid I-20 Form and their principal F-1 maintains legal F-1 status inside the U.S.
  • F-2 dependents may not accept employment or engage in business under any circumstances.
  • F-2 spouses may not engage in full-time study.
  • F-2 children may only engage in full-time at the K-12 level.
  • Part-time study is permitted only to the extent that it is “avocational or recreational.”
  • F-2 children lose their F-2 status once they marry or reach 21 years of age. If F-2 children want to remain in the U.S., they should apply for an independent status before the end of the F-2 status.
  • F-2 dependents are not required to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.

Process

1. Submit to International Student Services the required documents below:

  • Completed Confirmation of Financial Resources (CFR) Form
  • Financial Support documents: Current evidence of all sources of financial support for the student and any dependents You must provide an additional $5,000 for spouse and $3,000 for each child for each academic year (9 months) must be shown.
  • Dependent Information Form
  • Copy of the dependent’s passport ID page with expiration date
  • Copy of the principal F-1 student’s current I-20, if the student is already in the U.S.
  • Copy of the principal F-1 student’s visa stamp, if the student is already in the U.S.
  • Copy of the principal F-1 student’s I-94 Form, if the student is already in the U.S.

If you are a new incoming student, please submit the above documents to International Student Services through one of the two methods:

  • E-mail the documents as attachments to newinternational@utsa.edu. Please do not send compressed files (.zip, .rar, etc). We accept PDF, JPEG, JPG file formats.
  • Mail the documents to:

            International Services

            International Student Services

            One UTSA Circle

            Main Building 1.210

            San Antonio, TX 78249

 

If you are already in the United States, please bring the required documents to International Student Services in person during the advising hours.

2. Upon receipt of all the required documents, International Student Services will issue a dependent I-20 and updated I-20 for the principal F-1 student. The F-1 student is the signatory for the dependent I-20. Make sure to sign the bottom of page 1 of the I-20s. Note: the SEVIS I-901 fee does not have to be paid.

3. Deliver the F-2 dependent I-20s to your immediate family, along with copies of your immigration documents (I-20, passport, I-94, visa) if you are in the United States.

4. F-2 dependents apply for an F-2 visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

5. If approved for the visa, the F-2 dependents may join the principal F-1 student. F-2 dependents should provide International Student Services with copies of their stamped dependent I-20s, passport ID page with expiration date, F-2 visa, and I-94 within 5 days of their arrival in the U.S.

J-2 Dependents

General information

  • J-2 visas are limited to spouses and unmarried children under 21 years old, no extended family.
  • J-2 dependent DS-2019 can be issued only if the funding of their support and required health insurance is adequate.
  • J-2 dependents may remain in the U.S. providing they have a valid Form DS-2019 and their principal J-1 maintains legal J-1 status inside the U.S.
  • J-2 dependents are eligible to apply for employment authorization with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
  • J-2 dependents may study part-time or full-time in the U.S while the principal J-1 student maintains status.
  • J-2 children lose their J-2 status once they marry or reach 21 years of age. If J-2 children want to remain in the U.S., they should apply for an independent status prior to the end of the J-2 status.
  • J-2 dependents are not required to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.

Process

1. Submit to International Student Services the required documents below:

  • Completed DS-2019 Request form
  • Financial Support documents: Current evidence of all sources of financial support for the student and any dependents. You must provide an additional $5,000 for spouse and $3,000 for each child for an entire academic year (9 months) must be shown.
  • Copy of the dependent’s passport ID page with expiration date
  • Copy of the principal J-1 student’s valid passport ID page with expiration date
  • Copy of the principal J-1 student’s current Form DS-2019, if the student is already in the U.S.
  • Copy of the principal J-1 student’s visa stamp, if the student is already in the United States
  • Copy of the principal J-1 student’s I-94, if the student is already in the United States
  • Copy of the principal J-1 student’s health insurance card and coverage summary, if the student is already in the United States

2. Upon receipt of all the required documents, International Student Services will issue a dependent DS-2019 and updated DS-2019 for the principal J-1 student. Make sure to sign the bottom of page 1 of the DS-2019s. Note: the SEVIS I-901 fee does not have to be paid.

3. Deliver the J-2 dependent DS-2019s to your immediate family, along with copies of immigration documents (DS-2019, passport, I-94, visa) if you are in the United States.

4. J-2 dependents apply for a J-2 visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Proof of insurance may be requested by a U.S. Embassy official.
 
5. If approved for the visa, the J-2 dependents may join the principal J-1 student. J-2 dependents should provide International Student Services with copies of their stamped dependent DS-2019s, passport ID page with expiration date, J-2 visa, health insurance card and coverage summary, and I-94 within 5 days of their arrival in the U.S.

 

 

J-1 and J-2 Health Insurance Requirements


All J-1 and J-2 dependents are required to have insurance during the entire period of their program participation which will be listed on their DS-2019. You are required to provide proof of health insurance (Insurance card and coverage summary) at the International Student Orientation.


As of May 15, 2015, exchange visitor program participants and their dependents are required to have medical insurance coverage with the following minimum benefits:

 

  • Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
  • Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
  • Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000
  • A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.

J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors are required to have insurance in effect for the duration of time that they are participating in a program at UTSA.

An insurance policy secured to meet the benefits requirements must be underwritten by an insurance corporation with

  • an A.M. Best rating of "A-" or above
  • an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of "A-I" or above
  • a Standard and Poor's Claims Paying Ability rating of "A-" or above or
  • a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above.