Immigration Documents

Your J-1 visa in your passport issued at the U.S. Consulate is your permission to request entry to the United States and obtain J-1 student status to pursue an education at a college or university. The J-1 visa will generally give you the following entries to the United States:

• Single entry, which means you can only enter once even if your visa is valid for 5 years

• Multiple entries, which means that you can enter the U.S. as long as you are in J-1 status and your visa has not expired

In some cases, the date of expiration on your Form DS-2019 and the expiration date on your visa stamp may not coincide. If your visa expires while you are in the United States, but your Form DS-2019 and Form I-94 are up-to-date, your legal immigration status in the United States remains valid. However, if your visa has expired and you depart the United States, you will be required to obtain a new visa before re-entering the United States. It is not possible to renew a J-1 visa in the United States.

Note: If you are traveling to Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands for a period of less than 30 days, you will be permitted to re-enter on an expired visa, provided that it corresponds with your current visa status and your Form I-94 and endorsed DS-2019 are valid.

Children (including stepchildren) 21 and under and legal spouses can be issued dependent documents. For other accompanying dependents, please contact the nearest U.S. consulate about applying for a B tourist visa.

Accompanying dependents of J-1 students are issued J-2 visas and need to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS in order to work in the United States. Employment may not begin until the EAD is received. Please see an advisor in ISSS for more information.

This is the form you used to obtain the J-1 visa stamp to enter the United States. DS-2019 has an end date. If you are not able to complete the program by that date, please contact your program sponsor to apply for an extension 60 days before the date on your DS-2019 and meet with an international student advisor in ISSS.

Please contact ISSS immediately if you lose this form. You must carry Form DS-2019 with you if you travel outside the United States for any reason during your program. Please remember to get this form signed prior to your travel, or you may be denied re-entry into the United States.

The expiration date on your DS-2019 is the date that your program in the United States ends. However, you have 30 days from that date before you are required to leave the United States. You may use this 30-day period to prepare for your departure, or to travel in the United States.

You are not permitted to engage in employment of any kind during this time period. You will not be permitted to re-enter the United States if you travel outside its borders after this date, even if it falls within this 30-day period.