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The I visa or journalist visa is a work visa for employees in the field of media, press and broadcasting who are temporarily staying in the USA for journalistic purposes within the scope of their official activities. We have assisted well-known broadcasters, film companies and television productions with their I-visa applications. We would be happy to assist you as well.
Visa category: Work visa
Target group: Journalists and media representatives (camera/sound) for the production of news/reports/films
Validity: max. 5 years
Length of stay: Border officials determine the duration based on the order period
Special features: Advertising/entertainment not permitted
The I visa is a nonimmigrant visa for the US specifically for foreign media representatives who wish to enter and stay in the United States temporarily to pursue their profession. The I category is officially named "Foreign News Media" and allows a temporary work assignment in the United States for journalistic purposes.
Individuals who wish to enter the United States as a journalist or correspondent in the context of media work may qualify for a journalist visa. This is possible if, for example, you work for an American media bureau or newspaper in Germany and wish to report on events from the United States for an audience outside the United States.
ATTENTION: Journalists or (freelance) employees of the media do not always require a visa. It is not the mere job title as a journalist, but the specific purpose of stay that determines whether media representatives require a visa and, if so, which one.
As with all US visa categories, a wide variety of criteria must be met in order to qualify for the journalist visa. Below we guide you step by step through the catalog of requirements.
In principle, the following groups of persons are eligible:
Employment as a media representative must be verified.
Furthermore, applicants must in any case maintain a permanent residence outside the US and intend to travel to the United States only for a temporary stay. Proof of sufficient financial means to support the stay in the US also plays a not inconsiderable role in the visa application review, especially for self-employed persons.
NOTE: Individuals who plan to work on commercial film projects or entertainment industry projects require a different work visa than the journalist visa, namely H visa, O visa or P visa.
How long foreign media representatives are allowed to stay in the USA with an I visa is decided by the US border official on the day of entry. They issue the residence status by stamping the passport. Either a specific departure date or "D / S", which stands for Duration of Statusis noted. In addition, this is recorded in the electronic I-94 Entry form.
With an I visa, foreign media professionals may stay in the United States for as long as they carry out their journalistic activities. However, the actual length of stay is determined individually by U.S. border officials upon each entry and is noted on the electronic I-94 form or can be seen on the entry stamp in the passport. It is therefore important that media professionals can clearly explain the purpose and duration of their stay each time they enter the country.
Travelers must leave the United States no later than the departure date noted on the entry stamp or electronic I-94 form to avoid the risk of an illegal overstay. Each time you travel to the USA, you will receive a new residence status at the border crossing. As long as the I visa is valid, foreign media professionals may request entry at the border with this visa.
As a rule, I visas are issued for a maximum period of five years. However, depending on the journalistic project in question, a time limit of one year, for example, may be set.
If media representatives are frequently in the United States for journalistic purposes, the I visa does not have to be reapplied for again and again.
Furthermore, I visa holders may only stay in the United States for as long as the journalistic activity in the United States stated upon entry continues under the same conditions.
The visa fee for the I visa is 175.75 € (185 $) per applicant. This general application fee of the US consulates or US embassies must be paid by all applicants and is neither refundable nor transferable to other persons.
The payment of the processing fee can be made by online bank transfer, online payment by debit card or cash payment at a bank.
As a rule, this fee can be used to make an appointment within one year of the payment date.
Furthermore, additional costs may be incurred for certain applicants, such as
You can find more information about the different visa fees, other possible costs and the current payment methods on our fees page.
Please note that applying for an I-1 visa requires a thorough understanding of the process and careful planning of the necessary steps. From choosing the right type of visa according to the purpose of the trip to filling out the application forms correctly and preparing for the visa interview, there are many important aspects to consider.
The following section explains the individual steps for applying online for an I-1 visa for the USA and provides guidelines for a successful visa application.
Applicants for an I-1 visa between the ages of 14 and 79 must generally go through the consular procedure andshould attend an interview in person at one of the relevant US consulates. In addition to the general application documents, documents relating to the employment relationship, purpose of entry and other evidence of the intention to return should be submitted. The application is usually made at the US consulate of the country in which the applicant has their center of life.
All requirements for the applicant and all necessary documents must be fulfilled or available in advance of the visa application.
To apply for an I-1 visa for the USA, applicants must follow the steps below:
The first step in applying for an I-1 visa for the USA is to fill out the electronic visa application form DS-160 on the website of the U.S. Department of State.
The online application form must contain detailed information about the applicant and the planned stay in the USA. You should have the following documents ready when completing the DS-160 form:
A few days after submitting your DS-160 form, you can check the status of your visa application online.
Did you know that the professional processing and return of your DS-160 is part of our service?
Create a visa profile on the website of the visa information service through which I-1 visa applications are processed.
Here you can also pay the visa processing fee and make an appointment for the visa interview.
Pay the application fee: Pay the I-1 Visa fee in the amount of 175.75 € (185 $). Payment can be made online or in cash.
