CTY works with the JHU Office of International Services (OIS) regarding visa and immigration matters. Send all questions about visas and immigration status to OIS at ois@jhu.edu. Please use this email address only for visa/immigration-related questions. Read all materials sent to you from OIS, including this FAQ, before sending individual questions. Allow up to five business days for a response from OIS.
Can my child study at CTY on a B-1/B-2 visitor visa or under the Visa Waiver Program?
No. CTY summer On-Campus Programs are full-time academic programs requiring the F-1 student visa. CTY programs are not summer camps. Students should not use a visitor’s visa or the Visa Waiver Program for the purpose of studying in the U.S.
Does my child need an F-1 student visa to attend CTY summer On-Campus Programs?
Yes. Students who are not currently in the U.S. under an immigration status that allows for study must request an I-20 Form from the JHU Office of International Services (OIS) and obtain a nonimmigrant F-1 student visa.
For Information for citizens of Canada or Bermuda or students already holding a valid F-1 visa, review the Special Visa Circumstances section of this FAQ.
Can my child use their F-1 student visa to travel outside the U.S. and then return after completing the CTY program, even within 60 days?
No. Your child may stay in the U.S. for up to 60 days after their program is over but they may not travel outside the U.S. and return using their JHU I-20. This also applies to any travel to Canada or Mexico. If your child will travel outside of the U.S. after completing their CTY program, and plans to re-enter, they must do so by using either a valid B-1/B-2 visitor visa or have qualified for entry under the Visa Waiver Program. Contact ois@jhu.edu if you have any additional questions regarding re-entry to the U.S.
How early can my child enter the U.S. with the F-1 visa for CTY study?
Students with F-1 visa status are permitted to enter the U.S. up to 30 days prior to the Program Start Date listed on the I-20 Form. The earliest entry date is listed on the I-20 Form, under the section entitled 'Earliest Admission Date'. Attempting entry before this date may result in denial by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) official. It is essential to ensure that your child does not use any other visa category, including but not limited to, the B-1/B-2 visitor visa or the Visa Waiver Program, when entering the U.S. to attend their CTY program. Students must present their F-1 documentation at the U.S. port of entry (POE).
How long can my child stay in the U.S. with their F-1 student visa after completing the CTY program?
Your child may stay in the U.S. for up to 60 days after their CTY program is completed. However, your child may not depart and re-enter the U.S. under the F-1 status during this time. See question above “Can my child use their F-1 student visa to travel outside the U.S. and then return after completing the CTY program, even within 60 days?”.
I already received my child’s I-20 but my child changed from one CTY site to a different CTY site. What do I do?
Take immediate action. If the CTY site where your child will attend their CTY program has changed, you must submit a new eform request to the Office of International Services (OIS) to obtain an updated I-20 Form. Additionally, CTY will upload a new course registration assignment letter to your child’s MyCTY account.
I already received my child’s I-20 but they are now attending a different session of CTY than noted on the I-20 (i.e., changed from session 1 to session 2 or from session 2 to session 1). What do I do?
Take immediate action. If your child's session dates have changed, whether transitioning from session 1 to session 2, or from session 2 to session 1, regardless of whether the session location remains the same, it is necessary for the Office of International Services (OIS) to update the student's SEVIS record and issue a new I-20 Form. After you have received your child's new course registration assignment letter through MyCTY, please submit a new eform request to OIS, to obtain the new I-20 Form reflecting the revised program dates, and location if applicable.
I already received my I-20 but my child is now attending both CTY sessions 1 and 2. What do I do?
Take prompt action. If your child added session 1 to session 2, or session 2 to session 1, you must request a new I-20 Form. it is necessary for the Office of International Services (OIS) to update the student's SEVIS record and issue a new I-20 Form. After you have received your child's new course registration assignment letter through MyCTY, please submit a new eform request to OIS, to obtain the new I-20 Form reflecting the revised program dates, and location if applicable.
I received my child’s I-20 but the name or date of birth is entered incorrectly. What do I do?
Take action immediately. Contact the JHU Office of International Services (OIS) to request an updated I-20 Form.
May my child use photocopies of his or her travel documents when entering the U.S.?
No.
Ensure your child carries all the necessary original travel documents on their person to present to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) official at the port of entry (POE).
