Important Information Before you Begin

• Before you start, make sure you have a copy of the mandatory immigration documents.  Remember that big blue button in your offer letter?  Remember how I told you to save and/or print those documents?  You will be very grateful that you did that because those documents have all of the information you need to complete the visa application.

• The visa you will be applying for is the J1 Visa for Exchange Visitors.

• The visa is sponsored by Disney and therefore Disney will petition the American government on your behalf for the visa.  Disney will receive your DS-2019 form and courier it to you.  You cannot begin the application until Disney send you your DS-2019 which will be approximately 4 – 8 week before your check-in date.

• It is a requirement of the visa that you have completed your first year of study.  For this reason, your DS-2019 cannot be processed until you have completed your first year of study and Disney has your completed Proof of Student Status Form.  

• When your DS-2019 has been dispatched, you will receive an email from Fed-Ex (Disney’s chosen courier company) informing you that your package is on its way.  This email will include an estimated date of arrival; there is also a link in the email that takes you to the Fed-Ex tracking page, which provides up-to-date tracking information.

• When your Fed-Ex package arrives, it must be received by someone (if not you, someone you live with is fine) and signed for.  If you are not going to be home, you can call Fed-Ex (the phone number is in the email) and speak to someone about giving permission for the parcel to be left at your home without a signature.  Alternatively, you can organise to pick it up from the Fed-Ex depot.

• Once you have done your online visa application, you will have to attend an appointment at your nearest U.S. Consulate.  In Australia these are in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.  In New Zealand the only consulate is in Auckland.  You must attend an interview in person or you will not be granted a visa.  If you do not live in one of these cities, you will have to travel there at your own expense. 

Next is the list of Documents and Information you will Need or you can return to the Visa Instructions.