Make an appointment for the visa interview: Make an appointment now for the visa interview. This can be done online via the visa profile or by telephone.
If you commission our US Visa Service, we will create the required online profile, pay the consular visa application fee and arrange the appointment for the personal interview with the US consular officials
Show up personally on the day of the interview in the US consulate or at the US embassy. Your documents will be checked there and you will be interviewed by the consular officers.
The following documents must be prepared and brought along for the appointment:
Be prepared to answer questions about your visa application, your planned stay in the U.S. and other relevant topics.
As a rule, I-1 visa applicants are informed at the end of their visit to the US consulate or embassy whether or not their visa application will be approved.
Our visa consultants will prepare you perfectly for this important appointment and provide you with the necessary documents to ensure that your visa interview runs as smoothly as possible.
If your I-1 visa application is approved, you will receive your passport with the I-1 visa returned by post or can arrange a pick-up appointment.
Under certain conditions, applicants can apply for the so-called Interview Waiver Program apply for the I-1 visa by post without having to attend an interview at the US consulate or embassy.
Depending on the category and subject to strict requirements, both first-time applicants and applicants reapplying for the same visa category that was previously approved during an interview at the US consulate may qualify.
Decisive requirements for submitting the visa application by post include the specific visa category, the place of application and any history of visa refusals or criminal convictions. However, the program does not automatically grant an I-1 visa. Applicants may be summoned for an interview despite applying by post. The decision will be made by the respective US officials who process your visa application.
Further information on the postal visa applicationThe I-1 visa contains numerous pieces of information that serve to identify the holder and define the rights and restrictions during the stay in the United States.
It is important to check this information carefully and ensure that it meets the requirements of your planned stay in the USA.
The following data and information can be found on a US visa:
The foreign missions of the United States of America, i.e. the US consulates or US embassies, are responsible for issuing visas.
The decision on whether or not to issue a visa for the USA is usually made by the US consular officers on the day of the visa interview. I-1 visa applicants will therefore normally find out at the interview appointment whether the visa will be issued.
The retrieve your status can be done online at any time via your profile.
Your I-1 visa was granted verbally by the US officials and is now being finalized.
After the I-1 visa has been printed or issued in the passport, the passport with the corresponding US visa will be sent by post.
In some cases, U.S. consular officers determine not to approve the I-1 visa immediately and issue a visa denial under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The consequence of this is the so-called Administrative Processing. The US visa application therefore requires a further security check and is subject to additional processing steps. Further documents or information may be required from you.
If the US officials conclude that you do not qualify for the I-1 visa category, your visa application for the US will be denied. The denial does not have to be justified, but applicants who are denied a visa are usually given further instructions on the day of the interview appointment or sent a denial letter after a certain processing time.
The reasons vary greatly depending on the visa category and applicant (e.g. assumption of an intention to immigrate, suspicion of illegal employment, incorrect application documentation).
After the refusal of an I-1 visa applicants can submit a new application at any time. There is theoretically no waiting period until the next submission.
In our experience, however, it is only advisable to reapply for the same category if the conditions or circumstances have changed since the first visa application and you are able to provide evidence of these changes or new circumstances.
It makes little sense to apply for a new visa if you are still unable to meet the requirements of the respective visa category (e.g. proof of intention to return to your home country, financial means, proof of specialized professional knowledge). In practice, a new I-1 visa application can therefore only be successful after several months or even years.
After a visa refusal, applicants must resubmit the entire visa application. Under certain circumstances, an alternative visa category may also be considered for a work visa, which should be carefully examined on a case-by-case basis. However, it is not possible to lodge an appeal against a visa refusal.
Visa requirements are not met
Applicants often do not meet the required conditions for the visa category applied for. Among other things, this may be due to the fact that no sufficient ties to the home country can be proven, financial resources are insufficient or the US company cannot prove that it exists properly as a US company and hires and pays its employees accordingly. Insufficient professional experience or qualifications can also be reasons for rejection.
Discrepancies during the visa interview
Discrepancies may also occur during the visa interview, especially if the visa category applied for does not match the intended purpose of entry. This can lead to the assumption of an intention to immigrate or the presumption of illegal employment.
Errors in the visa application
It is not uncommon for application documents to be incomplete, information in the DS-160 visa application form to be incorrect or for the visa application not to have been prepared thoroughly enough.
Other reasons
Personal circumstances of the applicant can also lead to rejections, including previous convictions, terrorist backgrounds, infectious diseases or past immigration offenses such as illegal residence or illegal work in the USA. Conspicuous behavior during previous entries can also play a role.
The consequences of a rejected I-1 visa application depend on the reason for rejection.
The US authorities are not obliged to give reasons for the refusal, but you can politely ask for the reason for the refusal at the interview appointment at the US consulate or embassy. This information will be helpful if you wish to reapply for the I-1 visa.
