What is an I Visa?

The I visa is for representatives of the press, radio, movie business or other types of media that wish to travel to the United States to carry out any type of work related to their field. Some of the professions that may qualify for an I visa are:

 • Reporters/journalists;
 • Journalists of informative programs or the news;
 • Video editors;
 • Employees of independent companies of educational/information media productions;
 • “Free-lance” journalists with a contract with a media organization;
 • Government employees, in the office of tourism, traveling to share tourist information.

People that have those jobs are eligible for I visas.

Some activities that DO NOT qualify for the I visa are:

 • Editors;
 • Librarians;
 • Studio designers;
 • Preachers or conference speakers;
 • A member of a team who’s main purpose to travel is to devise commercial advertising or for commercial entertainment.

Spouse and children of the principal applicant of an I visa

The spouses and children, single, under the age of 21, regardless of their nationality can request and receive I visas to accompany the principal applicant to the United States. The dependants will receive the same type of visa as the principal applicant.

Documentation necessary for a Reporter/ Journalist

In addition to the documents that are detailed in the section “instructions on how to apply for a non-immigrant visa” you must present the following additional documents during the visa interview:

 • Journalist ID;
 • A letter from your company, describing briefly their position in the publicity industry; a brief description of the project; the place in which the project will be carried out and the planned duration of stay in the United States. Such letter should also include a description of your position in the company, seniority in the company, salary and work experience.

Documentation required for an employee of an Independent Production Company

You should be prepared to present the following additional documentation at the visa interview:

 • A letter from your company, describing briefly their position in the publicity industry; a brief description of the project; the place in which the project will be carried out and the planned duration of stay period in the United States. Such letter should also include a description of your position in the company, seniority in the company, salary and work experience.
 • A copy of the labor contract between the production company and the advertising organization that has commissioned you to develop the proposed work. Keep in mind that the work must be of an educational/informative nature and can’t be used for entertainment or commercial purposes.

Documentation required for a “free-lance” Journalist

You should be prepared to present the following additional documents at the visa interview:

 • A letter written by you, including a description of your work, your work experience, the project, the place in which the project will take place, and the planned duration of stay in the United States;
 • A copy of the labor contract with the advertising organization that has commissioned you to develop the proposed work;
 • A copy of your journalist credentials or another type of documentation that shows that you are an accredited journalist and a professional worker in the media publication environment.

Government employees in the Office of Tourism

You should be prepared to present the following additional documentation at the visa interview:

 • A letter from the government from the office of tourism describing briefly what they do; the place in which these activities will be carried out and the planned duration of stay in the United States. This letter should also include a description of your position in the government organization, seniority, salary and work experience.
 • Evidence that shows that you are an accredited representative of an office of tourism that is controlled, operated, and subsidized completely or in part, by the government and which principal purpose is to disclose tourist information about the host country.

Important Note: As a result of strict security requirements, some applications might take longer than others to be processed. This process cannot be rushed; for this reason you should not make final travel plans or buy your tickets until you receive your visa. Visa applicants should never assume that their visas will be approved.