If your baby will be born in the U.S. her or she will be considered a U.S. citizen. U.S. laws do not require that your baby give up citizenship from your home country (if they are considered as such by the laws of your country), but your home country may not accept the dual citizenship status. Contact your home country embassy in the U.S. to register their birth and if you have questions about citizenship. Parents of a U.S. citizen child are eligible to apply for U.S. permanent resident status when the child is 21 years old.

Your child born in the United States cannot be your F-2 dependent.

To travel and re-enter the U.S., your child will need a U.S. passport. You can obtain the application from the Madison Post Office, 3902 Milwaukee Street, or download the forms from the U.S. Department of State web site.

Nonimmigrants are not eligible for public assistance in the U.S.  However, as students with dependents are quick to learn, the costs of health insurance for their family members can be quite high. Unfortunately, some people may be unable to bear the financial burden and choose to risk not having health insurance coverage. When they are unexpectedly faced with the birth of a child, some families may turn to the aid of the U.S. government. In some cases, hospital staff or doctors may even suggest that an international student or scholar take advantage of such public assistance.

The fact that you may be encouraged to sign up for public assistance by hospital staff or other “official” does not mean that you are eligible. The consequences of accepting such assistance are that if you leave the U.S. and want to return, you may be stopped at the U.S. border and denied entry until the amount of public assistance you received has been repaid.

There are strict laws about leaving very young children alone, either in cars, in public, or at home. The law states that it is a crime to leave anyone in a car who is incapable of getting out without help. These laws stem from cases where young children have died from being left in cars with closed windows in warm weather. In addition, it is considered “child neglect” to leave very young children unattended (such as outside of a restaurant) or home alone. It is better to awaken a sleeping child than to risk their possible harm, and/or face arrest.

Wisconsin state law requires that children under age 4 be restrained in an appropriate, federally approved car seat. The law in Wisconsin further requires that children ages 4 to 8 ride wearing a seat belt or a federally approved car seat or booster seat. All other drivers and passengers must always wear a seat belt while in a moving car.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children ages 2 to 14, due in large part to the nonuse or improper use of child seats and seat belts. Working with parents and our partners our goal is to ensure every child is properly secured and safe every trip, every time.

We would like to ask if you are a parent that is not sure which car seat to use? Are you overwhelmed by the choices and worried about how to properly install your car seat? The UW-Madison Police Department has 3 Child Passenger Safety Seat Technicians that have attended and completed the necessary training through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Our technicians volunteer their services at car seat events throughout Dane County and schedule one-on-one appointments. At the appointments, technicians teach anyone who transports children the proper way to ensure their child’s safety seat is appropriate for the child’s needs, for the vehicle and how to always use the safety seat correctly.

To schedule a one-on-one consultation contact:
Police Officer Kristin Radtke keradtke@wisc.edu or 608-262-4524

(If applying separately from F1 or J1)

Submit your request to add a dependent to your I-20 or DS-2019 in your Terra Dotta portal.

Once the dependent I-20 or DS-2019 is received, mail the document to your spouse and/or children. The spouse should make an appointment with the nearest U.S. Consulate to request an F-2 or J-2 visa. The spouse should bring a valid passport, dependent I-20 or DS-2019, proof of relationship to student (for example, marriage certificate translated into English), proof of birth for dependent children, and proof of funding to the consular interview. Once the visa has been secured, each dependent must present a valid I-20 or DS-2019, a valid F-2/J-2 visa (except citizens of Canada), and a passport that is valid at least 6 months from the date of entry in order to successfully enter the U.S.

Only the spouse (limited to one) and unmarried minor children (under 21 years old) of an F-1 or J1 student are eligible to enter the United States in F2/J2 dependent status. Frequently, international students wish to invite their parents or other family members to the U.S. to attend graduation or for a visit. If your parent(s) or other family members, including children over the age of 21, wish to enter the U.S. temporarily to visit, they may enter on a B-2 tourist visa. As an F-1 or J-1 student, you should write an invitation letter to your relative or family member to submit with their B-2 visa application. You should confirm your academic and immigration status as a student at UW-Madison.

The same rules apply to dependent travel as to travel by international students. A current travel endorsement on your dependent’s I-20 or DS-2019 is required for re-entry to the U.S. If you travel outside of the U.S. for more than five months, your dependent(s) may not remain in the U.S. If you travel outside of the U.S. temporarily (less than five months), your dependent(s) may remain in the United States.

