J-1 Students

Your passport must be valid at all times. Keep your passport and other important  documents in a safe place, such as a bank safe-deposit box. Report a lost or stolen passport to the police because your government may require a police report   before issuing a new passport. To renew or replace your passport, contact your   country’s consulate in the U.S.

Visa (Foil)

The visa is the foil (sometimes called a sticker or stamp) that the U.S. consular officer placed on a page in your  passport. The visa permitted you to apply for admission into the U.S. as a J-1  student, and does not need to remain valid while you are in the U.S. Visas can only be obtained outside of the U.S. at a U.S. consulate.  Note: Neither citizens of Bermuda nor Canada are required to have a visa.

If your visa expires while you are in the U.S., the next time you travel abroad  you must obtain a new J-1 visa before returning to the U.S. You do not need to depart the U.S. due to visa expiration.

Please remember: If your visa expires while you are in the U.S., the next time you travel abroad you must obtain a new J-1 visa before returning to the U.S. You do not need to depart the U.S. due to visa expiration.

Please Note: Automatic Revalidation DOES NOT renew your visa. This is a temporary measure for trips less than 30 days to adjacent North American countries and nearby islands when the visa is expired and WILL NOT renew your visa.  Please see Automatic Revalidation for further info and we highly recommend contacting isss-students@mail.wvu.edu before attempting this maneuver for complete information and advising.

Form DS-2019 "Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status"

Issued by WVU, this document allows you to apply for an J-1 visa if you are outside  the U.S, apply for J-1 status within the U.S., enter and reenter the U.S. in J -1 status, and prove your eligibility for various J-1 benefits. The DS-2019 indicates the institution in which you are permitted to study, your program of study, and the dates of eligibility. 

The DS-2019 must remain valid at all times. Request an extension prior to its expiration date.  Allowing  the DS-2019 to expire before you complete your academic program may be a violation of J -1 status.  

The DS-2019 is a printout from your  SEVIS (Student Exchange Visitor Information System) record. SEVIS is an internet-based database that allows schools and federal immigration agencies  to exchange data on the status of international students. Information is transmitted  electronically throughout an J-1 student’s academic career in the U.S. Each student has a unique SEVIS ID number, which is printed on your DS-2019 in the top right corner.

I-94 (Arrival/Departure Form)

Paper Form I-94

If you have a paper Form I-94, regulations require that those individuals holding non-immigrant (temporary) visa status turn their I-94 arrival/departure record  card when leaving the U.S. if you have an I-94 that was attached in your passport.  Failure to do that will result in the departure not being recorded properly in  Department of Homeland Security (DHS) system and the individual being regarded  as overstaying his/her authorized stay. This can have serious consequences on future entry into the U.S.

Online Form I-94

The issuance of I-94 arrival/departure record cards is now electronic for air and sea travelers. Once a student enters the U.S, a paper I-94 card will not be issued  at the point of entry (for air and sea travelers). Students will have to access  the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website to print out the paper copy  of their I-94 card for their records. The Form I-94 is required for processing  social security cards and Driver Licenses. To obtain your I-94, you can visit  CBP's I-94 website, click  on "get most recent I-94," enter your passport information,  and print. 

More information concerning the Form I-94 can be found on the CBP website. 

Students in J-1 status are responsible for learning, understanding, and complying with U.S. federal laws and regulations governing the J visa. Failure to do so will violate the scholar’s legal status in the United States.  Summaries for many of the rules and regulations for J-1 students can be found on back of the Form DS-2019. Additional information about maintaining your J-1 status here -  https://j1visa.state.gov/participants/current . 

Due to recent US Department of Homeland Security guidance, we cannot send or give DS-2019s to extended family members, friends, or third parties. They must sent or given directly to the primary beneficiary (J-1) or dependent (J-2). If you wish to pick up your DS-2019, you must bring an ID.

Maintaining Your Status

This section will cover:

1. Full-time Enrollment Requirements for J-1 status
2. Extension of the DS-2019 Program End Date
3. Reduced Course Load Requests
4. Online Class Limits
5. Requesting to Withdraw Entirely From the Semester
6. Physical U.S. Address Requirement and Changes
7. Reporting Changes to your Program or Major
8. Changing Educational Levels
9. Abiding by Employment Regulations
10. Obtaining a Travel Endorsement on the DS-2019 for Travel Outside of the U.S.
11. Transferring your SEVIS Record to Another Institution to Continue Your Studies
12. Departure Requirements and End of Your Program Options

To maintain in good standing with your student status at WVU you must take at least 12 credit hours per the fall/spring semesters at the undergraduate level and meet all the WVU requirements. At the graduate level full course of study is defined by your college but usually 9 credit hours per the fall/spring semesters. 

