This is going to be a quick post about the visa appointment. I did make a vlog about this a long long time ago (found here) that might be a little more accurate. It's going to be super dooper quick because other than waiting there was not much at all that happened.
So you're asked to arrive at the US Consulate around 15 minutes before your appointment. My appointment was at 8am and the building itself didn't open until 8am so I had to wait outside for a good while before they let us in. When the doors to the building opened we were allowed to come in and line up outside the security office. For some unknown reason they were having troubles with communication so we were not allowed in until around 8.15am. By this time the line to enter security was out the doors of the building.
When they finally let us in to the security office they let four people in at a time and I was in the first group of four. They tell you to sign in on the computers, which involves entering your name, date of birth and passport number, and you are printed a sticker (which you stick to yourself once you've been through the metal detector). Then they gave us two plastic trays. One for our purse/wallet and supporting documents, and another for everything else. They take both trays and run them through a scanner to make sure there's nothing dangerous hiding in your personal items. At the same time you go through a metal detector to make sure there's nothing dangerous hiding in you.
Once you're all clear they give back your documents and your purse. The tray with all of your other items goes under the security desk and they give you a ticket with a number on it for you to claim your things when you return. When all four of you have made it through the metal detector you are taken upstairs to the waiting room. When you're placed in the waiting room you'll be given another ticket with a number on it. This number is the number they will call throughout the appointment when there is a booth ready for you.
After a little while of sitting around staring at the walls (because there's no phones inside) your number will be called. They'll bring you up and ask for your passport, DS-2019, DS-160 confirmation and your SEVIS payment confirmation. They also take a scan of your fingerprints and you are sent back to the waiting area. Here you wait a little bit longer.
Your number will be called again and you will approach the appointment window. At the appointment window the person behind the glass will ask you a few questions. Some people may be asked to provide supporting documents like the offer letter, proof of student status form or a bank statement. If they are satisfied with the answers and/or documents you provided then your visa will be approved. Good news is you now have a visa. Bad news is there's more waiting.
For those of you from Australia you have to pay a reciprocity or issuance fee. You'll be asked to sit back down again until your number is called again and you'll be brought up to the cashier window. Here you will pay the fee either in cash or by credit card. Once you've paid and you've got a receipt you are free to go.
In around 5-7 business days your passport will be sent back to your with your visa inside. It will arrive in the mail and you'll have to sign for it much like your DS-2019. When it does finally arrive you'll need to upload a scan of it to DOC. You'll also be asked to enter some of the details on the visa page to the DOC including the appointment date or issuance date, the visa number (the red number stamped on the bottom) and etc. Once you have added all these details you are finished with the visa process!
Now that this entry is out of the way I can finally start blogging about my adventures in the United States!
- Lily
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Where Are They Now?
Hi all!
I know it's been forever and a day since the last time I posted. I've been in the US for over a month and I'm finally starting to feel like I'm in the swing of things. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be posting about all the things I've done since I've been here. I'm not dead, I promise.
- Lily
Sunday, November 30, 2014
The Important Stuff: Visa Application (Part 3)
Hi all!
My last blog post on the subject of visa applications was just getting a tad too long so instead of tacking this on at the end I decided to give it its own space to breathe. This post will cover how to book your visa appointment/interview and pay the associated fee. This information is included at the end of my vlog on the DS-160 application that can be found here (I've made sure it plays from where I start talking about booking the appointment).
So you've completed your DS-160 and you're wondering what to do next? Book an appointment, of course! But first what you have to do is create yourself an account on the ustraveldocs site. Up the top left hand corner of the page there should be a button that says 'Log In'. Even if you don't have an account yet just go ahead and click on it. Underneath where you would normally chuck in your log in details if you were a returning user there should be a link that says 'New user?'. If you click on this it will take you to a page where you can create yourself an account. Just the general username, password type stuff.
When you've finally got your account you should be taken to your account interface. Here there are a whole bunch of blue buttons and a list of links over to the left. Click on the button in the list that says 'New Application/Schedule Appointment'. It should then ask you what kind of visa you are applying for and you again select 'Non-immigrant visa'. You will then be asked what post (consulate) you want to book an appointment at. The form then asks for your visa category (Student) and visa class (J-1).
The next few pages ask for the following information:
- Passport data (E.g. passport number, date of issue, date of expiry, etc.)
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Name
- Country of birth
- Gender
- DS-160 number (Found on the center bottom of the DS-160 confirmation page)
- Phone number
- Email address
- Address
- SEVIS number (Found in the top right hand corner of the DS-2019 form)
- Exchange/Program number (Found just above the center of the DS-2019 form)
- If you have any dependents
- Are you applying for this visa within 12 months of a previous visa expiring?
After you input all of this information you are then asked to confirm your postal address. Next up it's time to pay.
So you're taken to a page that lists how much the fee is. You have to click 'See Payment Options' to be able to select an option. Chuck in your payment information and make sure it's all correct. You're then given a receipt number. It wouldn't hurt to write this down but once you click the 'Continue scheduling appointment' button it takes you back to the original cost page but the receipt number is already plugged in for you. It might be advisable to write the receipt number down anyway but if the site is working how it should then you won't actually need it.
