J-1 Questions

1. I moved to a new address. Do I have to report this to the immigration service?

Yes, all foreign nationals (including U.S. permanent residents) who are physically present in the U.S. must notify U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) of any change in their residential address. To satisfy this requirement, give your new address to the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) within 10 days of the move. OISS will update your new address in the SEVIS database.

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2. I am traveling outside the U.S. for a short trip. What documents do I need in order to come back to the U.S.?

You need your DS-2019 that has been signed for travel within the last year, a valid passport, and an unexpired entry visa. You must have a signature in the “Travel Validation By Responsible Officer” section of your DS-2019. This signature is good for one year from the date of signature, or until the ending date of the DS-2019, whichever is sooner. The signature may only be provided by a Responsible or Alternate Responsible Officer of your J-1 program sponsor. If UNLV issued your DS-2019, bring your DS-2019 to the Office of International Students and Scholars for signature.

If your J-1 visa stamp in your passport is still valid and is for multiple entries, you do not need to apply for a new visa at the U.S. consulate or embassy while you are outside the U.S. If your J-1 visa has expired or was valid for only one or two entries, and you have used those entries, you will need to visit the U.S. consulate or embassy to apply for a new visa in order to re-enter the U.S.

If you are traveling to a “contiguous territory” (Canada, Mexico, and some adjacent islands in the Caribbean) for less than 30 days, your J-1 visa does not have to be valid (unexpired) in order to re-enter the U.S. You may, however, need a visa to enter Canada, Mexico, or an adjacent island. You should check with the consulate or embassy of the country you will visit to find out which countries need entry visas. To re-enter the U.S. from a contiguous territory, you will need your valid passport with your expired or unexpired visa in it, your I-94 card (do not give this up when you leave the U.S.), and your DS-2019 that has been signed for travel within one year. If you changed your status to J-1 within the U.S., you need to also carry the approval notice from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reflecting your current J-1 status. In this case, it is not necessary to have an expired J-1 visa in your passport.

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3. I would like to bring my spouse and children to join me in the U.S. What do I need to do?

Only spouses and children under the age of 21 are eligible for a J-2 visa. Other family members who want to visit you in the U.S. have to apply for a tourist visa. Each J-2 dependent must have his/her own DS-2019 form in order to apply for the J-2 visa and enter the U.S. in J-2 status. You must show that you have sufficient funding in order to bring family members to the U.S. as J-2 dependents. Make an appointment with the International Scholar Advisor in the Office of International Students and Scholars to apply for the dependent DS-2019 forms. If your J-1 sponsor is not UNLV, contact your sponsor for more information. Please note that you must purchase health insurance that meets J regulations for your dependent family members.

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4. As a J-1 Exchange Visitor, am I required to have a certain kind of health insurance? What about my family?

Exchange visitors are required by U.S. law to carry health insurance for themselves and their J-2 family members. Minimum coverage should provide 1) medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness; 2) repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500; 3) expenses associated with medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $10,000; and 4) a deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness. Please see our List of Insurance Providers for a listing of companies that provide insurance plans for J exchange visitors.

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5. My J-1 visa will expire soon, but my DS-2019 is still valid for another year? What should I do?

The purpose of the entry visa in your passport is to help you enter the U.S. It does not determine how long you can stay in the U.S. As long as you remain in the U.S., you only need to extend your DS-2019 and passport. Therefore, the entry visa in your passport can expire once you have entered the U.S., without any effect on your legal status. You need to renew it only if you leave the U.S. and want to return in the same status. At that point, you will need to visit a U.S. consulate or embassy outside the U.S. and apply for a new visa.

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6. How do I get an extension of my DS-2019?

Only the sponsor that issued your DS-2019 may extend it. Some J-1 exchange visitors at UNLV are legally sponsored by other universities or organizations. Look at number 2 on your DS-2019 to identify your sponsor. In any case, you must apply for the extension of your DS-2019 BEFORE your current DS-2019 expires. Contact the Office of International Students and Scholars or your program sponsor at least one month before your current DS-2019 expires to apply for an extension.

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7. I am a J-1 Research Scholar or Professor and I have an opportunity to give a lecture at another institution. They will pay me for speaking. Can I do this?

Yes, it is possible to do occasional lectures and short-term consultations with advance permission from your J-1 program sponsor. Make an appointment with the International Scholar Advisor at the Office of International Students and Scholars for more information on how to apply. Please note that this incidental employment must be directly related to your program objective and should be considered a “single event,” not an ongoing activity.

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8. I am a J-1 Student and I want to transfer to another university. What should I do?

Make an appointment with the International Scholar Advisor in the Office of International Students and Scholars for instructions. The institution to which you are transferring may have a transfer form that they want the International Scholar Advisor at UNLV to complete. Contact the international student office at the new institution to see if they require a transfer form.

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9. I am a J-1 Research Scholar or Professor and I want to continue my research/teaching at another institution. Can I transfer my J-1 status to another institution? How do I do this?

It depends on your situation. The program objective and J-1 category at the new institution must match those indicated on your DS-2019 issued by UNLV. In addition, Research Scholars/Professors are only allowed three years maximum of J-1 status in this category. The maximum of three years is counted cumulatively during any uninterrupted stay, regardless of how many programs the Research Scholar/Professor participates in. Make an appointment with the International Scholar Advisor in the Office of International Students and Scholars to determine if you are eligible to transfer.

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10. I would like to change my visa status? How do I do this?

Make an appointment with the International Scholar Advisor in the Office of International Students and Scholars. J-1 exchange visitors and J-2 dependents who are subject to the two-year home residence requirement generally cannot change status within the U.S., but may obtain some different type of legal status by travel and re-entry.

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11. My spouse would like to apply for J-2 work authorization. How can he/she do this?

J-2 dependents are allowed to apply for employment authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) so long as the employment is not for the purpose of supporting the J-1. The J-2 can only begin employment after receiving the work permit from USCIS. You can get more information about applying for J-2 work authorization from the Office of International Students and Scholars.

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12. I am a J-1 Student and will be graduating soon. How can I get permission for Academic Training?

Make an appointment with the International Scholar Advisor in the Office of International Students and Scholars for instructions on how to apply for Academic Training. Note that you must apply for work authorization under Academic Training BEFORE your current DS-2019 expires and BEFORE you begin any employment.

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13. What is the two-year home residence requirement?

This is part of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (section 212e). The J Exchange Visitor program was created to increase the exchange of knowledge and to enhance mutual understanding between nations. In order to accomplish these goals, Congress created section 212(e) to ensure that significant numbers of exchange visitors return home at the end of their J programs. This two-year rule does not apply to everyone. It applies when an exchange visitor receives government funding from the U.S. or his/her home country. It also applies if the exchange visitor’s country of nationality is included in the U.S. Department of State’s “skills list” and the list contains the exchange visitor’s career specialty. Many countries have a skill list of essential specialty fields which are needed in the home country for its continued development.

If the two-year rule applies, it prevents the exchange visitor from obtaining U.S. permanent residency (“green card”), or a temporary work visa (H or L) in the U.S. until the visitor first is physically present in his/her home country for two years. It may be possible in some cases to receive a waiver of the two-year rule. Contact the Office of International Students and Scholars or visit the U.S. Department of State’s website on J-1 waivers for more information.

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