Please read this information carefully. It is your responsibility to maintain compliance with United States Immigration laws during your stay. Should you have any questions regarding your non-immigrant status or documents (passport, I-94, visa, DS-2019 or I-797) during your program, please open a support ticket at support.disneyprograms.com. When not in use, it is encouraged that you keep your travel documents (passport, I-94, DS-2019, I-797) stored in a locked storage compartment in your apartment.
PASSPORT
Your passport should be valid for the entire length of your stay in the United States. (Note: Citizens of certain countries are required to have passports valid for the entire length of the stay in the United States plus six months.)
If your passport expires during your program or is lost or stolen, you must contact your country’s embassy/consulate in the United States and follow their procedures to obtain a new passport. If lost or stolen, a police report may be necessary to obtain a replacement passport. It is recommended that you keep a scan or electronic copy of your travel documents (passport, visa, I-94, DS-2019, I-797) for your records.
VISA
You may only work for the company sponsoring your visa.
Your visa controls how many times you may enter the United States before the printed expiration date. Depending on your country of citizenship and visa classification, your visa will be marked “M” (for multiple entries) or will specify the maximum number of entries permitted with a number.
You will not be able to leave and re-enter the United States once your maximum number of entries has been reached or if your visa has expired. Visas are not always valid for the entirety of each program.
If your visa is not sponsored by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, U.S., Inc., you should contact your sponsor for any visa-related questions. For J-1 visa holders, your sponsor’s contact information is listed on your DS- 2019.
ELECTRONIC I-9 ADMISSION DOCUMENT
You were electronically entered into the U.S. Customs and Border Protection records or you were issued a physical I-94 card when you entered the U.S. The I-94 Admission document is critical to your lawful presence in the U.S. It contains both an “admit until” date (Q-1 – will have a date listed and the “admit until” date for a J-1 should be listed as D/S) and your visa classification.
Entry and departure dates are recorded electronically by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. You will be required to print out this information for your employment upon arrival by visiting the website: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home using the information listed on the biographical page in your passport.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Prior to booking international travel, you must request and be granted time off from your managers or scheduling.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your travel documents are in order before international travel. Please make sure that:
- Your passport is not expired.
- Your visa is valid for your entire intended travel time. Please note your visa may expire prior to the end of your program.
You visa lists “M” for multiple entries. Remember if you have a “1” listed in the entries field, you have already used this entry and you will not be able to re-enter the United States with this visa.
If your visa is expired and/or you do not have any available entries left and you need to travel internationally during your program, you will need to make an appointment in advance at an United States Embassy/Consulate abroad to apply for a new visa.
Be sure that you have proper documentation to enter the country you are planning to visit. Depending on your country of citizenship you may require a visitor visa. Please contact the embassy of the country you are planning to visit for more information.
J-1 Cultural Exchange Visitors must have their DS-2019 signed authorizing international travel.
- Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. sponsored visa – Please contact Immigration Compliance by opening a support ticket at least 1-2 weeks prior to your international travel.
- Visas sponsored by external organizations or universities – You will need to contact your visa sponsor prior to traveling. Contact information is found on your DS-2019. You must allow time to get your DS-2019 to your sponsor and time to receive it back if they are not local.
RETURNING FROM INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Each time you enter the United States, you must check your electronic I-94 admission at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home or your I-94 card (if applicable) to ensure that it reflects your proper visa classification and the correct “admit until” date. If you feel that there is an error, you must contact the Walt Disney World Immigration Compliance department so your documents can be reviewed and determination can be made if a correction is needed. If everything is correct, no further action is needed.
TRAVEL AFTER YOUR PROGRAM
Q-1 Cultural Representatives - Upon satisfactory completion of your program, you must leave the United States on or before the “admit until” date on your I-94 card OR within 30 days beyond the program’s end date, whichever date comes first.
J-1 Cultural Exchange Visitors - Upon successful completion of your program, you must leave the United States no later than 30 days after the end of your program. If you choose to end your program early or your employment is terminated, you must depart the United States (within 24 - 48 hours).
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES IN A TIMELY MANNER.
It is extremely important that you depart the United States within the allotted travel period as overstaying your time may result in a negative impact on your vista status and future ability to travel to the United States.
The U.S. Department of State requires J-1 Cultural Exchange Visitors to participate in two-way communication with their visa sponsor and to report a cultural activity that highlights United States culture each month. It is your responsibility to fulfill and document this monthly requirement no later than the last day of each month of your program. Failure to do so could result in discipline not excluding termination from your program and a no-rehire status which could prevent future employment with any Disney-owned company.