Once you're back at the cost page and it's recognized your payment you can click continue. You'll be taken to a page where you can select the date and time of your desired appointment. Pick whichever one tickles your fancy and select it. When you've chosen and booked an appointment you'll be taken to a confirmation page for your booking. I strongly advise you to print this out. If for some unknown reason your appointment doesn't show up in their database you'll need that confirmation to prove you're supposed to be there.
If you're now standing there with a SEVIS confirmation page, a DS-160 confirmation page and a consulate appointment confirmation page you are done with the process. There's only one thing left for you to do and that's attend your appointment! My next post will cover the visa appointment so stay tuned for that.
- Lily
My last blog post on the subject of visa applications was just getting a tad too long so instead of tacking this on at the end I decided to give it its own space to breathe. This post will cover how to book your visa appointment/interview and pay the associated fee. This information is included at the end of my vlog on the DS-160 application that can be found here (I've made sure it plays from where I start talking about booking the appointment).
So you've completed your DS-160 and you're wondering what to do next? Book an appointment, of course! But first what you have to do is create yourself an account on the ustraveldocs site. Up the top left hand corner of the page there should be a button that says 'Log In'. Even if you don't have an account yet just go ahead and click on it. Underneath where you would normally chuck in your log in details if you were a returning user there should be a link that says 'New user?'. If you click on this it will take you to a page where you can create yourself an account. Just the general username, password type stuff.
When you've finally got your account you should be taken to your account interface. Here there are a whole bunch of blue buttons and a list of links over to the left. Click on the button in the list that says 'New Application/Schedule Appointment'. It should then ask you what kind of visa you are applying for and you again select 'Non-immigrant visa'. You will then be asked what post (consulate) you want to book an appointment at. The form then asks for your visa category (Student) and visa class (J-1).
The next few pages ask for the following information:
- Passport data (E.g. passport number, date of issue, date of expiry, etc.)
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Name
- Country of birth
- Gender
- DS-160 number (Found on the center bottom of the DS-160 confirmation page)
- Phone number
- Email address
- Address
- SEVIS number (Found in the top right hand corner of the DS-2019 form)
- Exchange/Program number (Found just above the center of the DS-2019 form)
- If you have any dependents
- Are you applying for this visa within 12 months of a previous visa expiring?
After you input all of this information you are then asked to confirm your postal address. Next up it's time to pay.
So you're taken to a page that lists how much the fee is. You have to click 'See Payment Options' to be able to select an option. Chuck in your payment information and make sure it's all correct. You're then given a receipt number. It wouldn't hurt to write this down but once you click the 'Continue scheduling appointment' button it takes you back to the original cost page but the receipt number is already plugged in for you. It might be advisable to write the receipt number down anyway but if the site is working how it should then you won't actually need it.
Once you're back at the cost page and it's recognized your payment you can click continue. You'll be taken to a page where you can select the date and time of your desired appointment. Pick whichever one tickles your fancy and select it. When you've chosen and booked an appointment you'll be taken to a confirmation page for your booking. I strongly advise you to print this out. If for some unknown reason your appointment doesn't show up in their database you'll need that confirmation to prove you're supposed to be there.
If you're now standing there with a SEVIS confirmation page, a DS-160 confirmation page and a consulate appointment confirmation page you are done with the process. There's only one thing left for you to do and that's attend your appointment! My next post will cover the visa appointment so stay tuned for that.
- Lily
The Important Stuff: Visa Application (Part 2)
Hi all!
This is going to be my second post on the subject of visa applications. This entry is about the second stage of the process, the DS-160 application. If you haven't read my first post and/or you haven't completed the SEVIS (I-901) form yet then go ahead and read that post first. My vlog on this subject is divided slightly differently to how they appear on this blog. The information on how to book an appointment and pay the fee will be in my next post as this one has become too long. To watch my vlog on the SEVIS application the link is here and to watch my vlog on the DS-160 application, which includes how to book an appointment and pay the fee, the link is here.
Before we begin I need to briefly mention a few things about how this is going to work. When applying for the visa there are a few different ways to go about it. You can create a profile on ustraveldocs first and follow the steps from there. You can start an application and then create an account afterward. Apparently you can pay the fee first or you can pay it after. It all depends on what you decide to do. In this post I will describe to you the order in which I completed the steps as my personal experience is my only point of reference. The questions on the form will all be the same and the process itself will be very similar. The only difference between methods will be order and how you navigate the pages.
Secondly, any words/sentences/sections that are in bold are answers to questions that were asked repeatedly on the facebook group when we were all applying. If you're looking for a quick answer to your question check the bold sections first.
Lastly, in your offer letter from Disney there is a link to a 12 page 'Important Immigration Information' document. This document has multiple pieces of information in it that you NEED to fill in your DS-160 application. Repeatedly throughout this post I will refer to sections of that document so it is wise to access that through your offer letter or through this link.
With all the disclaimers out of the way, let's begin!
