Non-Permanent Business Visas: Representatives of International Media
- Qualifications
- Procedures
- Time Limits
- I Dependents and Benefits
- Changing I Visa Employers
- I Visa Renewal
- FAQs
The I Visa Category
The I visa category is reserved for employees (or contract workers under contract) with media representatives of foreign press, radio, television, film, or other foreign information media.
Qualifications
An individual seeking an I visa must be an employee or freelance contributor to a foreign media organization. If the individual is a freelance contributor, he/she must provide a copy of the employment contract with the foreign media organization. The individual may be a reporter, news personality, film crew, editor or similarly employed individual.
The individual must be coming to the United States solely to work for a foreign media organization or a U.S. branch office or U.S. subsidiary of a foreign media company provided his/her activities are being conducted primarily for the benefit of the foreign-based media organization. The home office must be in a foreign country. However, if the individual is coming to work for a U.S. media company, such as CNN, the individual is not allowed to receive an I visa. Such a person must qualify for some other type of nonimmigrant visa authorizing employment.
If the foreign media organization is engaged in film or television production, the production must be educational and informational in nature. Where the film media is to be distributed for information and news purposes, private production crews may qualify for I visas. If the film is commercial entertainment or for advertising purposes, the camera crew cannot qualify for I visas even if the film is for the purpose of foreign distribution and there is no U.S. remuneration.
If the foreign media organization is owned by U.S. shareholders, the entity will still be considered foreign media for I visa purposes as long as its staff is predominately foreign employees whose purpose is collecting information for a foreign audience.
Procedures
An application for an I visa is submitted to an overseas U.S. embassy or consulate located overseas. The I visa is issued with a validity period determined by agreement between the United States and the foreign country.
For example, Japanese nationals may be issued I visas with a validity period not to exceed five years. However, Mexican nationals may be issued I visas with a validity period not to exceed one year.
Time Limits
There are essentially no limitations on an I visa holder’s stay in the United States. It is possible for the I visa holder to remain in the United States indefinitely. If an extension of I status is required, extensions are approved in one-year increments. Extensions of I status may be filed indefinitely.
When I visa holders enter the United States, they are issued a Form I-94 without an expiration date. Instead, their Form I-94 is annotated “D/S” or “Duration of Status.” This means that as long as the I visa holder complies with the terms of his/her visa, no extension of the Form I-94 is required.
I Dependents and Benefits
The spouse and all unmarried children under age of 21-years old may receive I visas. These family members may attend school in the United States. An I dependent visa holder may not work. However, even if the I visa holder dependent does work without authorization, it is not considered to be a violation of I status. Accordingly, the USCIS will not seek to remove such a person from the United States.
Changing I Visa Employers
The I visa is company-specific. Therefore, the I visa holder must be only be working for the particular approved organization. An I visa holder may change I employers. However, such a change of employer must be approved prior to the commencement of the new employment. There are two ways to change employers. The I visa holder may file a petition to change employers with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) service center having jurisdiction over the new place of employment. Employment may only commence after USCIS approval of the change in employment. Alternatively, an I visa holder may apply for a new I visa at an overseas U.S. Embassy or Consulate .
I Visa Renewal
I visas may only be renewed at an overseas U.S. embassy or consulate.
FAQs for Representatives of International Media (Coming soon)
