Category: Visas

Effective January 1, 2025, the following visa-related fee changes will apply:

• Visa request fees for J-1s, H-1Bs, TNs, and E-3s will increase to $580 (from $562).
• Amendment fees for J-1 documents (DS-2019s) will increase to $107 (from $105).
• O-1 and EB-1B hourly visa case management fees will decrease to $117 (from $140).

Visa requests that are conditionally approved on or after January 1, 2025, will be charged the new rate. These increases will appear on invoices issued on or after January 2.

Please note that all fees associated with H-1B, E-3, TN, and O-1/EB-1B petitions, including the $580 visa request fee, are paid by the host department and cannot be passed on to the international scholar.

For J-1 scholars who are not members of the UAW Postdoctoral Scholars Local 4121, as well as all J-2 dependents, reimbursement may be requested by the department from scholars for the $580 visa request fee and the $107 J-1 amendment fee. The new UAW 4121 2023-25 contract prevents units from requesting reimbursement for J-1 visa fees from postdoctoral scholars.

These fees will apply through June 30, 2025. Units should expect that fees will change again effective July 1, 2025.

For more information on visa processing fees and U.S. government visa fees, see the Visa Fees page. Contact ISO with any questions regarding this announcement.

In April of 2023, for the first time ever, the U.S. Department of State issued regulations allowing distribution of scanned DS-2019s by program sponsors. Hard-copy printouts of these scanned DS-2019s have the same authority as their paper originals. Since that change, ISO has issued both scanned DS-2019s to increase speed and efficiency as well as provided the original paper DS-2019s to support units and scholars during this regulatory transition.

Effective January 1, 2025, in response to unit feedback, ISO will no longer issue paper DS-2019s. The scanned DS-2019 uploaded to the visa request Manage Files tool will be the only DS-2019 provided and should be printed (2-sided) and used by the scholar as their authentic visa document. Units will be responsible for providing these scanned DS-2019s to scholars who have not yet arrived in the U.S. or had an EID associated with their submitted visa request(s). We encourage units to include EIDs on any J visa requests where the exchange visitor is already at the UW and has an active EID. When the EID is included on the visa request, the visa request system automatically shares the DS-2019 with the scholar.

Scholars should print the DS-2019 (2-sided) for their records and carry it with them during any international travel. They will also need to provide a printed, double-sided hardcopy of the DS-2019 in order to obtain a J visa stamp at a consulate prior to entering the U.S.

We hope that this change will reduce unnecessary administrative burden and mailing costs for both ISO and units.

We are pleased to provide an update on the pilot program developed by the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty (APF) and UW Human Resources (UWHR) to allow units to sponsor staff for H-1B, E-3 and TN visas. OAP and UWHR have worked closely over the last 12 months to make this program a success and we are pleased to inform you that sponsorship of these visa types will now become part of regular operations to support the ongoing recruitment and retention of talented staff.

Effective immediately International Scholars Operations (ISO) and UWHR websites have been updated to reflect the end of the pilot program. Our goal in providing ongoing staff visa support is to better allow the University to compete for the global talent necessary to drive our teaching, research and patient care missions. Units interested in visa sponsorship for staff should continue to reach out to their recruitment partner for consultation on new or open recruitments.