This is going to be my second post on the subject of visa applications. This entry is about the second stage of the process, the DS-160 application. If you haven't read my first post and/or you haven't completed the SEVIS (I-901) form yet then go ahead and read that post first. My vlog on this subject is divided slightly differently to how they appear on this blog. The information on how to book an appointment and pay the fee will be in my next post as this one has become too long. To watch my vlog on the SEVIS application the link is here and to watch my vlog on the DS-160 application, which includes how to book an appointment and pay the fee, the link is here.
Important Information:
Before we begin I need to briefly mention a few things about how this is going to work. When applying for the visa there are a few different ways to go about it. You can create a profile on ustraveldocs first and follow the steps from there. You can start an application and then create an account afterward. Apparently you can pay the fee first or you can pay it after. It all depends on what you decide to do. In this post I will describe to you the order in which I completed the steps as my personal experience is my only point of reference. The questions on the form will all be the same and the process itself will be very similar. The only difference between methods will be order and how you navigate the pages.
Secondly, any words/sentences/sections that are in bold are answers to questions that were asked repeatedly on the facebook group when we were all applying. If you're looking for a quick answer to your question check the bold sections first.
Lastly, in your offer letter from Disney there is a link to a 12 page 'Important Immigration Information' document. This document has multiple pieces of information in it that you NEED to fill in your DS-160 application. Repeatedly throughout this post I will refer to sections of that document so it is wise to access that through your offer letter or through this link.
With all the disclaimers out of the way, let's begin!
Visa Application (DS-160):
Now that you've got your SEVIS all done it's time to move to the next step, the DS-160. Head on over to www.ustraveldocs.com/au/index.html. Once you get there a little window will pop up asking you if you've ever visited the site or applied for a US visa before. I indicated it was my first time and it took me to a page that asked whether I was applying for an immigrant or non-immigrant visa. The J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa so click non-immigrant.
The next page shows a list of steps you need to complete to apply for the visa with an 'Apply' button at the bottom. For some reason the 'Apply' button wouldn't work when I clicked on it. To get around this just click on the link in step two that says 'Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form'. You'll then be taken to a page that has information about the application on it including how long you have before the session times out and other information. Give this a quick read. Down the very bottom of the page there is a link to the online application form. Click on this to proceed.
Here you'll be taken to a separate site that hosts the form. To the right hand side of the page there is a drop down list containing the locations of all the US consulates around the world. In the list you need to choose the consulate you will book and attend an interview at. Once you've selected a location the page will change slightly. Underneath the drop down list there will now be a little box that relates to your visa photo.
The visa photo has different requirements to a passport photo which can be found here. With a little tweaking in the website's provided photo wizard you can turn a passport photo or even an iphone selfie into a visa photo but these guidelines must be followed. In the box there is a link that says 'test your photo' if you click on this link it will take you to the photo wizard. Here you can upload the photo you intend to use and mess around with it by zooming and moving it around to make it fit. You basically just have to make sure that your head fits between the lines and the white background fills the entire space. Once you've got it just right you can click 'continue using this photo' and it will attach this adjusted and saved version of the photo to your application.
When you're done it'll take you back to the original page, kind of like it did when you made a selection in the drop down list. This time the box surrounding the photo information box will be green. As we all know, green means go so you can go ahead and click on the 'start application' button. On the next page you will be given an application ID. Print or take note of this. If your application times out due to inactivity you can use this to get back in. If you do not have this ID you will have to start all over again. To accompany your application ID you also have to choose a security question and answer. These will also be used to get back into your application if you happen to time out.
Now we get to the actual application questions. Instead of doing them in big long paragraphs like I normally do I've just listed them all here:
Personal Details:
- Name
- Other names (maiden name if married, aliases, etc.)
- Telecode (Australia does not have this, if it doesn't apply to you just click 'does not apply')- Sex
- Marital status
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Country of origin
- National Identification Number, Social Security Number or Tax ID Number (Again, if this does not apply click 'does not apply')- Home address (This is your address. When they want Disney's address they will ask for your employer's address)
The next page shows a list of steps you need to complete to apply for the visa with an 'Apply' button at the bottom. For some reason the 'Apply' button wouldn't work when I clicked on it. To get around this just click on the link in step two that says 'Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form'. You'll then be taken to a page that has information about the application on it including how long you have before the session times out and other information. Give this a quick read. Down the very bottom of the page there is a link to the online application form. Click on this to proceed.
Here you'll be taken to a separate site that hosts the form. To the right hand side of the page there is a drop down list containing the locations of all the US consulates around the world. In the list you need to choose the consulate you will book and attend an interview at. Once you've selected a location the page will change slightly. Underneath the drop down list there will now be a little box that relates to your visa photo.
The visa photo has different requirements to a passport photo which can be found here. With a little tweaking in the website's provided photo wizard you can turn a passport photo or even an iphone selfie into a visa photo but these guidelines must be followed. In the box there is a link that says 'test your photo' if you click on this link it will take you to the photo wizard. Here you can upload the photo you intend to use and mess around with it by zooming and moving it around to make it fit. You basically just have to make sure that your head fits between the lines and the white background fills the entire space. Once you've got it just right you can click 'continue using this photo' and it will attach this adjusted and saved version of the photo to your application.
