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J-1 Visa Information for International Visiting Faculty
The J-1 visa website of The International Center at the University of Missouri-Columbia was used as a guide in the formation of the J-1 visa information of the Colorado College International Studies Program website. General Information & Applying for a J-1Visa The Exchange Visitor Program is carried out pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. Its purpose is to enhance the understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through educational and cultural exchanges. Through the Exchange Visitor Program, international scholars may visit the United States temporarily to teach, lecture, study, observe, conduct research, consult, train, or demonstrate special skills. Colorado College is a designated sponsoring organization to facilitate the entry of international scholars into the United States to complete the objective of the program categories for J-1 visas. At the conclusion of their visit, participants are expected to return to their home countries. The International Studies Program administers the Colorado College’s Exchange Visitor Program, and issues the Form DS-2019 that exchange visitors use to apply at an American embassy or consulate for the J-1 visa to enter the United States. To be consistent with the legal terminology, in this document we will refer to “international visiting faculty” as “J-1 exchange visitors.” If you have been offered employment by Colorado College, you should be in communication with a faculty member who is helping you with the details of your arrival. Please be prepared to provide the following informtation to the International Studies Program office: current email and mailing address; birth date; city and country of birth; country of citizenship; country of legal permanent residence; proof of health insurance; and if you have previously been a J-1 exchange visitor in the United States, the end date of the most recent J-1 program. With this information the International Studies Program will be able to complete the electronic application Form DS-2019 and send it to the Dean's Office. The Dean's Office will send the Form DS-2109 and your contract letter to your mailing address. Please follow the Instructions for processing Form DS-2019. Once you have visited your U.S. Consular Officer and have successfully acquired a J-1 visa, please communicate your arrival details with your faculty host. You have 30 days before and after your program’s beginning and end dates for travel. Please contact the International Studies Program when you arrive on campus, so we can greet you, and validate your arrival with SEVIS. Detailed information about the Exchange Visitor Program is available on the official SEVIS website: http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/index.htm Your Immigration Documents Once you receive your DS-2109 from Colorado College you can make an appointment with the U.S. Embassy/Consulate to apply for your J-1 visa. Be sure to submit your SEVIS fee payment in time to allow the processing of the payment to be completed 3 days prior to the visa interview. Fees will not be payable at the consulate. Bring your receipt of payment of the SEVIS fee along with your valid passport and your Form DS-2019 to the visa interview. The application process varies from country to country, so you should contact the consular office in your country regarding its visa application process prior to making the application. Please be aware that a visa does not guarantee entrance into the U.S. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has the authority to deny admission at the port of entry. You should make sure to have all of your documents in order upon arrival. Before you leave the airplane the flight attendant will pass out an I-94 card for you to fill out with information regarding your arrival in the U.S. At the port of entry immigration officials will inspect your passport, visa, and statement of financial support. They will also stamp your documents as proof of your legal entry into the U.S. Your Form I-94 is usually stapled in your passport. It documents your entry, including your status and length of time you can stay in the U.S., on your visa. When you travel, carry important documents with you. Do not place them in a suitcase.
Health Insurance Requirements All J-1 exchange visitors are required to have and maintain health insurance, which includes coverage for repatriation and medical evacuation, for themselves and any accompanying family members (J-2) as a condition of their legal status in the U.S. To comply with this federal regulation, Colorado College requires that every person in J-1 status, including dependents, document their insurance coverage. Colorado College’s health plan does not cover J-1 exchange visitors who are employed for less than a year. The following are the health insurance requirements:
Additional Terms - A policy secured to fulfill the insurance requirements shall not have a deductible that exceeds $500 per accident or illness, and must meet other standards specified in the regulations. Links to Health Insurance Carriers:
Maintaining Legal Status J-1 exchange visitors are at all times expected to maintain the following:
If you plan to travel outside the U.S., please visit the International Studies Program with your Form DS-2019 for travel endorsement at least two weeks prior to your departure date. Otherwise, you may not be able to return to the United States. Length of Stay and Extensions The length of stay for a J-1 exchange visitor on a professor category is 5 years. If your Form DS-2019 is expiring and you have been asked to extend your stay, you must request an extension with the International Studies Program. Extension is an option, provided that you have not utilized the maximum five year period. J-1 exchange visitors on the short-term scholar category can only stay for a period up to 6 months. Important points to remember:
Limitations The “24 month bar”:
Transfers from/to Colorado College A J-1 exchange visitor in any category may transfer from one program sponsor to another if the purpose of the transfer is to complete the objective for which he or she was admitted. The transfer is accomplished through correspondence between the two responsible officers of both institutions and the J-1 exchange visitor. Any employment under the new sponsor may not commence until the transfer has been approved and transfer procedures must be completed before terminating employment from the institution from which you are transferring. J-1 exchange visitors wishing to transfer from Colorado College must contact the International Studies Program, and the respective office of the new institution to initiate the process in the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
J-1 exchange visitors are not allowed to change categories (from research scholar to student for example) through the process of transfer. Changes of category can only be accomplished generally through a process of departing the U.S. and applying for a new visa to enter under the new category. A J-1 exchange visitor in the professor or research sholar has a maximum of 5 years to be in this status. This refers to total time so if you have transferred programs from another institution, the time at that institution counts toward the 5 years. Six month extensions beyond this 5-year maximum are possible under certain circumstances, such as unanticipated changes in research or a delay in the anticipated completion of a research project.
Travel Abroad Information during your visit at Colorado College When traveling outside the U.S., J-1 exchange visitors must have in their possession the proper documents to return to the U.S. to resume their activities. These documents are:
Employment J-1 exchange visitors are eligible to engage in the educational activities as outlined on their Form DS-2019. Your employment is both job and site specific, as stated on the Form DS-2019. A change in department or to another category of job is not permitted. Off Campus Consultations and Lectures:
Required Documents:
Dependent Information J-2 dependents are defined as a spouse or an unmarried minor child of a J-1 exchange visitor. If you plan to be accompanied by your spouse or your children, you must send their place of birth, birth date, occupation, and citizenship to the International Studies Program to complete their Form DS-2019. J-2 dependents:
J1 Visa Information - Important Definitions Admission Number: Arrival / Departure Record: Certificate of Eligibility (DS-2019): "D/S" - Duration of Status: Employment Authorization Document (EAD): Department of State (DOS): J-1 Exchange Visitor: Non-Immigrant: Out-of-Status: Passport: Reinstatement: Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO): SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System): SEVIS Fee: Transfer: “Two Year Bar”: Two-year home country physical presence requirement: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): Visa: |
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