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Bringing Dependents to the United States

For spouses or children who are newly arrived in the United States, please consult the International Family Resource Guide for information about getting connected with the Atlanta community, with the local school system, and other services.

For students or scholars who wish to bring their spouses or children to the United States, there are two different ways for family members to enter, depending on the nature of the familial relationship:

• If the family member is a spouse or a dependent child (unmarried children under the age of 21 years) the family member is eligible for derivative status; for example, F-2, J-2, H-4, and O-3 classifications can be obtained by dependents of F-1, J-1, H1B, and O-1 visa/status holders, respectively (note that Canadian citizens will not require visa stamps in their passports, but they must still be admitted to the United States with the proper non-immigrant classification at the port of entry). The status of the dependent will last for the duration of the primary visa holder’s non-immigrant status.
• If the family member is not a spouse or dependent child, then the family member can apply for a B-2 tourist status (for example, a parent, sibling, child over the age of 21, or fiancée). The duration for which family members can be admitted in B-2 status will be a maximum of six months. In all cases adequate funding to support the invited family members must be documented. International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) requires evidence of funding in the amount of $5000 per year for a spouse or adult family member, and $2500 per year per child in order to issue new DS-2019 or I-20 forms (for J-2 or F-2 dependents).

Spouse/Dependent Child

If you or a family member are applying for a dependent visa and plan to travel to the United States with the principal visa holder, you should visit the consulate with the principal visa holder and apply for visa stamps.  You must provide the necessary legal documents establishing your relationship to the principal visa holder.  The principal visa holder should also have the necessary documents establishing his or her eligibility for the F-1 visa. Contact the embassy/consulate ahead of time to find out which documents are required to establish relationship to the principal visa holder. Consulate officials will also expect to see proof of adequate financial support for family members.

If you or a family member are applying for a visa and traveling to the United States separately from the principal visa holder, family members will need legal documents establishing your/their relationship to the principal visa holder and documents showing proof of financial support during their stay in the United States. In addition, they will need a Form I-20 issued to the dependent. To have ISSS issue a new I-20 form, please read and fill out the I-20 Request Form. Bring it along with a copy of the spouse/child's passport to the ISSS office when you speak with an advisor.