When you're done it'll take you back to the original page, kind of like it did when you made a selection in the drop down list. This time the box surrounding the photo information box will be green. As we all know, green means go so you can go ahead and click on the 'start application' button. On the next page you will be given an application ID. Print or take note of this. If your application times out due to inactivity you can use this to get back in. If you do not have this ID you will have to start all over again. To accompany your application ID you also have to choose a security question and answer. These will also be used to get back into your application if you happen to time out.
Now we get to the actual application questions. Instead of doing them in big long paragraphs like I normally do I've just listed them all here:
Personal Details:
- Name
- Other names (maiden name if married, aliases, etc.)
- Telecode (Australia does not have this, if it doesn't apply to you just click 'does not apply')- Sex
- Marital status
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Country of origin
- National Identification Number, Social Security Number or Tax ID Number (Again, if this does not apply click 'does not apply')- Home address (This is your address. When they want Disney's address they will ask for your employer's address)
- Mailing address
- Phone number
- Email address
Passport Details:
- Passport type (Regular, the other types are for diplomats and important people)
- Passport book number (Australian passports do not have these so click 'does not apply')
- Phone number
- Email address
Passport Details:
- Passport type (Regular, the other types are for diplomats and important people)
- Passport book number (Australian passports do not have these so click 'does not apply')
- Passport number
- Passport country of issue
- Passport city of issue (Not listed on the passport, the major city where your passport was processed)- Passport issue date
- Passport expiry date
- Passport country of issue
- Passport city of issue (Not listed on the passport, the major city where your passport was processed)- Passport issue date
- Passport expiry date
- Previous lost or stolen passports?
Visa Details:
- Purpose of your visa
- Date of arrival (It doesn't seem to matter what you put down for this, just explain at the consulate that your check-in date may be different to your date of arrival in the US)- Estimated length of stay (For this most people put 6 months and then explained in their interview that there were opportunities to extend to a full 12 months)- Address you will stay while completing your program (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Person or entity funding your trip (NOT Disney, this is whoever is paying for your flights, visa fees, etc.)
- Are you traveling alone or with travel companions? (Does not include people travelling with you who are doing the same program)
- Have you traveled in the US before?
- Have you had any previous US visas?
- Have you ever been refused a visa?
Visa Details:
- Purpose of your visa
- Date of arrival (It doesn't seem to matter what you put down for this, just explain at the consulate that your check-in date may be different to your date of arrival in the US)- Estimated length of stay (For this most people put 6 months and then explained in their interview that there were opportunities to extend to a full 12 months)- Address you will stay while completing your program (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Person or entity funding your trip (NOT Disney, this is whoever is paying for your flights, visa fees, etc.)
- Are you traveling alone or with travel companions? (Does not include people travelling with you who are doing the same program)
- Have you traveled in the US before?
- Have you had any previous US visas?
- Have you ever been refused a visa?
- Have you ever been denied travel to the US?
- Have you ever petitioned to immigrate to the US?
Point of Contact Details:
- US contact person (There is no one person listed as a contact so tick 'do not know')
- Contact organisation (Walt Disney World Co., found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Relationship (Employer)- Employer/Point of contact address (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Employer/Point of contact phone number (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)- Employer/Point of contact email address (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
Family Details:
- Father's personal details (E.g. Full name, country of birth, etc.)
- Mother's personal details (E.g. Full name, country of birth, etc.)
- Do you have any relatives in the US?
Occupation Details:
- Primary occupation (If you are still studying put student, if you have graduated put your employment)- School/Employer details (E.g. address, phone, weekly income, etc.)
- Description of duties (If you put student list duties such as 'attending class', 'handing in coursework' or leave it as N/A. If you put your employment list duties relevant to your employment)- Previous employment (If you put student as your primary occupation but you also have a part time job you can list that employment here and indicate the end date as being the day before you are completing the visa application)
Security Questions:
These are all yes/no questions relating to your history whether it be medical, criminal or immigration history. The questions below may not be the exact phrasing used on the form but the content of the question should be the same.
- Do you have any diseases, mental/physical disorders or drug addictions that would hinder you from working?
- Have you ever been arrested or convicted of a crime?
- Have you ever violated a law relating to controlled substances?
- Have you ever been involved in prostitution?
- Have you ever been involved in money laundering?
- Have you ever been involved in human trafficking?
- Have you ever assisted in human trafficking?
- Have any of your relations ever assisted or been involved in human trafficking?
- Have you ever been involved in any other illegal activity?
- Have you ever been involve in terrorist activity?
- Have you ever financed a terrorist activity?
- Have you ever been a member of a terrorist organisation?
- Have you ever been involved in genocide?
- Have you ever been involved in torture?
- Have you ever committed and other acts of violence?
- Have you ever been involved in the recruitment of child soldiers?
- Have you ever, while employed as a government official, committed any severe violations of religious freedom?
- Have you ever been involved in the enforcement of population control?
- Have you ever been involved in the coercive transplantation of human organs?
- Have you ever attended a deportation hearing?
- Have you ever entered the US unlawfully OR assisted someone else to enter unlawfully?
- Have you ever failed to show up for deportation?
- Have you ever overstayed a visa or violated the terms of a visa?
- Have you ever withheld the custody of a child?
