The A Company

Apply for a U.S. visa for Short-Term Scholar (J-1) in Kosovo

Get an invitation from the host institution, receive your Form DS-2019, pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, fill in the DS-160 application, pay the U.S. visa fee $185, book the visa appointment, prepare the documents, attend the interview, the consular officer decides on your visa, pay DHL €10, get your passport, travel.

You live in Kosovo. Your passport is from Kosovo. Going to the U.S. Visa type Exchange visitor (J1). J-1 program: Short-Term Scholar.

A young man guides his visiting parents along a path as the Golden Gate Bridge appears through light coastal mist

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  • “A very positive experience! Professional, reliable, and supportive throughout the entire process. Thanks to them, applying for a U.S. visa was much easier. The result? Visa approved! 🇺🇸✨ Highly recommended!”
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  • “Perfect”
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What it costs

U.S. visa for Short-Term Scholar (J-1)
Fee for the U.S. visa for Short-Term Scholar (J-1)Paid to the U.S. Department of State, before the interview. Not refunded. Participants in some U.S. government programs do not pay it.2,3$1851
DHL's serviceThe passport with the visa delivered home. Only if the visa is approved.4€101
The A Company's serviceThe A Company applies to your J-1 sponsor for you, pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, fills in the DS-160 application, pays the U.S. visa fee, books the visa appointment, prepares the documents for the interview, and pays DHL for passport delivery. Paid to The A Company, when the service is done.24€1001

Total€275

At the European Central Bank rate of October 14, 2026: €1 = $1.1195

Step 1: Get an invitation from the host institution

A U.S. university, research institution, museum or library invites you for a short visit to lecture, observe, consult, train or demonstrate special skills, and as your sponsor issues your Form DS-2019.5,3

Visit page
The J-1 sponsor's acceptance letter

Step 2: Receive your Form DS-2019

Once you are accepted, you are registered in SEVIS and your sponsor issues Form DS-2019, the document you need for the J-1 visa.3

A Form DS-2019 from a BridgeUSA sponsor

Step 3: Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee

Once you are told your SEVIS registration is active, pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, unless your program does not require it.3

Visit page
The SEVIS I-901 fee payment confirmation

Step 4: Fill in the DS-160 application

The online visa application, at ceac.state.gov. Print its confirmation page and bring it to the interview.3

Visit page
The DS-160 confirmation page for the J-1 visa

Step 5: Pay the U.S. visa fee ($185)

The visa application fee. It is paid from your profile in the online appointment system. By card online, in euros or in dollars, or in cash at VFS in Pristina, Lidhja e Prizrenit St., No. 20, Tophane, with the deposit slip printed from your profile and an ID. This comes before the appointment, because you can book the interview only once it is paid. Then the payment is activated within one business day and can be used to book an appointment for one year. The fee is not returned if the visa is refused. Keep the receipt number, because it cannot be replaced if lost and you need it for the appointment.2,7,8

Visit page
The visa fee receipt for the J-1 visa

The first available appointment is in 15 days17

In 15 days

An estimate for the wait time the U.S. Department of State publishes for F, M and J interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina. Updated by the U.S. Department of State on October 21, 2026. Checked by The A Company on November 3, 2026. You book your date after paying the fee.17

Step 6: Book the visa appointment

Book the interview at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina online, on the official appointment site. You may enter the United States no earlier than 30 days before your program starts.9,3

Visit page
An appointment confirmation

Step 7: Prepare the documents for the interview

Your passport, the DS-160 confirmation, the fee receipt, and your Form DS-2019. The officer may ask for more, such as proof of your plans after the program.3

Required

  • An open passport

    PassportValid for travel to the United States.3

  • The DS-160 confirmation page for the J-1 visa

    DS-160 confirmationThe confirmation page of your DS-160, printed.3

  • A Form DS-2019 from a BridgeUSA sponsor

    Form DS-2019From your program sponsor.3

  • A printed visa photo

    PhotoAs the U.S. visa photo rules ask.3

  • A sample visa appointment confirmation

    Visa appointment confirmationYour interview appointment confirmation letter. It shows that you booked your appointment through the official appointment service.10

