Travel and Visas

Exchange Visitors occasionally leave the U.S. for short periods. An absence of over one month at one time is not appropriate unless it is in conjunction with the exchange program. Exchange Visitors who anticipate absences longer than 30 days should consult ISS. Except for very brief trips, J-2 dependents should depart the U.S. with the J-1.

If visiting other countries, the Exchange Visitor should contact the consulate or embassy of the country to be visited to determine what documents are necessary for entry. Exchange Visitors wishing to visit Canada should check the website for the Canadian Consulate in Seattle to determine if a Canadian visa is required for entry to Canada.

The following documents are needed to re-enter the U.S. in J-1 or J-2 status after a temporary absence:

• DS-2019, endorsed for travel by ISS. The travel endorsement is confirmation that the Exchange Visitor is in good status, and is valid up to twelve months.
• Valid passport.
• Valid J-1 or J-2 visa. If the visa has expired, or the entries permitted by that visa have been used, a new U.S. visa must be obtained prior to return unless eligible for automatic revalidation (see below). U.S. consulates worldwide conduct in-person interviews with virtually all visa applicants. Appointments for visa interviews should be scheduled as early as possible. There is no mechanism to obtain, prior to departure, a guarantee of the right to re-enter the U.S. The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs has helpful information.

The U.S. consulates in Canada and Mexico would be overwhelmed with visa applications if every Exchange Visitor needed a valid visa to return to the U.S. after a brief visit across the border. Under certain circumstances, persons with expired visas are allowed to return to the U.S. without having to obtain new visas. This is known as “automatic extension of visa validity.” To qualify, Exchange Visitors must be applying for readmission to the U.S. after a temporary absence of not more than 30 days in Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands except Cuba, have maintained and intend to resume status as an Exchange Visitor, have a previously authorized stay which is valid at the time of re-entry, present a currently valid Form I-94 and DS-2019, and have a valid passport with an expired visa stamp. The visa will be considered to be "extended" (and "converted" to the proper visa category if having changed status while in the U.S.) to the date of re-entry, eliminating the need to obtain a new visa at a U.S. consulate before that particular re-entry. Persons who apply for a new visa while in Canada, Mexico, or islands in the Caribbean are ineligible for automatic revalidation. Also, citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and North Korea are ineligible for automatic revalidation.

Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and certain other U.S. territories and possessions are part of the United States. No visa is necessary for travel to or return from those locations. However, Exchange Visitors should carry full documentation (passport, DS-2019, I-94), especially if the travel involves transit through or short stays in other countries where full documentation including a valid visa would be necessary for return to the U.S.