DO NOT PACK THESE DOCUMENTS IN THE CHECKED LUGGAGE:
- Original I-20 Form which will be issued electronically by the Office of International Services (OIS) - must be printed and signed by a parent or guardian
- Passport with the F-1 visa stamp
- Proof of admission to the CTY program
- Proof of funding, as indicated on the I-20 Form
It is important to note that photocopies of travel documents should not be used for entry into the U.S.
What to do if you completed a request for an I-20 via iHopkins but have not received a response from the JHU Office of International Services (OIS)
Before contacting OIS, please verify these steps:
- Check your spam email folder for the email from OIS (ois@jhu.edu) that confirms successful completion and submission of the I-20 request. If you received the confirmation email, please
- add OIS to your contact list; and
- allow at least two weeks before contacting OIS for an update on processing of your I-20.
- If you do not see a confirmation email from OIS in your spam email folder, please
- log in to your iHopkins account to verify that you have completed all the required fields, uploaded the required documents, and selected the “submit” button.
- If you have correctly completed all requirements above and still have not received a confirmation email, there may be a system problem. Please contact ois@jhu.edu and inquire about the status of your child’s I-20 Form.
My child currently has a B-1/B-2 visa. Will this visa be canceled after my child applies for an F-1 student visa?
No. Any existing B-1/B-2 visa remains valid for the time printed on the visa stamp. The student must still apply for a separate F-1 student visa for study at CTY. When entering the U.S. for their CTY program, the student must present the F-1 student visa to the border official, NOT the B-1/B-2 visa.
My child has a valid F-1 visa stamp which was previously issued to attend another U.S. school or a prior CTY program. Is it necessary for my child to obtain new visa documentation?
Yes. You will need to request a new I-20 Form and pay a new SEVIS fee to attend CTY this upcoming summer.
However, if your child has a valid F-1 visa (must be valid at the time of entry to the U.S.), it may be possible to use it along with the new I-20 Form and SEVIS fee payment. The U.S. consulate should be able to confirm whether a new F-1 visa is necessary.
My child holds dual citizenship in two foreign countries. Which country do I choose?
It is entirely your choice, but you must provide in your I-20 request the citizenship listed on the passport the student will use to reapply for the F-1 visa with the U.S. consulate, and enter the U.S. Only one country of citizenship can be listed on the I-20.
My child is a CTY student from Canada or Bermuda. Do they need to obtain an F-1 student stamp from the U.S. embassy/consulate?
No. Citizens of Canada and Bermuda (not including Canadian Landed Immigrants) do not need to obtain an actual visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate to attend CTY. However, they must still:
- Obtain the I-20 Form.
- Pay the SEVIS fee.
- Have a passport valid for at least 6 more months at the time of entry and while staying in the U.S.
- Upon arriving in to the U.S., students from Canada or Bermuda must present their passport, original I-20 Form which will be sent to you electronically and must be printed & signed by a parent or guardian, financial documentation, and a copy of your SEVIS fee receipt to the U.S. Customs & Border Protection official at the U.S. port of entry (POE). The student must specifically request entry to the U.S. as an F-1 student.
The student should not enter the U.S. as a B-1/B-2 visitor or under the Visa Waiver Program, as these are not appropriate immigration statuses for participation in CTY summer programs.
My child is a U.S. citizen and a citizen of another country. Does my child need a visa?
No. According to U.S. law, individuals who qualify as U.S. Citizens must use their U.S. passport for both entry and departure from the U.S. even if they hold dual citizenship with another country .
My child is currently studying in the U.S. in F-1 status. Does my child need a new I-20?
Possibly.
IF your child will not be returning to their current school after CTY, you will need to request the transfer of the child's SEVIS record to Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus. SEVIS program code: BAL214F00051000.
IF your child will be returning to their current school after attending CTY, you do not need to request a new I-20. Instead, you will need to submit a letter from your child's current school, confirming:
- the student will be returning to their school to resume their studies after attending the CTY program, and
- that the child's current school has no objection to the student attending CTY classes this upcoming summer.
My child is going directly from CTY to another program of study in the U.S. What do I need to do?