- Have you ever voted in the US unlawfully?
- Have you ever renounced US citizenship as a tax dodge?
- Have you ever attended a school without reimbursing them? (Certain dates and conditions applied to this question)
Once you've finally made it through the mine field of security questions you can move to the next section. Here you have to provide two additional points of contact from your home country who can vouch for you. These people can not be part of your family but they can be friends, work colleagues, etc. You need their full name, address, phone number and email. Please note that the top of this section mentions something about these contacts confirming your intent to study. IGNORE THIS. Later on in the form you will be asked to indicate whether or not you intend to study. Intent to study is not a requirement of the program or the visa. However, you do still have to provide the points of contact.
On the next page you need to enter your SEVIS ID again (Found in the upper right hand corner of the DS-2019) and the 'Program Number' (The Exchange Visitor Program Number, found just above the middle of the DS-2019). The form also asks if you intend to study in the US. You must click 'No' for this question. Even if you intend to take classes at Disney the Disney University is not a recognized educational institution so your 'study' there will not be in any official capacity.
After that page is complete you move to a page that asks you to confirm your address information. The next page requires you to perform an electronic signature to verify that all of the details entered in this form are correct to the best of your knowledge and you have not lied on the form. The next page is your DS-160 confirmation page. You MUST print the DS-160 confirmation page. If you don't have a copy of this at the appointment you will not be allowed inside.
For information on how to pay your fee and book your visa appointment see my next post here.
- Lily
- Have you ever petitioned to immigrate to the US?
Point of Contact Details:
- US contact person (There is no one person listed as a contact so tick 'do not know')
- Contact organisation (Walt Disney World Co., found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Relationship (Employer)- Employer/Point of contact address (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Employer/Point of contact phone number (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)- Employer/Point of contact email address (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
Family Details:
- Father's personal details (E.g. Full name, country of birth, etc.)
- Mother's personal details (E.g. Full name, country of birth, etc.)
- Do you have any relatives in the US?
Occupation Details:
- Primary occupation (If you are still studying put student, if you have graduated put your employment)- School/Employer details (E.g. address, phone, weekly income, etc.)
- Description of duties (If you put student list duties such as 'attending class', 'handing in coursework' or leave it as N/A. If you put your employment list duties relevant to your employment)- Previous employment (If you put student as your primary occupation but you also have a part time job you can list that employment here and indicate the end date as being the day before you are completing the visa application)
Security Questions:
These are all yes/no questions relating to your history whether it be medical, criminal or immigration history. The questions below may not be the exact phrasing used on the form but the content of the question should be the same.
- Do you have any diseases, mental/physical disorders or drug addictions that would hinder you from working?
- Have you ever been arrested or convicted of a crime?
- Have you ever violated a law relating to controlled substances?
- Have you ever been involved in prostitution?
- Have you ever been involved in money laundering?
- Have you ever been involved in human trafficking?
- Have you ever assisted in human trafficking?
- Have any of your relations ever assisted or been involved in human trafficking?
- Have you ever been involved in any other illegal activity?
- Have you ever been involve in terrorist activity?
- Have you ever financed a terrorist activity?
- Have you ever been a member of a terrorist organisation?
- Have you ever been involved in genocide?
- Have you ever been involved in torture?
- Have you ever committed and other acts of violence?
- Have you ever been involved in the recruitment of child soldiers?
- Have you ever, while employed as a government official, committed any severe violations of religious freedom?
- Have you ever been involved in the enforcement of population control?
- Have you ever been involved in the coercive transplantation of human organs?
- Have you ever attended a deportation hearing?
- Have you ever entered the US unlawfully OR assisted someone else to enter unlawfully?
- Have you ever failed to show up for deportation?
- Have you ever overstayed a visa or violated the terms of a visa?
- Have you ever withheld the custody of a child?
- Have you ever voted in the US unlawfully?
- Have you ever renounced US citizenship as a tax dodge?
- Have you ever attended a school without reimbursing them? (Certain dates and conditions applied to this question)
Once you've finally made it through the mine field of security questions you can move to the next section. Here you have to provide two additional points of contact from your home country who can vouch for you. These people can not be part of your family but they can be friends, work colleagues, etc. You need their full name, address, phone number and email. Please note that the top of this section mentions something about these contacts confirming your intent to study. IGNORE THIS. Later on in the form you will be asked to indicate whether or not you intend to study. Intent to study is not a requirement of the program or the visa. However, you do still have to provide the points of contact.
On the next page you need to enter your SEVIS ID again (Found in the upper right hand corner of the DS-2019) and the 'Program Number' (The Exchange Visitor Program Number, found just above the middle of the DS-2019). The form also asks if you intend to study in the US. You must click 'No' for this question. Even if you intend to take classes at Disney the Disney University is not a recognized educational institution so your 'study' there will not be in any official capacity.
After that page is complete you move to a page that asks you to confirm your address information. The next page requires you to perform an electronic signature to verify that all of the details entered in this form are correct to the best of your knowledge and you have not lied on the form. The next page is your DS-160 confirmation page. You MUST print the DS-160 confirmation page. If you don't have a copy of this at the appointment you will not be allowed inside.
