|
Legal
Counsel > Frequently asked Questions >
J-1 Visa Program > Visa
Information Sheet
We have enclosed this information with the
original DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor
(J-1) Status, that has been completed identifying you at the top of
the page. The form is referred to as Form DS-2019 because those
initials and numbers and the date (10B2001) are printed in the lower
left-hand corner of the front page. In addition, the information on
the DS-2019 has been entered into the database of the Student and
Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for the Department of
Homeland Security.
- There have been, and will continue to be,
changes related to participation in J-1 Exchange Visitor Programs. You
should take this opportunity to go to the following website for the
most current information regarding (J-1) participation,
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/jexchanges/participation.htm
- You must read all of the material on both
page 1 and page 2 of the DS-2019, then sign the form in blue ink at
the bottom of the page.
- When reading the form, note that your total
maximum program stay is defined in Section 3 on your Form DS-2019, and
the category of your stay is identified in Section 4.
- The U.S. Department of State requires that
you pay a one-time fee for each nonimmigrant program in which you
participate as a student or exchange visitor. Additional information
is available on the following website,
http://www.fmjfee.com Prior to your departure for the United
States, the DS-2019, together with your valid passport, and a receipt
of payment of the required fee must be presented to the Consular or
Immigration Officer at the nearest U.S. Consulate or U.S. Embassy
Office. You will also need specific information about your travel
plans; a flight itinerary or airline ticket should suffice.
- You are well advised appear at the U.S.
Consular or U.S. Embassy Office considerably in advance of your
scheduled departure date. The enclosed Letter of Support (addressed:
To Whom It May Concern) should also be given to the Consular or
Immigration Officer to whom you present your Form DS-2019. The
Consular or Immigration Officer will endorse the Form DS-2019 in the
lower left-hand corner, and will return to you the form and the Letter
of Support. (The Officer may place the form and the Letter of Support
in a sealed envelope and this envelope is usually attached to your
passport.)
- You may have to show your Form DS-2019 when
you check in at the airport for your flight to the U.S.
- When you first arrive in the U.S. and go
through Immigration, the Immigration Officer will verify your status
with the SEVIS computer and then return the DS-2019 to you. The
Immigration Officer in the U.S. will also give you a Form I-94 that
will be stapled in your passport. You will need your passport, the
Form DS-2019, and the Form I-94 for departure when you leave the U.S.
Be careful not to lose any of them.
- If you plan to travel outside of the U.S.
during your J-visa program, you must check your visa carefully. Your
visa must not have expired and must be valid for re-entry. Before you
leave the U.S., you must request the signature of the Responsible or
Alternate Responsible Officer in the lower right-hand corner of the
Form DS-2019, "Travel Validation by Responsible Officer" for every
entry into the U.S.
- Earnings from J-1 employment, including
income from assistantships, are usually subject to federal, state, and
local income taxes. Additional information on J-1 federal income tax
obligations may be found in Internal Revenue Service publications 515,
Withholding on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Corporations, and 519,
U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens. All J-1 and J-2 non-immigrants must file an
income tax statement (IRS Form 8843) regardless of age or income
earned in the United States.
|
frequent
questions