The cost of health care is extremely high in the U.S. All students and their dependents must be enrolled in an insurance plan that meets the minimum levels of coverage set by this university for the duration of their time in the U.S. F-1 students and their dependents are not required by USCIS to be enrolled in an insurance plan, but the University of Wisconsin requires that the F-1 students and their dependents be ensured.

J-2 dependents are required by the Department of State to have adequate health insurance.

International students on F-1 and J-1 visas must be enrolled in SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan) or an alternative approved health insurance program; dependent family members must be enrolled as soon as they arrive. 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, 333 East Campus Mall.

F-2 Dependents                              
F-2 dependent spouses may study part-time in the United States, but they may not enroll as full-time students. F-2 dependent children may study at the elementary and secondary levels (kindergarten through 12^th grade), and they may also enroll full-time at a college or university until the age of 21. Furthermore, local schools and community colleges offer recreational courses, such as cooking, swimming, driver’s education, car maintenance, dancing, etc. in which F-2 dependents may also enroll.

F-2 dependent spouses who wish to engage in full-time study may apply for a change to F-1 student status. Likewise, F-2 dependent children are advised to apply for a change to F-1 student status prior to their 21 birthday in order to continue their studies at UW-Madison. If you or your dependent(s) wish to apply for a change to F-1 status, please seek guidance from the ISS office.

J-2 Dependents
A J-2 dependent may study full or part time in the United States. Dependent children with J-2 visas may study in an elementary or secondary school (kindergarten through 12^th grade) and at the postsecondary level (college or university). If you are a student whose dependent(s) would like to change their status, please seek guidance from the ISS office.

U.S. visa regulations do not allow F-2 dependents to work in the United States.

J-2 dependents are allowed to work in the United States with proper authorization. This authorization can be applied for once the J-2 has entered the country. Please be aware that it can take up to 4 months for USCIS to approve the employment authorization, and that the J-2 dependent may not begin working until they have received an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card. EAD cards are issued for a 12 month period, and they may be renewed each year that the spouse is in J-2 status. Review J-2 Employment Authorization Handout to apply to USCIS.

Both F-2 and 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.

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. All F-2 and J-2 dependents must 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.uscis.gov.

Note: F-1 and J-1 students only need to update their addresses using their online MyUW accounts. ISS forwards this information directly to the US Federal government. Because F-2 and J-2 information cannot be updated in this manner, an AR-11 form must be submitted for each dependent family member.

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 student has completed their program of study, the F-1 student as well as their F-2 dependent(s) are eligible to stay in the US for up to 60 days. Once a J-1 has completed their program of study, the J-1 student and their J-2 dependent(s) 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:

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.

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.

Visit the ISS office to learn about campus and community programs that are available to dependents of international students. Madison Friends of International Students (MFIS) and other off campus organizations offer English classes to the spouses of international students. Dependents may join social or special interest groups, i.e., gardening, hiking and nature clubs, civic organizations, etc. There are also many opportunities to volunteer in local libraries, hospitals, day care centers, animal shelters and social agencies. An excellent place to search for volunteer opportunities is the Morgridge Center for Public Service, located in the Red Gym at 716 Langdon Street.

Prepare your spouse and children for life in the U.S. by sharing the information that you have learned about the U.S. Help your family to adjust their expectations and to keep open minds when they experience cultural differences.

If English is not your family’s first language, prepare your spouse and children by ensuring that they begin learning some English prior to moving to the U.S. Then make arrangements for more English training after they arrive in the U.S.

Discuss issues of loneliness and other symptoms of culture shock with your family prior to and after arriving in the U.S.

Help your family develop coping strategies. Even before you leave home, try consulting with others who have studied overseas or lived abroad. This may be helpful in preparing for the initial stress of relocating. Ask your friends and colleagues about their experiences and ways they resolved initial difficulties.

Support your spouse’s interests and activities in the U.S.

Help your children by acknowledging any negative feelings they may have about the move, help them maintain their relationships with friends and family in both countries, and give them something to look forward to during the move (a new privilege, possession or activity). Be aware that schools at home may have focused differently on educational topics and there may be gaps in your children’s education. You can help by providing supplemental teaching for your children at home, hiring a tutor, or securing extra books or software.

Remember that family members will need your time and attention, and you will need to find a way to balance those needs with your studies.