For information on how to pay your fee and book your visa appointment see my next post here.
- Lily
The Important Stuff: Visa Application (Part 1)
Hi all!
This will be the first of three posts about the actual visa application to be followed by a fourth post that will focus on the visa appointment. This particular post will cover the SEVIS application and payment. My vlogs on the visa process are sectioned off in a similar way (the content of the third visa application post has been added on the the end of the second vlog instead of standing alone) and my vlog on the SEVIS application can be found here.
Any bold words/sentences/sections are answers to questions that were asked quite a few times while participants were completing the form. If you're searching for a quick answer to a question check the bold parts first.
Before we get into this post there are a few things I need to make clear. You CAN NOT begin the visa process before you have received the DS-2019 from Disney. You will receive your DS-2019 around 2 to 1 1/2 months before your arrival date. If your intake has two arrival dates, those with the earlier arrival will receive their forms first. You will not receive your DS-2019 until you have completed your first year of post secondary education (as this is a requirement of the visa itself) and have provided Disney with a Proof of Student Status form, signed by your school, that states you fulfill this requirement.
When your DS-2019 is dispatched you will get an email from FedEx informing you that your package is on its way. The email provides you with an estimated arrival time and a tracking number. I encourage you to click the link that takes you to the FedEx tracking page because the estimated arrival time on the website is updated if any changes are made. The information on the FedEx website will be more accurate than the estimate in the email.
When your FedEx package arrives you will either have to sign for it or leave a note giving the courier your permission to leave the package without a signature. If for some reason you miss the delivery then the package will be taken back to the FedEx depot where you will have to go pick it up.
Once your DS-2019 arrives you can start the visa application process. Head on over to www.FMJFee.com. On the home page click on the nice blue button that says 'Submit Form I-901 and Fee Payment'.
The next page is a quick note about needing a DS-2019 (or I-20 but that doesn't apply to you) before you can proceed followed by a list of warnings. Make sure you give these a quick read because they are things you need to be aware of. Once you've taken note of the warnings you'll get to a question at the bottom of the page that asks which form you have out of the DS-2019 or the I-20. Click the DS-2019 check bubble and then click 'OK'.
The next page asks for your name, your SEVIS identification number (found in the top right hand corner of your DS-2019) and date of birth. After clicking enter on this page you will be taken to another page that wants more personal details. You must enter your personal address (not Disney's), gender, city of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, exchange visitor program number (found on the DS-2019, to the left of the barcode), passport number, exchange visitor category (Summer Work/Travel, listed as item number 4 on the form, just above the middle of the form). After entering all of these details proceed to the next page.
The next page of the form asks you to confirm the details you entered. It is incredibly important that you ensure your details are correct before proceeding.
You are taken to a page that asks you to pay. Select either credit card or check/money order (no eftpos). On the next page you are asked for your payment information and billing address which you must submit and then check over again on the next page. The next page, provided your payment was successful, is a payment confirmation. Print this page. You must take it with you to your appointment at the US Consulate.
After you've printed out the confirmation page you're done with the SEVIS application. This is probably the easiest part of the application so don't be lulled into a false sense of security. The next step (DS-160) will bite you in the ass.
- Lily
This will be the first of three posts about the actual visa application to be followed by a fourth post that will focus on the visa appointment. This particular post will cover the SEVIS application and payment. My vlogs on the visa process are sectioned off in a similar way (the content of the third visa application post has been added on the the end of the second vlog instead of standing alone) and my vlog on the SEVIS application can be found here.
Important Information:
Before we get into this post there are a few things I need to make clear. You CAN NOT begin the visa process before you have received the DS-2019 from Disney. You will receive your DS-2019 around 2 to 1 1/2 months before your arrival date. If your intake has two arrival dates, those with the earlier arrival will receive their forms first. You will not receive your DS-2019 until you have completed your first year of post secondary education (as this is a requirement of the visa itself) and have provided Disney with a Proof of Student Status form, signed by your school, that states you fulfill this requirement.
When your DS-2019 is dispatched you will get an email from FedEx informing you that your package is on its way. The email provides you with an estimated arrival time and a tracking number. I encourage you to click the link that takes you to the FedEx tracking page because the estimated arrival time on the website is updated if any changes are made. The information on the FedEx website will be more accurate than the estimate in the email.
When your FedEx package arrives you will either have to sign for it or leave a note giving the courier your permission to leave the package without a signature. If for some reason you miss the delivery then the package will be taken back to the FedEx depot where you will have to go pick it up.
SEVIS (I-901) Application & Fee Payment:
Once your DS-2019 arrives you can start the visa application process. Head on over to www.FMJFee.com. On the home page click on the nice blue button that says 'Submit Form I-901 and Fee Payment'.
The next page is a quick note about needing a DS-2019 (or I-20 but that doesn't apply to you) before you can proceed followed by a list of warnings. Make sure you give these a quick read because they are things you need to be aware of. Once you've taken note of the warnings you'll get to a question at the bottom of the page that asks which form you have out of the DS-2019 or the I-20. Click the DS-2019 check bubble and then click 'OK'.