Please note: If you begin your studies at the beginning of the summer semester (May), you must be enrolled full-time for the summer semester (12 credit hours for undergraduate & 9 credit hours for graduate). If you begin your studies during the second half of summer, you must be enrolled for 6 credit hours undergraduate/graduate to be considered full-time.

Authorization to register less than or drop below full-time (see below) must be obtained through International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) prior to less than full-time enrollment or dropping below full-time. Dropping below full-time without prior authorization is considered a violation of status that would result in your visa status being terminated if not corrected.

YOU MUST REMAIN ENROLLED FULL-TIME AT ALL TIMES UNTIL YOU RECEIVE AUTHORIZATION ONLY FROM AN ISSS INTERNATIONAL ADVISOR AFTER PLACING A REQUEST TO DROP BELOW FULL-TIME. APPROVAL FOR SUCH REQUESTS ARE NOT GURANTEED. Further info can be found below.

Please Note: 

- A grade of "W" (for withdrawal) does not count towards full-time enrollment

- Neither the "Winter Intercession" nor the "Maymester" count towards full-time enrollment

2. Apply for an Extension Prior to the DS-2019 Expiration  

If the student will not be able to complete their program by the program end date listed on their Form DS-2019, they will need to apply for a DS-2019 extension. Please note: A student may not apply for a DS-2019 extension after their DS-2019 expires (after the program end date on the Form DS-2019).  

The DS-2019 must remain valid at all times. You may request an extension prior to the DS-2019 expiration date by logging into your request portal, going to "Requests and Documents", selecting the Extension of DS-2019 icon, completing all required fields, and submitting the request to ISSS.

When completing the DS-2019 extension request, the student will need to:

• certify continued financial ability to meet expenses.
• submit a recommendation via the Approver Request field to their academic advisor who will explain why you need an extension, etc. and answer the other questionnaires required***. 

Please Note: if the need for an extension is due to medical reasons, an additional letter from an MD/DO/Licensed Clinical Psychologist explaining the situation will need to be provided 

Once we have reviewed your completed request, we will e-mail you about your newly updated DS-2019 and how you may access it.   

DS-2019 may only be extended up to one (1) additional year per extension request.

***For non-degree seeking students (or exchange students), our office simply needs approval from the Education Abroad office that the partner school has approved the change in study plans.

Further Important Information About I-20 Extensions:

- Allowing the DS-2019 to expire before you complete your academic program is a violation of J-1 status. ISSS CANNOT EXTEND your DS-2019 past your program end date and YOU MUST request an extension from our office if you believe you will need additional time to earn your degree or finish your exchange. If for any reason you feel you will need an extension (not sure if you will pass a course or complete program requirements by the time your DS-2019 expires), please place the extension request as a precautionary measure prior to your DS-2019 expiring and within the semester in which it will expire. 

- If there is a chance you may fail a course that will lead to needing more time in your degree and delay graduation, it is advised you place the extension request prior to taking the final for the course(s). If you do pass the course and do not need the extension, ISSS can then assist with withdrawing your request.

- If you allow your DS-2019 to expire and do not request an extension in a timely manner, you most likely will be required to depart the U.S. after DS-2019 completion/termination, will need to request a new DS-2019 with new SEVIS number in order to return to the U.S. to complete your program or seek reinstatement, pay a new SEVIS fee, and if your visa is expired, obtain another or renew the visa prior to returning to the U.S. to finish your studies.

- Allowing your DS-2019 to expire without requesting an extension for more time in your program is a serious matter and you should always be aware of your program end date on your DS-2019 and communicate needs for an extension with ISSS at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu prior to expiration of your DS-2019.

- Although ISSS does its best to provide information about the DS-2019, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand when their program end date is approaching and communicate the need for an extension to an ISSS staff member. After a program end date has passed, an extension of the DS-2019 is unlikely and you may need to depart the U.S., complete the onboarding process again, and re-enter on a new DS-2019/SEVIS record if you failed to request an extension in time or seek reinstatement.

ISSS can be contacted at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu with questions.

3. Reduced Course Loads: Request to drop below full-time & Obtaining Prior Authorization

Pursuing a "full course of study" is one of the cornerstones of maintaining status. A student must continue to pursue that full course of study throughout each semester in order to maintain status and be in good standing. The maintenance of status is principally the responsibility of the student. 

If you feel that you will need to drop below full time, you must first request permission to do so and have been notified by an Alternate Responsible Officer ("ARO") within ISSS that you have received authorization prior to enrolling in less than a full course of study or prior to dropping any courses during the semester. 