You should submit a request to the JHU Office of International Services (OIS) to request your child’s initial I-20 Form. Once the student has completed their CTY program, you will need to contact OIS to request the transfer of your child’s SEVIS record from JHU’s F-1 program to the next school’s F-1 program. Please contact the JHU Office of International Services at ois@jhu.edu for details.
My child’s passport is expired or will expire soon. Can I submit the I-20 request before renewing the passport?
Yes, you can initiate the I-20 request process using your child’s current passport. However, you must renew your child’s passport as soon as possible and before their visa appointment with the U.S. embassy/consulate. The passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond their expected period of stay in the U.S.
What amount is required as proof of my financial ability to pay for CTY costs in support of my child’s I-20 request?
The amount may vary depending on which CTY program your child is attending. However, the amount must cover the amount of all CTY fees for your child’s program. You can find the fees listed on your CTY invoice. If the student will not be living on campus, you must also provide proof of an additional $1,500 for living expenses for each session that your child attends.
What are the passport requirements to apply for an F-1 student visa for study at CTY?
The child’s passport must be valid for at least 6 more months at the time of entry to the U.S. For all U.S. immigration purposes, use your child’s name exactly as it appears in their passport. Their name should be identical on all documents (passport, visa, I-20).
What is a DS-160 Visa Application Form?
The DS-160 Form is the on-line U.S. non-immigrant visa application. Filling out the electronic DS-160 Form is the first step of the visa application process with the U.S. embassy/consulate, after having received the I-20 Form and having paid the SEVIS fee. Completing the DS-160 Form application also requires payment of the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee. After you have submitted the application, you can schedule the visa interview.
What is CTY’s refund policy in case a student visa application is denied?
Visa denials are uncommon. The visa application process is governed by U.S. laws and practices. Neither the Johns Hopkins Office of International Services (OIS) nor CTY can intervene on behalf of a student’s visa application. -Visa and SEVIS fees are generally non-refundable.
If your visa is denied and you do not wish to reapply (and pay corresponding visa fees), a refund of payments to CTY will be granted in accordance with CTY's refund policy. CTY does not refund any visa expenses. If your visa is denied and you wish to reapply, contact ois@jhu.edu to discuss your case.
What is JHU’s F-1 school code?
JHU’s F-1 school code is BAL214F00051000.
What is the SEVIS Fee, or SEVIS I-901 Fee?
The SEVIS Fee is a $350 fee charged to applicants for F-1 student visas. You must pay this fee after the I-20 Form is issued but before you schedule a visa appointment at the U.S. embassy/consulate. Instructions on the payment of this fee will be included in the JHU Office of International Services (OIS) confirmation email when the student’s I-20 Form is issued.
Note: Make sure to print a copy of the receipt once you have paid the SEVIS fee. More information (including reprint of SEVIS receipt) is available at fmjfee.com. Please note: the SEVIS Fee is different from the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) application fee, which needs to be paid when submitting the DS-160 form visa application.
What should I do if there are problems at the border?
Remain calm. Students will first pass through primary inspection. Many individuals are sent to secondary inspection for clarification of issues that arise in primary inspection. Even if the student is sent to secondary inspection, the border officers will try to resolve the problem and admit the student as quickly as possible.
Students who have problems at the border may ask the border official to call the JHU Office of International Services (OIS) with questions.
- Call +1-667-208-7001 during regular office hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time)
- Call +1-443-240-1938 outside regular office hours for emergencies at the U.S. port of entry only.
When do I make my child’s visa appointment?
Make the visa appointment for your child at the U.S. embassy/consulate nearest you AFTER you have the I-20 in your possession. You will also need to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee fmjfee.com before making your visa appointment.
Whose name do I list under “U.S. Contact” when I complete my child’s DS-160 visa application?
Enter the name of the OIS staff member who signed your child’s I-20 Form.
Why does my child’s I-20 have a school name and address different from the name of the college and site address listed on my child’s CTY course registration assignment letter?
JHU is the sponsor of your child’s F-1 student visa. All I-20 forms issued by JHU’s Office of International Services (OIS) include the JHU name and address in Baltimore. However, the site where your child is will be participating in the CTY program will be listed on the CTY course registration assignment letter and under the “remarks” section of the student’s I-20 Form.