Press/Media Representatives: I-1 Visa
The "media (I)" visa is a nonimmigrant
visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily who are representatives of the foreign media
traveling to the United States, engaging in their profession, having the home office in a foreign country. Some
procedures and fees under immigration law, relate to policies of the travelers home
country, and in turn, the U.S. follows a similar practice, which we call “reciprocity”. Procedures for
providing media visas to foreign media representatives
of a particular country, consider whether the visa applicants own government grants similar
privileges or is reciprocal, to representatives of the media or press from the United States.
Qualifying for a Media (I) Visa
- Primary employees of foreign information media engaged in filming a
news event or documentary.
- Members of the media engaged in the production or distribution of film
will only ualify for a media visa if the material being filmed will be used to disseminate
information or news. Additionally, the primary source and distribution of funding must
be outside the United States
- Journalists working under contract -
Persons holding a credential issued by a professional journalistic organization, if working under
contract on a product to be used abroad by an information or cultural medium to
disseminate information or news not primarily intended for commercial entertainment or
dvertising. Please note that a valid employment contract is required.
- Employees of independent production companies
when those employees hold a credential issued by a professional journalistic association.
- Foreign journalists working for an overseas branch office or subsidiary of
a U.S. network, newspaper or other media outlet if the journalist is going to the United
States to report on U.S. events solely for a foreign audience.
- Accredited representatives of tourist bureaus,
controlled, operated, or subsidized in whole or in part by a foreign government,
who engage primarily in disseminating factual tourist information about that country,
and who are not entitled to A-2 visa classification.
- Technical industrial information - Employees in the United States offices
of organizations, which distribute technical industrial information
