Exchange Visitor Visas (J)

Educational Activity on Business or Tourist Visas and the Visa Waiver Program

If you are going to the United States for an educational purpose but will not be a full-time student, you may not need to get a student visa.

• If you are going to the U.S. mainly for tourism but want to take a short course of study of less than 18 hours per week, you may be able to do so on a Tourist (B-2 or B1/B2) visa or on the Visa Waiver Program. Check with the school to see what they recommend.
• If you are going to the United States for an executive seminar or symposium as part of your job, it may be possible for you to travel on a Business (B-1 or B1/B2) visa or on the Visa Waiver Program. Programs of this type may take place at universities, but they are usually short and do not lead to a degree.

Generally speaking, the closer your program is to what a reasonable person would consider “full-time study,” the more likely it is that you should get a student visa. ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR SCHOOL TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF VISA THEY RECOMMEND. Your school is most familiar with the program it is offering and should know whether foreign participants will need a student visa. If the program is a “borderline case,” the school may have already checked with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration or with the State Department’s Visa Office to find out whether a student visa is required.

If your school officials recommend that you use a Business or Tourist visa (B-1, B-2 or B1/B2) or the Visa Waiver Program, they should be able to explain to you why they think a Student visa is not necessary. Some of these programs issue letters outlining their reasoning that their foreign participants can show to visa officers at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate or to immigration officers at U.S. ports of entry.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GO TO THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT RIGHT TYPE OF VISA?

When you arrive at the airport, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer will ask you about your purpose of travel and planned length of stay. If the officer who interviews you determines that you do not have the correct type of visa, you can be denied entry. This is definitely a situation you should try to avoid - it is embarrassing, physically tiring, and a huge waste of your time.

The Embassy is sent a report every time someone with a visa issued in Singapore gets refused entry to the United States; it is rare that someone traveling from Singapore to engage in study of some kind runs into problems at a port of entry. It does occasionally happen, however. To avoid difficulties, ask your school for guidance, and if you are still unsure, feel free to contact the Embassy at SingaporeCON@state.gov. Also, if you do need to apply for a visa, do it as early as possible—that way, if there are any questions about the appropriate visa category, there will still be time to address them.