Addmission to the United States as a J-1 Exchange Visitor

I-94 Arrival/Departure Record

The I-94 Arrival/Departure Record is a white or green card that identifies the status of a non-immigrant who enters the United States. Prior to arrival in the US, airline flight attendants distribute copies of form I-94 to all non-US citizens for their completion (Form I-94 must also be completed at land-border crossings). J-1 Exchange Visitors and their J-2 dependents should complete the white copy of form I-94 (individuals entering the United States through the Visa Waiver Program as tourists or temporary business travelers will complete the green I-94W). If you find you must cross out and correct information, please request a new form from a flight attendant.

The I-94 carries a record of your entry to the US, your immigration status (J-1 or J-2), and the date through which you are authorized to remain in the US. The I-94 must be kept throughout your stay in the United States and is surrendered each time you leave the United States to record your departure date in United States Citizenship and Immigration Services files (with the exception of visits to Canada and Mexico). A new I-94 card is then issued upon your return to the US.

When the visitor departs the United States the airline representatives, usually at the airport check-in counter, have been asked to remove the I-94 stub from the passport. Sometimes, due to an oversight, the form is not removed and therefore the passenger's departure is not registered with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. If the visitor's departure is not registered promptly, this can effect the visitor's eligibility to enter the United States on future trips. Visitors should therefore ensure that their I-94 stubs are surrendered to the airline before they board their flight to depart the US.

Admission to the United States

Application for admission to the United States is made with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services when you arrive at a United States port of entry. Upon presentation of your passport with J-1 visa stamp and the Certificate of Eligibility (DS-2019), the immigration officer will review your documents to determine that you are eligible to enter the United States as a J-1 Exchange Visitor. The officer will endorse the DS-2019 in the lower left-hand corner showing the date of your entry to the US, location code of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services admitting office, and the notation "D/S" (Duration of Status indicates that your J-1 status is authorized to the date which appears on your DS-2019 in Section 3). The DS-2019 will be returned to you. Form I-94 will be noted with your date of entry, your non-immigrant status (J-1), and "D/S". The Departure portion of the I-94 will be stapled to your passport and the Arrival portion will be retained for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services files. Each time you enter the United States, you should carefully check your I-94 to be certain that it is marked with the proper non-immigrant classification (J-1 or J-2) and "D/S" (Duration of Status).

To apply for admission in J-2 status, family members should submit their passports with J-2 visa stamps and their copy of their DS-2019. The officer will note their I-94 with the date of entry, their non-immigrant status (J-2), and "D/S" (Duration of Status).

Family members traveling separately should submit their DS-2019 and their passports with J-2 stamps.

Once this process has been completed, you are lawfully admitted to the United States. Your authorized stay will be for the period indicated in Item 3 of Form DS-2019 plus a 30-day grace period in which to depart the United States. Please note that during the 30-day grace period, one is considered to have a tourist status and may not accept any type of compensation from any United States source including the program sponsor.

The DS-2019 is the only record you retain of your specific dates of authorized stay in the US. Therefore, it is necessary to keep your DS-2019 and I-94 together with your passport at all times. Please keep all past, present, and future DS-2019 forms permanently with your personal records since they may be required for future United States visa applications.

It is very important to note that an individual may not seek entry (or reentry) to the United States based solely upon a J-1 (or J-2) visa stamp. A valid Certificate of Eligibility (DS-2019) must always accompany a J-1 (or J-2) visa stamp. If upon entry to the US, one finds that the DS-2019 was lost or left behind, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services may allow temporary entry to the US; however, this method should only be used when it is absolutely necessary.

Temporary Admission by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services with Form I-515

If the DS-2019 is left behind or lost and you are unable to produce the form at the port of entry, the immigration officer will determine if you have a valid J-1 visa stamp and are qualified in all other respects for admission as an Exchange Visitor. The officer may then admit you to the United States in Exchange Visitor status for a period of 30 days and issue Form I-515 (Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor). The form will instruct you to make an appearance with the required fee at a local United States Citizenship and Immigration Services office during the 30-day period. There is no guarantee that the officer will temporarily admit you to the United States if you do not have your DS-2019. You may be required to leave the United States without being admitted.

If your DS-2019 is lost while you are in the United States, a duplicate of your original DS-2019 can be issued by the Institute for Advanced Study's Responsible Officer, Jennifer Hansen.