  • The I-901 SEVIS fee payment confirmation

    I-901 SEVIS fee receiptProof of your I-901 SEVIS fee payment. Printed. You need it for your visa interview.11

Step 8: Attend the interview at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina

A consular officer interviews you and decides whether you qualify for the exchange visitor visa. If it is approved, a visa issuance fee may also apply.3

U.S. Embassy Pristina

Address
Arberia/Dragodan, Rr. 4 KORRIKU Nr.25, Pristina, Kosovo12
Phone
+383 38 59 59 300012
Email
PristinaVISAS@state.gov12
Website
xk.usembassy.gov12

Step 9: The consular officer decides on your visa

If the visa is approved, you may pay a visa issuance fee, if one applies to your nationality. You are told how your passport with the visa will be returned to you.13

CEAC's Visa Status Check: the visa issued

Step 10: Pay DHL for passport delivery (€10)

DHL takes your contact information to return your passport. You are directed to the nearest DHL office. In cash or by credit card, paid directly to DHL. Once you complete your consular service at the Embassy. The office works 08:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday. It costs €10.4,14

DHL Kosovo

Address
Street Ahmet Krasniqi 254, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo14
Opening hours
Monday to Friday 08:00 to 17:00, Saturday 09:00 to 13:0014
Phone
+383 44 245 54514
Email (general shipping)
dhl@3plog.net14

Step 11: Get your passport with the U.S. visa

If your visa is approved, the passport comes back through the courier service. You get an email or a text message once the passport is ready.15

Step 12: Travel to the United States

Do not buy airline tickets until you have received your visa. If you are allowed to enter, the CBP official gives you an admission stamp or a paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.16

The Turkish Airlines e-ticket itinerary: Pristina, Istanbul, San Francisco and back

Ask us about J-1 Short-Term Scholar

Questions? Answers.

Who can be a J-1 short-term scholar?

A professor, a research scholar, or someone with similar education or experience.5

How long can a J-1 short-term scholar stay?

Up to 6 months, with no extension.5

What is the U.S. exchange visitor visa (J-1)?

A visa for people approved to take part in an exchange visitor program in the United States. Its categories include au pair, camp counselor, intern, trainee, teacher, professor and research scholar, physician, college and secondary school student, and Summer Work Travel. You cannot take part in an exchange on a visitor visa or the Visa Waiver Program.3

How do I get the DS-2019 for an exchange visitor visa (J-1)?

From your program sponsor. Apply to an exchange program through a pre-approved organization in the United States. Once it accepts you, you are registered in SEVIS and the sponsor sends you the Form DS-2019. Trainees and interns also need Form DS-7002.3

What is the two-year home residency rule for the exchange visitor visa (J-1)?

If it applies to you, after your program you must live in your home country for at least 2 years in total before you can get an immigrant visa or an H, L or K visa. It applies if your program was funded by the U.S. government or your own government, if you came for graduate medical education or training, or if your field is on your country's Exchange Visitor Skills List.3

Who can take part in Summer Work Travel on an exchange visitor visa (J-1)?

College and university students enrolled full time at a school outside the United States. You may take part for up to 4 months during the long break between academic years, as the Department of State sets it. Extensions are not permitted, and a spouse may not come with you.18,19

How much does the J-1 Short-Term Scholar visa cost in Kosovo?

$185 to the U.S. Department of State, and €10 to DHL to bring your passport home.2,4

How do I pay the visa fee in Kosovo?

Online or at VFS. Online with a debit or credit card, or in cash at the VFS Visa Application Center in Pristina, Lidhja e Prizrenit St., No. 20, Tophane.7,8

How much is a U.S. exchange visitor visa (J-1)?

$185. If the visa is approved, an issuance fee may also apply, depending on your nationality. In a U.S. government sponsored exchange (of the Department of State, USAID or another federally funded exchange program), you and your family pay neither fee.2,3

Is the fee refunded if the visa is refused?