You should make careful preparations for your second attempt I-1 visa application. This includes selecting the correct visa category, filling out the DS-160 online form completely and correctly, and collecting relevant supporting documents.
We advise you on the choice of the appropriate visa category and take over the complete processing for you or your company.
Many applicants wrongly assume that an approved US visa automatically guarantees entry to the United States. In fact, an I-1 visa in your passport is not legally a residence permit and therefore does not automatically grant you permission to enter the USA. With a valid US visa, you can only apply for entry into the United States at the border crossing (e.g. airport).
The final decision on entry lies with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection border officials, who check the visa for the USA on entry. They will decide whether you are allowed to enter the country and, if so, for how long you will be granted residence status. This means that you may be refused entry under certain circumstances.
After receiving an entry permit, it is advisable to check online in the I-94 or on the entry stamp in your passport to see how long you are legally allowed to stay in the USA.
By the way: With Global Entry, certain biometrically registered and security-checked travelers can complete entry formalities independently and automatically at almost all major US airports. This allows foreign nationals to avoid long waiting times and enter the USA more quickly.
A US work visa is always tied to a specific US company. In turn this means that you must have a specific employer in the United States before you can apply for a work visa.
The application process begins with the US company that wants to hire you. The US employer submits the petition either to the USCIS or to the responsible U.S. consulate. Since the application for a temporary work permit is made by the company for a future foreign employee, the U.S. employer is therefore the so-called petitioner, which means the official applicant. The future employee is the entitled person and thus the so-called beneficiary.
Many companies wonder what happens to the company-bound work visa when the visa holder no longer works for the US employer.
In the event that the employment contract is terminated, the US work visa automatically loses its validity. The derived visas of any family members who may have travelled with the employee also lose their validity upon termination of the work relations, as these are linked to the visa of the main visa applicant.
This means that the former visa holder is no longer allowed to enter the country with the work visa after termination of the employment relationship. Even if the work visa is theoretically still valid for a certain period of time, the visa may no longer be used to enter the United States. If the visa holder concerned wishes to travel to the US for tourism or business purposes in the future, he / she must reapply for an ESTA or a corresponding visa, depending on the type of activities carried out on site and the duration of such activities.
Tip: In order to avoid discrepancies or problems with later entries, it is advisable to inform the U.S. consulate about the new work situation. For this purpose, it is sufficient if the responsible company representative (e.g. HR manager, supervisor, board of directors) sends an e-mail to the responsible consulate with the request to invalidate the visa of the former employee. If possible, a copy of the visa should also be attached. The consulate will then put a note in the system so that the CBP officers at the US border are also informed.
In some cases, the visa holder will even be contacted directly by the U.S. consulate in order to send its passport with the work visa for the purpose of invalidation. In other cases, the visa will simply be invalidated by the CBP officer at the boder the next time he or she enters the United States.
Our recommendation: By sending a short message to the responsible U.S. consulate, companies can protect themselves and above all be sure that entry with the previously valid work visa is no longer possible. Do not take any risks and prevent possible abuse with company-bound visas.
Global Entry is usable with most US visas, even with ESTA. Except if you are a holder of one of the following visas, then you are excluded from Global Entry:
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Individuals working on the production and dissemination of films/reports/articles, etc., only meet the entry requirements for an I visa if the activity serves to disseminate information or news and the main source of funding and the main subsequent "place of dissemination" are outside the U.S.. The published material must therefore be of a documentary nature!
Exclusively commercial projects or, for example, advertising photos do not qualify for an I visa. In these cases, a work visa (e.g.OorH visa) needed.
IMPORTANT: Journalists or media representatives do not need an I visa for every U.S. trip just because of their status as journalists. For example, if an editor is traveling to the U.S. solely for a brief meeting, an I visa does not automatically need to be applied for (depending on citizenship). This only becomes necessary if the journalistic activity in the U.S. takes place, for example, in the context of specific reporting on behalf of a foreign media company. It is not the mere job title as a journalist, but the specific purpose of stay that determines whether media representatives require a visa and, if so, which one.
As a rule, work visas for the United States cannot be applied for without a concrete US job offer. The official petitioner ("Petitioner") is the US company of the group of companies for the future employee ("Beneficiary"). An independent petition by the foreign employee is not possible. The L-1 visa application process involves at least two entities of the corporate group - the foreign employer, as well as the US location.
The I visa does not authorize employment with a U.S. media company. It only permits professional activities in the context of a work assignment for an employer localized outside the United States.
Journalists who are assigned to work on commercial film projects for the U.S. entertainment industry or a foreign production company must have the appropriate work visa (O-, orH visa).
Please note that in contrast to the I visa, the preparation and implementation for an O or H category can take several weeks or months. So the procedure should be started as early as possible. An entry - as a temporal alternative - on the visa-free entry and a later change of status to a work visa is just as inadmissible as the use of a B visa, which can usually be obtained more quickly.
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