If you are a student holding an F-1 or J-1 visa, you may request documentation from ISS for your spouse and/or children (unmarried, under the age of 21) to join you in the US. These family members are eligible to apply for F-2 or J-2 dependent status by obtaining a visa at a US Embassy/Consulate or, if already in the US on another visa status, they may be able to file a Change of Status application with BCIS.
P If your family members are abroad and you want them to join you in the US, please complete the I-20/DS-2019 Application Form and submit it with the required documents listed on the form.
P If your family members are already in the US on another type of visa and you wish to change their status to F-2 or J-2, you should meet with an ISS advisor during walk-in advising. In some cases it may not be possible to change status while in the US or there may be deadlines to consider.
P Children born in the United States are US citizens. As such, they are ineligible for F-2 or J-2 status. ISS will not include family members who are US citizens in your documentation.
Note: Please make your requests in a timely manner. ISS strives to complete your requests as soon as possible, but processing may take several weeks. Keep this in mind when making an appointment to apply for visa stamps at an US Embassy/Consulate, booking airline tickets, or meeting deadlines to change status in the US.
Information About Your Family Members
You will need to provide ISS with the following information for each family member you intend to bring to the US: family name, first name, and middle name (if applicable); gender; relationship to you (spouse or child); birth date; city and county of birth; country of citizenship; and country of permanent residence. This information will be entered into SEVIS along with the financial support information (see below) to create an I-20 for each F-2 or a DS-2019 for each J-2 dependent family member. The US Embassy/Consulate will need to see proof of the familial relationships (e.g., a marriage certificate for spouses, or a birth certificate for children).
Financial Support
P Consult ISS budget sheet for information regarding the expenses for yourself and your dependents. This will include your tuition and living expenses, and also living expenses and health insurance coverage for your dependents.
P Using the budget sheet, calculate your expenses. List the source of your financial support on the budget sheet. For each source of funds, attach the supporting documents.
Health Insurance
P International students on F-1 and J-1 visas must be enrolled in SHIP or an approved health insurance program; dependent family members must be enrolled as soon as they arrive.
P For information about the UW-Madison's health insurance program or obtaining a waiver for an approved health insurance program, contact the SHIP office at 265-5232, 1552 University Avenue.
Education
P F-2 spouses are allowed to participate in educational opportunities which are a vocational (courses not related to one's chosen career) or recreational (study that pursues a hobby or is occasional and casual in nature). F-2 spouses may not engage in full-time study and may not participate in any formal programs of study, such as a certificate or degree granting programs. F-2 spouses who wish to participate in a full-time program of study may be eligible to change their status in the US to an appropriate visa for studying (F-1, J-1 or M-1). Alternately, an F-2 can depart the US to apply for a visa abroad at a US Embassy/Consulate. For information about becoming an F-1 student to participate in a full-time program of study, please consult an ISS advisor.
P F-2 children may participate in full time study at the elementary and secondary school levels (kindergarten through the twelfth grade, often referred to as K-12). If an F-2 child wishes to engage in post-secondary level studies, s/he must obtain F-1 visa status by either applying for a change of status in the US or applying for an F-1 visa abroad. Consult an ISS advisor for more information.
P J-2 spouses and children may participate in any educational program of their choosing.
Employment
P F-2 dependents may not be employed in the US.
P J-2 dependents may be employed in the US. In order to work in the US, J-2 dependents must apply for work authorization through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (US CIS). Please refer to the Employment Options for J-2 Dependents handout.
Volunteering
P F-2 dependents may participate in volunteer activities.
P J-2 dependents may participate in volunteer activities.
For information about volunteer opportunities, visit the Morgridge Center for Public Service in room 154 of the Red Gym or their webpage at www.morgridge.wisc.edu.
Addresses
All non-US citizens, including F-2 and J-2 dependents are required to keep their current US residential address up-to-date with the US federal government. To do this, please complete the form AR-11 within 10 days of establishing a new US residential address. The form AR-11 is can be downloaded from www.immigration.gov.
Note: F-1 and J-1 students only need to update addresses in their My UW Madison accounts; ISS forwards this information directly to the US federal government. F-2 and J-2 information cannot be updated in this manner; therefore, an AR-11 form must be submitted for each dependent family member.
When Does F-2 Status End?
F-2 and J-2 dependents are eligible to remain in the US as long as the F-1 or J-1 student remains in valid status. Once an F-1 has completed the program of study, the F-1 and F-2 dependents are eligible to stay in the US for up to 60 days. Once a J-1 has completed the program of study, the J-1 and J-2 dependents are eligible to stay in the US for up to 30 days.
Note the following situations where F-2 or J-2 status ends even if the F-1 or J-1 remains in valid status:
P If F-1/F-2 spouses or J-1/J-2 spouses obtain a divorce, the F-2 or J-2 is no longer the dependent of the F-1 or J-1. The F-2 or J-2 cannot remain in the US on a dependent visa. The F-2 or J-2 should depart the US or, if eligible, apply for an alternate visa status prior to the finalization of the divorce.
P If an F-2 or J-2 child marries or reaches the age of 21, s/he is no longer the dependent of the F-1 or J-1 parent. The F-2 or J-2 child cannot remain in the US on a dependent visa. The F-2 or J-2 should depart the US or, if eligible, apply for an alternate visa status in a timely manner.