The next page asks for your name, your SEVIS identification number (found in the top right hand corner of your DS-2019) and date of birth. After clicking enter on this page you will be taken to another page that wants more personal details. You must enter your personal address (not Disney's), gender, city of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, exchange visitor program number (found on the DS-2019, to the left of the barcode), passport number, exchange visitor category (Summer Work/Travel, listed as item number 4 on the form, just above the middle of the form). After entering all of these details proceed to the next page.
The next page of the form asks you to confirm the details you entered. It is incredibly important that you ensure your details are correct before proceeding.
You are taken to a page that asks you to pay. Select either credit card or check/money order (no eftpos). On the next page you are asked for your payment information and billing address which you must submit and then check over again on the next page. The next page, provided your payment was successful, is a payment confirmation. Print this page. You must take it with you to your appointment at the US Consulate.
After you've printed out the confirmation page you're done with the SEVIS application. This is probably the easiest part of the application so don't be lulled into a false sense of security. The next step (DS-160) will bite you in the ass.
- Lily
The Important Stuff: Police Background Check
Hi all!
In this post we're going to take a look at the police background check required by Disney, how to get it and what to do once you've received it. If you'd like to watch my vlog about this process instead you can find it here.
So let's get started. First of all, what the hell is it? The background check required by Disney is to prove that you don't have a criminal record. Or if you do, that your crimes are of a type that do not prevent you from being employed by Disney. To the best of my knowledge Disney does still hire some people with criminal records but only certain offenses so it's best to clear it up with them beforehand.
Because I am from Australia I can only really give you the low down on the Australian background check. Sadly, if you are from NZ you may have to seek answers elsewhere. Also, in the email Disney sends it advises you to get a state police check. I went for federal so I can only offer advice on the federal check. As far as I know both are accepted by YummyJobs and I've not heard of anyone's check being rejected regardless of whether it was state or federal.
A while after you accept your offer you'll receive an email from Michelle at YummyJobs. YummyJobs is an employment agency that Disney uses for all its recruitment in the UK but for the Australian program they only handle the police checks. The email asks you to send a police background check and some other documents. We'll talk about the police check first and worry about everything else later. Shall we?
First thing's first, you need to head over the the AFP website here. Currently there's a little box on the homepage for 'Quicklinks' that has National Police Checks right there. Click right on it and you're on your way. On the next page there's a list of things you can do to proceed.
You can either click 'Application Portal' in the list of actions and it'll automatically scroll down to the appropriate section for you or you can work those finger muscles and scroll down yourself. Either way you'll be staring at a link that says 'Access the online application or downloadable PDF application through AFP's application portal'. Go ahead and click on it to access the portal.
Next you're taken to a lovely page with a lot of information on it about the check and important things you need to know before getting started. Under the 'Preperation of Identification Documents' headline there is a printable PDF version of the 100 points of identity checklist. I highly recommend having a look at this before you proceed to work out what documents you want to upload. The form may time out if you take too long so working out what documents you need, scanning them onto your computer and labeling them correctly before you proceed will save you time now and reduce the risk of you running out of time later. Once you've given it a thorough reading over scroll down to the bottom of the page, tick the box to say you understand and then click the 'Start New Online Application' button.
The next page is the actual 100 point proof of identity page. Here you need to tick the boxes that correspond to the documents you will upload later. You need to make sure that the documents you intend to upload equal at least 100 points or it will not let you proceed.
When you move to the next page you are asked to actually upload the documents you selected on the previous page. Afterward you're taken to a page that asks for some personal details like your name, date of birth, email and purpose for the check.
After filling in your details you need to download and fill in a consent form. This form basically gives the AFP permission to look into your criminal history and compile it into the document that will be sent to you. You then need to fill that puppy out by signing your consent and then you can upload it back to the site.
The next page asks you for a few more details including your country of birth, city of birth, driver's license number, issuing state, country of residence, current residential address and mailing address. Obviously if you don't have a driver's license and you didn't indicate that you were uploading one then they would not ask for the driver's license details. I suspect that the questions asked in this section may vary depending on the documents you choose to upload. You are then asked to check over the details you entered and ensure they are correct.
Once you've checked over all your details it's time to pay. The AFP background check is $42 that you must pay before the check will be processed. After payment you'll receive a number that corresponds with your order so you can check on its progress later on. Your check will begin processing almost straight away and after as little as a few days you'll get an email telling you it's on its way. For some reason the postage takes quite a while though and most of the checks didn't arrive until at least 2 weeks after being sent out. So don't stress if it's taking a tad longer than you'd expect.
Now onto phase two...
In this post we're going to take a look at the police background check required by Disney, how to get it and what to do once you've received it. If you'd like to watch my vlog about this process instead you can find it here.
So let's get started. First of all, what the hell is it? The background check required by Disney is to prove that you don't have a criminal record. Or if you do, that your crimes are of a type that do not prevent you from being employed by Disney. To the best of my knowledge Disney does still hire some people with criminal records but only certain offenses so it's best to clear it up with them beforehand.
Because I am from Australia I can only really give you the low down on the Australian background check. Sadly, if you are from NZ you may have to seek answers elsewhere. Also, in the email Disney sends it advises you to get a state police check. I went for federal so I can only offer advice on the federal check. As far as I know both are accepted by YummyJobs and I've not heard of anyone's check being rejected regardless of whether it was state or federal.
