The I Visa is a vital tool in a global system, where news and cultures are shared and dispatched across national lines. The I Visa is available to media employees including reporters, freelance journalists and film crew members; mainstream filmmakers are not eligible for this status. I visas are available to persons only to work for a foreign media outlet, or a U.S.-based subsidiary of a foreign media company.

The applicant’s spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may be eligible for a derivative I status. The applicant’s employer must offer a letter detailing the applicant’s position. I visas, however, are not available to fiancées. If the applicant’s spouse or children wish to visit you in the U.S., they may choose to apply for a B-2 visa. They may also be eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program.