NONIMMIGRANT VISA UNIT
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Miscellaneous NIV Issues
• Can I take a holiday after I have completed my studies/exchange program?
• How long Must I be Outside the U.S. to get another 90 Days on the Visa Waiver Program?
• I have a visa; do I also need a return ticket?
• What do I do about health insurance?
• I have a holiday home in the U.S.; how long can I remain there?
• Can I take my medicine into the U.S.?
• Can I drive while in the U.S.?
• Can I bring a pet to the U.S?
• How can I change my status in the U.S.?
• What if the visa does not cover my entire stay in the U.S.?
• What do you mean by single entry/one entry?
I have booked an appointment and noticed an error on my DS-156, so I filled in a new one. Do I have to book a new appointment?
No. Your appointment is not bound to one specific DS-156.
Can I enter the United States on my student (F-1) or (M-1) visa, or exchange visitor (J-1) visa before school/ the exchange program begins?
United States Department of Homeland Security regulations state that holders of F, M and J Nonimmigrant visas will not be admitted to the United States until a date 30 days or less prior to the beginning of your program date, or start date, as given on your form I-20 (for F or M visas) or DS-2019 (for J visas). Please consider that date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States.
Can I take a holiday after I have completed my studies/exchange program?
If you have an F-1 visa you may remain in the United States for up to 60 days at the end of your studies; if you have an M-1 visa you may remain for up to 30 days, or in total one year from your date of admission, whichever is shorter. Holders of J-1 visas may remain for up to 30 days. If you wish to remain longer, you will be required to apply for an adjustment of status from F-1/M-1/J-1 to B-2 with the Department of Homeland Security having jurisdiction over your place of residence.
I have been studying in the U.S. and will shortly be going to the U.S. to start or resume my one-year of post-school Optional Practical Training. I have received an Employment Authorization Card from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Do I still need a student visa to do my Optional Practical Training?
Yes. If your original student visa has expired you will need a new student visa to enter the U.S. to begin or resume your Optional Practical Training, even if the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has already issued you an Employment Authorization Card.
How long Must I be Outside the U.S. to get another 90 Days on the Visa Waiver Program?
There is no specific time limit on how long you have to be outside the U.S. to be able to go back. The point is that the VWP exists for temporary visits to the U.S., and not for enabling persons to more or less live in the country. It is thus not sufficient to just slip over to Bahamas to “charge the passport” for a new set of 90 days. Ultimately your admittance is decided on at the border. A good way to foresee whether you can go on the VWP is to ask yourself “am I here in temporary business or pleasure, or am I just trying to stay in the U.S. for a long consecutive period of time?” Please note that staying with an American boyfriend or girlfriend for a long period of time is not considered tourism.
The maximum total amount of days you may spend in the U.S. under a year is 180 days.
Please read more on Visa Waiver Program
I have a visa; do I also need a return ticket?
If you hold a visa of any classification, including a B-1/B-2 visa, you are not required to hold a return ticket; you may enter the United States on a one-way ticket. All travelers should carry with them for presentation to U.S. officials, if required, evidence of funds sufficient for their visit and, with the exception of H and L visa holders, evidence that they have a residence abroad to which they intend returning at the end of their stay. Examples of such evidence include: traveler's checks; return tickets; copy of latest bank statement; letter from parents saying they will support you; evidence of current employment; evidence of enrollment at an academic institution.
Vaccinations are no longer required for temporary travel to the United States. However, if you are intending to study or work, you should contact the school or prospective employer as they may have specific requirements.
What do I do about health insurance?
Visitors and temporary residents are required to pay their own medical costs. As a result it is advisable to take out health insurance. Temporary visitors to the United States can obtain accident and sickness insurance before departing Sweden. Most local insurance brokers as well as many travel agents can arrange such coverage with insurance firms in Sweden. Those planning on remaining in the United States for any length of time or permanently may obtain health insurance after arrival there. Sometimes it is available through an employer, as many companies arrange group insurance for their employees.
I have a holiday home in the United States; how long can I remain there?
If you travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, you may remain for up to 90 days. This period cannot be extended. If you travel to the United States on a visitor (B-2) visa, the period of time you will be allowed will be determined by the U.S. immigration and Naturalization Service at the port of entry. Initially they can grant a stay of six months which can be extended for a further six months at their discretion. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has sole jurisdiction over such matters.
Can I take my medicine to the United States?
If you take medicines containing habit-forming drugs or narcotics (e.g. cough medicine, diuretics, heart drugs, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, depressants, stimulants, etc.) you should: have all drugs, medicine and similar products properly identified; carry only the quantity that might normally be used by an individual having a health problem requiring such drugs or medicine; have either a prescription or written statement from your personal physician that the medicine is being used under a doctors direction and is necessary for your physical well-being while traveling.
Can I drive while in the United States?
Bearers of Swedish drivers' licenses may drive in the U.S. for a short period of time on their valid Swedish driver's license. (Exact length depends on the individual state.) When renting a car, some rental agencies may insist on seeing an international driver's license. It is available from Motormännens Riksförbund, phone 08-782 3800. You may also visit their website at http://www.motormannen.se.
Those taking up temporary residence must obtain driving licenses from the appropriate State Authority upon their arrival at their destination. The Embassy does not have any information concerning the laws of the various States on requirements for issuance of driving licenses.
For more information about obtaining a U.S. driving license, please see http://www.dmv-department-of-motor-vehicles.com.
No special documentation or vaccinations are required for dogs or cats traveling directly from Sweden to the United States. A "Health Certificate" from your veterinarian is recommended. Always check with your airline before departure. For further information we refer to the Department of Agriculture at http://www.aphis.usda.gov. Note: Different rules may apply to Hawaii, see http://www.hawaiiag.org
How can I renew my visa?
How can I change my status in the U.S.?
A U.S. visa is only an entry document. It specifies the date until which you can seek entry to the U.S. It does not state how long you can stay in the U.S. Your permission of stay is stamped in your passport, or on the I-94 form, by the Department of Homeland Security when you enter. The permission of stay may actually be longer than the validity of your visa.
If you are in the United States and receive an extension on your permission of stay, you do not necessarily need a new visa. You must, however, always make sure that your permission of stay is current with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). More information about DHS can be found in the Yellow pages or at www.dhs.gov. More specific information on how to extend and/or change your status in the United States can be found on http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/extendstay.htm. A visa is a document that allows you to present yourself at the border and seek entry to the U.S. Thus, if you do not need to enter the U.S., you do not need a new visa. If you are going back to Sweden or any other country and then want to reenter the U.S., you do need a visa and you can apply for one once back in Sweden according to the instructions found here.
What if the visa does not cover my entire stay in the U.S.?
The period of validity of a visa relates only to the time in which you may travel to the United States and apply for admission; it does not determine how long you may remain in the country. This is a matter for the Department of Homeland Security at the port of entry.
What do you mean by single entry/one entry?
The visa is valid for one trip to the United States. If you are planning future visits, you will be required to apply for a new visa.