A while after you accept your offer you'll receive an email from Michelle at YummyJobs. YummyJobs is an employment agency that Disney uses for all its recruitment in the UK but for the Australian program they only handle the police checks. The email asks you to send a police background check and some other documents. We'll talk about the police check first and worry about everything else later. Shall we?
Getting Your Background Check:
You can either click 'Application Portal' in the list of actions and it'll automatically scroll down to the appropriate section for you or you can work those finger muscles and scroll down yourself. Either way you'll be staring at a link that says 'Access the online application or downloadable PDF application through AFP's application portal'. Go ahead and click on it to access the portal.
Next you're taken to a lovely page with a lot of information on it about the check and important things you need to know before getting started. Under the 'Preperation of Identification Documents' headline there is a printable PDF version of the 100 points of identity checklist. I highly recommend having a look at this before you proceed to work out what documents you want to upload. The form may time out if you take too long so working out what documents you need, scanning them onto your computer and labeling them correctly before you proceed will save you time now and reduce the risk of you running out of time later. Once you've given it a thorough reading over scroll down to the bottom of the page, tick the box to say you understand and then click the 'Start New Online Application' button.
The next page is the actual 100 point proof of identity page. Here you need to tick the boxes that correspond to the documents you will upload later. You need to make sure that the documents you intend to upload equal at least 100 points or it will not let you proceed.
When you move to the next page you are asked to actually upload the documents you selected on the previous page. Afterward you're taken to a page that asks for some personal details like your name, date of birth, email and purpose for the check.
After filling in your details you need to download and fill in a consent form. This form basically gives the AFP permission to look into your criminal history and compile it into the document that will be sent to you. You then need to fill that puppy out by signing your consent and then you can upload it back to the site.
The next page asks you for a few more details including your country of birth, city of birth, driver's license number, issuing state, country of residence, current residential address and mailing address. Obviously if you don't have a driver's license and you didn't indicate that you were uploading one then they would not ask for the driver's license details. I suspect that the questions asked in this section may vary depending on the documents you choose to upload. You are then asked to check over the details you entered and ensure they are correct.
Once you've checked over all your details it's time to pay. The AFP background check is $42 that you must pay before the check will be processed. After payment you'll receive a number that corresponds with your order so you can check on its progress later on. Your check will begin processing almost straight away and after as little as a few days you'll get an email telling you it's on its way. For some reason the postage takes quite a while though and most of the checks didn't arrive until at least 2 weeks after being sent out. So don't stress if it's taking a tad longer than you'd expect.
Now onto phase two...
Sending Your Check To YummyJobs:
So you get an email from YummyJobs asking you to send in your background check. If you're like me and you couldn't wait to get your background check then you'll already have it. If you have yet to order it, don't stress. Just start the process as soon as you can after receiving the email.
Either way, whenever you are ready you need to have a scanned copy of each of the following:
- Police Check Certificate
Either way, whenever you are ready you need to have a scanned copy of each of the following:
- Police Check Certificate
- Passport Information Page
- Proof of Address (E.g. bill, driver's license, letter from school or government organisation, etc.)
Once you've scanned these and labeled them nicely you just need to attach them to your reply to YummyJobs and send it off into cyberspace.
Once you've scanned these and labeled them nicely you just need to attach them to your reply to YummyJobs and send it off into cyberspace.
I personally received a reply to my email exactly 20 minutes after I sent it. The reply time for this particular email ranged anywhere from a few minutes to a few days but almost everyone received a reply of some kind after YummyJobs got their email. If you do not get a reply it's probably best to send YummyJobs another email to confirm that they got the documents or you may have some issues down the track.
After you receive your reply to confirm you background check and other documents arrived safely then you're done with the background check portion of the process. Tick this off your pre-arrival checklist and get ready for the next exciting step toward arrival.
- Lily
P.s. Sorry it's been so long. I got caught up with final assignments, visa applications and a million and one other things. I'm hoping to get a few posts out of the way every day now so I can get back to some more casual blogging.
After you receive your reply to confirm you background check and other documents arrived safely then you're done with the background check portion of the process. Tick this off your pre-arrival checklist and get ready for the next exciting step toward arrival.
- Lily
P.s. Sorry it's been so long. I got caught up with final assignments, visa applications and a million and one other things. I'm hoping to get a few posts out of the way every day now so I can get back to some more casual blogging.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
5 Business Days
Hi all!
I had my visa appointment today and other than a few minor hiccoughs, like them running late and not having record of my appointment in the system, it all went pretty smoothly and they said I should have my passport back by next Wednesday.
I'll be making at least three posts on it because there is SO much to cover that I need to split it up a bit. Hoping to get onto that on the weekend so stay tuned.
- Lily
I had my visa appointment today and other than a few minor hiccoughs, like them running late and not having record of my appointment in the system, it all went pretty smoothly and they said I should have my passport back by next Wednesday.
I'll be making at least three posts on it because there is SO much to cover that I need to split it up a bit. Hoping to get onto that on the weekend so stay tuned.
- Lily
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