No. The visa application fee is non-refundable.2

How long is the wait for the interview for a U.S. visa for Short-Term Scholar (J-1) in Pristina?

In 15 days. The published wait for F, M and J interviews in Pristina, when last updated on October 21, 2026.17

Can I apply in Skopje or Tirana instead?

Generally no. Apply at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country of your nationality or where you live, and be able to show you live there if that is why you apply there. Elsewhere it may be more difficult to qualify, and the fee is not refunded or transferred.20

When can I enter the United States on an exchange visitor visa (J-1)?

No earlier than 30 days before your program start date. To arrive earlier you need a separate visitor (B) visa and a change of status from USCIS, approved before your program starts. Apply early: interview wait times vary.3

How long can I stay in the United States after an exchange visitor program (J-1)?

30 days after your program ends, to settle your affairs and leave. In that time you are no longer in J status: you may not work or continue the program, and you should not leave the United States, as you may not be let back in. If your sponsor ends your program for just cause, there is no grace period and you must leave at once.19,21

Which documents do I need for a U.S. exchange visitor visa (J-1)?

Your passport, the DS-160 confirmation page, the fee receipt if you paid before the interview, and your Form DS-2019. Trainees and interns also bring Form DS-7002. The embassy may also ask for proof of the purpose of your travel, that you will leave the United States after it, and that you can pay its costs.3

How do I check the status of my U.S. visa application?

On the State Department’s Visa Status Check, at ceac.state.gov. Choose your visa type, then enter your passport number and the first five letters of your surname.22

Still have a question?

Official sources

Every fact on this page comes from an official page. Last checked on . Rules change.

  1. 1The A Company on Googlegoogle.com, last read October 28, 2026
  2. 2Fees for Visa Servicestravel.state.gov, last read October 11, 2026
  3. 3Exchange Visitor Visatravel.state.gov, last read October 11, 2026
  4. 4Passport/Visa collection locations and timings, Kosovoustraveldocs.com, last read October 12, 2026
  5. 5Short-Term Scholarj1visa.state.gov, last read October 28, 2026
  6. 6 eCFR :: 22 CFR Part 62 -- Exchange Visitor Program www.ecfr.gov, last read October 31, 2026
  7. 7Bank and payment options, Kosovoustraveldocs.com, last read October 22, 2026
  8. 8Payment locations, Kosovoustraveldocs.com, last read October 12, 2026
  9. 9Schedule your appointment, Kosovoustraveldocs.com, last read October 22, 2026
  10. 10Apply for an expedited appointment, Kosovoustraveldocs.com, last read October 22, 2026
  11. 11www-fmjfee-com-i901fee-home-html-34cb27www.fmjfee.com, last read October 28, 2026
  12. 12U.S. Embassy in Kosovo: Visasxk.usembassy.gov, last read October 11, 2026
  13. 13About DS-2019 - BridgeUSAParticipantsj1visa.state.gov, last read October 23, 2026
  14. 14DHL Express Kosovo: Help and Supportmydhl.express.dhl, last read October 14, 2026
  15. 15USTravelDocswww.ustraveldocs.com, last read October 12, 2026
  16. 169 FAM 402.5 (U) STUDENTS AND EXCHANGE VISITORS – F, M, AND J VISASfam.state.gov, last read October 28, 2026
  17. 17Global Visa Wait Timestravel.state.gov, last read November 3, 2026
  18. 18Summer Work Travel Resource Pagej1visa.state.gov, last read October 23, 2026
  19. 19Common Questionsj1visa.state.gov, last read October 23, 2026
  20. 20Adjudicating Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants in their Country of Residencetravel.state.gov, last read October 11, 2026
  21. 21Adjustments and Extensionsj1visa.state.gov, last read October 23, 2026
  22. 22Visa Status Checkceac.state.gov, last read October 15, 2026
  23. 23The A Company: our numberstheacompany.ai, last read October 17, 2026
  24. 24The A Company: the j-1-short-term servicetheacompany.ai, last read November 2, 2026