International students must have authorization for a "Reduced Course Load" ("RCL") and have this information updated in SEVIS prior to reducing their course load. Dropping below a full course of study without the prior approval of a ARO in the ISSS office will be considered a violation of status.

To obtain permission to drop below a full course of study for academic or medical reasons, you must complete a request for a Reduced Course Load. The request for a reduced course load in a final semester should be made before the beginning of the semester for which you are requesting it. If the request to drop below full-time occurs during the semester, it must be authorized before dropping any courses.

Please remember: You must maintain full-time enrollment at all times. If seeking to drop a course then add a course that will place you at full-time again, it is best practice to add the course first to ensure there are no issues before dropping a course.  Withdrawals, or W's", do not count toward full-time enrollment.

Please note that some university scholarships may require full-time enrollment. Be sure to speak to the appropriate office managing your scholarship(s) for more information on how it may be impacted by dropping below full-time.

***DO NOT DROP ANY OF YOUR COURSES TO BE BELOW FULL TIME UNTIL YOU RECEIVE NOTIFICATION FROM ISSS THAT A REQUEST HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED.

If you have dropped a course(s) in error or prior to authorization and cannot add the course or another course in STAR, please e-mail registrar@mail.wvu.edu IMMEDIATELY and indicate the error and ask to be added back into the course(s) after discovering the error. Permission to be added back is not guaranteed, so this should be done as soon as possible. E-mail isss-students@mail.wvu.edu immediately if you have dropped below full time without authorization and cannot fix the error and we can further advise; however, this may still be considered a violation of status that would result in the termination of your J-1 status.

If you are enrolled full time and would still like to proceed with a reduced course load request, eligibility requirements can be found here as well - j1visa.state.gov

Directions for making a Reduced Course Load (RCL) request:

1. Be sure you are enrolled full-time.
2. Complete a request for a Reduced Course Load by logging into your student request portal, going to the "requests and documents" section, selecting the icon for a reduced course load, completing all questions and uploading all documents, and submitting the request to ISSS once complete. When you make the request, you will need to:

• Remain enrolled full-time before and during the time you are making the request and not drop below full-time until approved.
• Obtain a recommendation from your Academic Advisor. To get your academic advisor's approval, you will need to add your advisor name and correct e-mail to the "Approver Review" section of the request. The recommendation from the academic advisor (approver) must be completed before we can review the request. You are responsible for following up with your academic advisor to whom you sent the request to alert them that it needs to be completed.
• If the request is for a Medical Reduced Course Load you will also need a completed Medical RCL Form from your licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or licensed clinical psychologist explaining the need for you to drop below full-time or withdraw from all classes and upload this form to your request.

After the request is made, you must wait to be notified by ISSS that your request has been authorized before enrolling in less than or dropping below full-time. An international advisor will communicate with you about any issues regarding meeting the regulations for a reduced course load or inform you of authorization via MIX email.

Please Note: RCL requests for academic reasons still require a student to be enrolled in at least six credit hours (or half the clock hours for IEP).

Consequences of not Enrolling in or Dropping Below a "Full Course of Study" Without Prior Authorization: You will be considered out of status and your SEVIS record will be terminated. You will need to depart the U.S. immediately if you cannot regain a full-time course load. To regain status, you would need to apply for reinstatement through ISSS with the Department of State. Please e-mail isss-students@mail.wvu.edu for any questions related to maintaining full-time status.

4. Online Classes (Distance Education) Limits

It is best practice to enroll in all in-person courses if possible to maintain full-time regulatory requirements for J-1 status. If you do need to enroll in an online course, no more than the equivalent of one on-line/distance education class or 3 credits per session/semester may count towards the “full course of study” requirement per semester.

6. Report any Address changes to ISSS within 10 days 

(*Please Note: If you are seeking to transfer-in your SEVIS record to WVU from another institution, please see the ISSS New Student Onboarding webpage under "Are you transferring from another U.S. institution...?" )

To Transfer-Out your SEVIS record from WVU to another SEVP approved school:

1. Depart the U.S. within 30-day grace period (30 days from the program end date) or completion of program/degree requirements (if not applying for Academic Training), whichever is earlier.

2. Report departure date and reason to ISSS

Sometimes, and for a variety of reasons, students leave the university early or unexpectedly. Some of these reasons include early graduation, completion of practical training, leave of absence, suspension, or expulsion.

U.S. federal regulations require J-1 students to inform ISSS if they plan to leave the university before the expiration date of their DS-2019 form as well as the reason for doing so. Please send us an email at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu.