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J-1 Students

What is the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program?

The purpose of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program is to increase mutual understanding between people of the U.S. and people of other countries through educational and cultural exchanges, thereby strengthening the ties between the nations. There are fifteen different categories under the J-1 visa program: you are here in a “student” category. The J-1 visa accommodates your travel to the U.S. to study full-time, explore, and be a “citizen ambassador.” Please review the Department of State’s Welcome Brochure.

What is J-1 “Status”?

“Status” is your nonresident category officially granted by an immigration official. To be in J-1 “status” means that you are legally in the U.S. and have benefits and restrictions unique to the J-1 visa category. You gain status either by entering the U.S. with J-1 documents or, for people already in the U.S. in a different status, by applying to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for a change of status.

Period of Authorized Stay

Your admission to the U.S. is for “duration of status,” that is, for the length of your J-1 status. J-1 status covers:

  • Time between initial entry and the start of studies (you can enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days before the start date on your DS-2019)
  • Study period when you are a full-time registered student making normal progress in your degree or exchange program studies
  • Optional period of academic training following completion of studies
  • 30-day “grace period” after completion of studies, to prepare to depart the U.S. or change to another status.

Two-year Home Country Physical Presence Requirement

Exchange Visitors subject to the 212(e) two-year home country physical presence requirement must return to their home countries and be physically present there for an aggregate of two years before being eligible to return to the U.S. in H, L, or immigrant (permanent resident/green card) status. When you apply for your J-1 visa at a U.S. consulate or embassy, the U.S. consular officer will check a box on your DS-2019 to indicate whether or not this requirement applies to you.

Health Insurance Requirements

You are required by U.S. law to have health insurance coverage during your entire stay in the U.S; the health insurance coverage must meet minimum requrements. If you bring family members in J-2 status, they must also have health insurance coverage that meets these minimum requirements.

Statements of Compliance

When you complete your Online New Student Check-In, you will be asked to answer questions about your insurance plan and understanding of the J-1 insurance requirements.

J-1 Document Overview

Federal law requires you to carry “registration” documents at all times: DS-2019, passport, and I-94 record. Following is an overview of the documents related to your J-1 status. For day-to-day purposes, we suggest you keep these documents in a secure location such as a bank safe deposit box, and you should carry photocopies. However, if you travel outside the Seattle area you should carry the original documents with you. If you travel by air, train, bus, or ship, you may be required to produce these documents before boarding. Keep photocopies and digital copies of all your documents in a separate location in the event your documents are lost or stolen.

Passport

Your passport must be valid at all times. Keep your passport and other important documents in a safe place, such as a bank safe deposit box. Report a lost or stolen passport to the police because your government may require a police report before issuing a new passport. To renew or replace your passport, contact your country’s consulate in the U.S.

Visa

The visa is the stamp that the U.S. consular officer placed on a page in your passport. The visa permitted you to apply for admission into the U.S. as a J-1 student, and need not remain valid while you are in the U.S. (Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa.) If your visa expires while you are in the U.S., the next time you travel abroad you must obtain a new J-1 visa before returning to the U.S. Exceptions to this rule exist for short trips to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands. Visas can only be obtained outside of the U.S. at a U.S. consulate. For more information, visit our Travel and Visas section.

DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility

Issued by UW, this document allows you to apply for a J-1 visa if you are outside the U.S., apply for J-1 status within the U.S., enter and reenter the U.S. in J-1 status, and prove your eligibility for various J-1 benefits. The DS-2019 indicates the institution in which you are permitted to study, your program of study, and the dates of eligibility. The DS-2019 must remain valid at all times. Request a DS-2019 extension prior to its expiration date. Allowing the DS-2019 to expire before you complete your academic program is a violation of J-1 status.

The DS-2019 is a printout from your SEVIS (Student Exchange Visitor Information System) record. SEVIS is an internet-based database that allows schools and federal immigration agencies to exchange data on the status of international students. Information is transmitted electronically throughout a J-1 student’s academic career in the U.S. Each student has a unique SEVIS ID number, which is printed on your DS-2019 in the top right corner.

I-94 Departure Record

U.S. entry and exits are recorded electronically by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record. This important record lists your entry date, port of entry, and admission status (like “J-1”). The I-94 record may be required as proof of status for J-1 benefits applications, employment verification, and other official purposes. When you enter the U.S. by airplane or ship you will be issued an online I-94 automatically. For entry crossing a land border, you will be issued a white paper I-94 card.

You might need a printout of your I-94 information to apply for various benefits such as a Washington State ID card or a Social Security Number. You can obtain a printout of your I-94 record at I-94 Website.

Travel: Returning to the U.S. After a Temporary Absence

At the port-of-entry, you must present:

  • An unexpired DS-2019 endorsed for travel within the last year by an ISS adviser (or responsible officer of your program sponsor). The travel signature is located in the lower right-hand corner of the form.
  • Valid J-1 visa (with some exceptions)
  • Passport
  • Evidence of finances
  • Copy of your transcript and current course schedule
  • Students outside the U.S. for more than one quarter and those on Academic Training may have additional requirements
  • Go to Travel & Visas for more information

Dependents (Spouse and Children)

Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 may be eligible for J-2 dependent status. Contact your ISS adviser or your program sponsor for procedures to invite a dependent to join you in the U.S. J-2 dependents may apply to USCIS for employment authorization.

Change of Address

Any change of address must be reported to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) within 10 days. Update your local address through your MyUW account, and DHS will automatically be notified of the change. Please note that your local US address must be your physical address, not a P. O. Box. To update your permanent foreign address, which must be a non-U.S. address, Contact ISS .

Transfer of Sponsorship

Are you a current UW student sponsored by Fulbright, LASPAU, or AMIDEAST, and nearing the end of your funding period?

  1. Contact your current program sponsor adviser to discuss your options (you could transfer J-1 sponsorship to UW, or you could consider requesting a UW I-20 and obtaining F-1 status).
  2. Go to Meet an Advisor or use the Contact ISS form to meet with an ISS adviser to discuss the J-1 sponsor transfer process (and, if applicable, the option of F-1 status).
  3. After the appointment with ISS, follow the instructions from your current J-1 program sponsor to initiate the SEVIS/sponsor transfer.
  4. Complete the online ISS J-1 Sponsor Transfer and DS-2019 Request through MyISSS
  5. Allow 15 business days for ISS processing.
  6. You will receive an email notification when your UW DS-2019 is ready to pick up, along with updated employment authorization (if applicable).

Graduation or Completion of Your Exchange Program

The end of your academic program affects your J-1 status. After you graduate or complete your exchange you have a 30-day grace period. Within this 30-day period, you have the following options:

  • Depart the U.S. Once you leave the U.S. (including trips to Canada and Mexico) after completing your studies you are not eligible to reenter the U.S. with your current DS-2019. The grace period is meant for travel within the states and preparation to depart the U.S.
  • Request a new DS-2019 if you will continue at UW in a new degree program. If you are an undergraduate and will begin graduate studies, your new DS-2019 will be issued by Graduate Enrollment Management Services.
  • If you are moving from a Master’s to a Ph.D. program, request a Change of Level DS-2019 from ISS.
  • Transfer your SEVIS record to a new school.
  • Apply to change status to another visa category. ISS advisers cannot assist with change of status applications. If you need additional assistance, we recommend you contact an immigration attorney.

Review the ISS Final Quarter Checklist for more information, including eligibility for work authorization, travel, commencement, inviting family members to visit the U.S., and other related issues.

If you do not complete your educational objective (for example, if you withdraw from your program), you are not eligible for the 30-day grace period. Contact your ISS adviser in this situation.

Early Withdrawal From J-1 Studies

Do you need to stop your studies earlier than planned?

Factors to consider:

  • You must exit the U.S. within 30 days of the withdrawal date and remain physically outside of the U.S.
  • ISS must change the program end date in your electronic J-1 SEVIS record to match your withdrawal date.
  • ISS will issue an updated DS-2019 to document your shortened program end date.
  • You cannot use the updated DS-2019 to reenter the U.S. after the changed program end date.
  • You are not eligible for J-1 benefits during the withdrawal period (such as on-campus employment, Academic Training, etc.)
  • This ISS Withdrawal process is only for the purpose of notifying the U.S. government and updating your immigration record. You must independently notify other campus units of your early departure. This could include but is not limited to, Housing & Food Services, the Office of the University Registrar, UW Study Abroad, and your Academic Department.
  • If this withdrawal is temporary–and if you plan to resume future studies–you must contact ISS to request a new DS-2019.

J-1 Students – Notify ISS of Withdrawal through MyISSS

Log into MyISSS

Contacting the U.S. Department of State

The Exchange Visitor Program is administered under the oversight of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
U.S. Department of State
State Annex SA-5, Fifth Floor
Washington, DC 20522-0505
Dept of State Contacts

Report Abuse or Exploitation – If you are mistreated and/or your rights are violated, and your sponsor is not providing the help you need, contact the Department of State for assistance:

J-1 Visa Emergency Hotline: 1-866-283-9090.
This line is for use by exchange visitors and third parties in case of urgent situations. A Department of State representative is available 24 hours a day.

Regular Communications or questions: jvisas@state.gov.
This e-mail address is to communicate non-emergency issues, questions, and concerns.

Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers and Students
The U.S. government is committed to fighting human trafficking and labor abuses. You have rights and protections in the U.S., and there are resources if you need help. Learn about your rights and protections, and review the Wilberforce pamphlet, created at the prompting of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (Public Law 110-457).