INFORMATION FOR J-1 EXCHANGE VISITORS

Pre-Arrival Information for J-1 Scholars

Explanation of Documents

The following is a summary of the documents needed to obtain entry to and maintain J-1 status in the US:

Passport:

• Proof that you hold citizenship in a country to which you may return at the conclusion of your stay in the US
• Issued by the passport agency of your home country, then examined and returned to you by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the US port of entry
• Must remain valid (six month minimum validity expected upon arrival to US) during your stay in the US
• May be renewed while in the US
• May be replaced, if lost in the US, by contacting your home country’s nearest Consulate or Embassy

Entry Visa:

• Proof that you have demonstrated your admissibility to the US in J-1 status
• Issued by a US Consulate (Department of State), then examined and returned to you by CBP at the US port of entry
• Does NOT need to remain valid during your stay in the US (may expire during your stay without adversely affecting your nonimmigrant status)
• May NOT be replaced (if the passport in which it has been placed is lost) or renewed within the US - a new application must be made outside the US prior to reentry to the US

I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record):

• Proof that you have been admitted to the US in J-1 status for a certain period of time (typically "D/S", meaning duration of status, or that your stay in the US is legal as long as you maintain your nonimmigrant status)
• Issued by airline personnel en route to the US, then stamped and returned to you (usually stapled into your passport near the entry visa page) by CBP at the US port of entry
• Must remain valid during your stay in the US in nonimmigrant status-see an international scholar advisor at OISS immediately if the I-94 is stamped with a specific date rather than with the "D/S" notation
• Must be replaced, if lost, by submitting an application and fee to United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS)

DS-2019:

• Proof to the US Consulate that you are eligible for J-1 entry visa; proof to CBP that you are eligible for admission to the US in J-1 status; proof to CIS that you are maintaining J-1 status at a particular institution for a specified period of time
• Issued by the US institution at which you will engage in a J-1 program; examined by the US Consulate at the time of entry visa application; then examined, stamped, and returned to you by CBP at the US port of entry
• Must remain valid during your stay in the US in J-1 status
• Must be replaced, if lost, by notifying an OISS advisor

SEVIS Fee Receipt:

• Proof to the US Consulate that the SEVIS fee has been paid on your behalf.
• The SEVIS fee is a fee charged by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to defray the costs of the administration and maintenance of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the system used to monitor and track F-1 students, J-1 Exchange Visitors and their dependents
• You should retain your SEVIS receipt with your other documents, as it may be important in the future to have proof that the fee was paid

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Applying for a Visa

Immigration Status vs. Visa
There is often confusion about which document is the visa and which document designates your immigration status. This confusion is compounded by the frequent use of the word "visa" to mean many different concepts. Your Form I-94 card designates your immigration status. The Form I-94 card is the white card issued to you by USCIS when you enter the United States at a designated port of entry. A visa is the document issued by the US State Department at a US embassy and affixed to a page in your passport. The visa grants you eligibility to enter the US in a specific immigration status. A J-1 visa cannot be issued without a valid Form DS-2019.

The Visa Application
All visa applications require a valid passport, a completed visa application, Form DS-160, and visa processing fee. Because the processing of visa applications varies at each consulate, it is important that you visit the website of the consulate where you will be applying for a visa in order to see what additional documentation is required. The time needed for processing an application, which varies by consulate, may also be indicated on the consulate’s website.

Information on individual US consular office procedures for processing visa applications can be found at:
http://usembassy.state.gov

Form DS-160 can be found on the designated consulate’s web page or at:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_4230.html

A note about Form DS-7002
The form DS-7002 is only required for visa applications in the J-1 trainee or intern categories. If you are entering the U.S. in any other J-1 category, you do not need to complete this form. Check your DS-2019 for your exchange visitor category; the category is indicated in section #4 on your DS-2019.

Security Checks
All visa applicants will undergo security checks. Security checks can delay or even result in the denial of a visa. Because of this, you should apply for the visa well in advance of the date you wish to travel to the US. The State Department has its own reasons for running security checks on applicants. There is no way to predict with certainty which applicants will be subject to these checks. However, you are more likely to be subject to an in-depth security check if you meet one of the following criteria:

1. You are applying for a visa in a third country. A third country means a country that is not your country of citizenship.
2. You are coming from or have traveled in certain countries, including the countries on the US State Department’s List of State Sponsors of Terrorism: Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria. Experience has shown that persons from Russia and China are usually subject to in-depth security checks.
3. You are engaged either professionally or academically in any of the fields listed on the US State Department’s Technology Alert List ("TAL"). These fields include, but are not limited to, physics, engineering, chemistry, biology, architecture, and urban planning.

For information about the visa application interview, click here.

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Travel Arrangements

Check your start date on your DS-2019 before making travel arrangements. You may not arrive in the US more than 30 days before or after your start date. If you cannot arrive during this timeframe, please contact your department so that OISS can amend your DS-2019.

We recommend that you schedule your arrival for a few days before the program start date on your DS-2019, so that you can search for an apartment and settle in. Remember that immigration laws do not allow you to begin working before your DS-2019 start date.

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Initial Expenses

• Transportation:
  • Taxi: $32 per person, on average, from the airport
  • Bus & Metro Link: $1.50-$3 per ride
  • Rental Car: $35-$65 per day


• Hotel: $70-$200 per room, per night



• Food: $105 per person, per week
  • Fast Food: $5-$8 per person, per meal
  • Restaurant: $6-$20 per person, per meal


• Tips: 15-20% of the check’s total



• First Month’s Rent: $400-$1,600



• Rental Deposits: $400-$1,600



• Utility and Phone Deposits: $100-$250



• Utility Costs: $50-$150 per month



• Household Furnishings: $300-$1,800

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Items to Pack

In Your Carry-On Luggage:

• Immigration documents: passport with J-1 entry visa, DS-2019, and SEVIS fee receipt
• Offer letter from sponsoring department at Washington University
• About $200 cash in US dollars for initial expenses
• Medical records (translated, if possible)
• List of emergency phone numbers and contacts in your home country and at Washington University
• Clothing and toiletries, enough for a few days (in case your luggage is lost)
• Laptop computer and any small electronics you may be bringing

In Your Checked Luggage:

• Clothing and shoes. The weather in St. Louis varies by season, so you'll want to pack accordingly. You can find average temperatures and precipitation here: www.weatherbase.com. Note: Temperatures in the US are measured in Fahrenheit (°F).
• Books, pictures, mementos from your home country. Besides having mementos of your home country for yourself, this is a great way to share your culture with the Americans you'll meet.

Leave at Home:

• Items that you do not need immediately can be shipped, including bulky items that do not fit in your luggage or clothing that you do not need immediately.
• Many items can be purchased in the US rather than bringing them from home, such as home appliances, cookware, glassware, most books, and food items.

For information about restrictions on what you cannot bring in your carry-on or checked luggage, please visit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website -http://www.tsa.gov/.

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Temporary Housing

• Contact your department to find out if they can offer you any assistance in making temporary arrangements.
• Reserve a hotel room for a few nights to give you time to find an apartment or other housing for your stay in St. Louis. To search for a hotel, visit http://www.explorestlouis.com/visitors/stay.asp

When you check-in with OISS, we will give you more information about finding an apartment or other housing in St. Louis. You can also find more information here.

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