Family members may be interested in staying with you in the US for a short period of time or for the duration of your EV program/employment at UAH. The options you have to bring family to the US depend on the nature of the familial relationship and the length of time the family member plans to stay in the US:

  1. If the family member is a spouse or a dependent unmarried child under the age of 21 years, the family member is eligible for derivative status (i.e., if the primary visa holder has an F-1, J-1, or H1-B status, their dependent will have an F-2, J-2, or H-4 status, respectively). The status of the dependent will last for the duration of the primary visa holder’s non-immigrant status. In all cases evidence of funding in the amount of $6,000 per year for a spouse and/or must be demonstrated to obtain a dependent F-2 I-20 or J-2 DS-2019 form.

  2. If the family member is not a spouse or dependent child (e.g., a parent, sibling, child over the age of 21, or fiancé) or if the family member intends to come to the US for a one-time visit, then the family member can apply for B1/B2 tourist status, which allows for a maximum initial stay of six months.

Canadian citizens do not require visa stamps in their passports, but they must still be admitted to the United States with the proper non-immigrant classification at the port of entry.