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  s tolen 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.

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 i ndicates 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.   

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. 

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.

Online Classes (Distance Education) Limits

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.

Request drop below full-time 

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") prior to reducing their course load. Dropping below a full course of study without the prior approval of an 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. Do not drop your courses until you receive notification from ISSS that the 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 and indicate the error and ask to be added back into the course(s). 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 - j1visa.state.gov. 

To make a Reduced Course Load (RCL) request:

1. Be sure you are enrolled full-time.
2. Complete a request for a Reduced Course Load. When you make the request, you will need to:

• Obtain a recommendation from your Academic Advisor. (To get your academic advisor's approval, you will need to click on "Request Electronic Recommendation," look up your academic advisor, and complete the steps.) The recommendation must be completed before we can complete the request.
• 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.

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 advisor will communicate with you about any issues regarding meeting the regulations for a reduced course load or inform you of authorization via 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.

• Undergraduate, IEP, & Exchange Student - estimated cost of attendance
• Graduate & Professional Student -  estimated cost of attendance
• If you have dependent(s), you must provide additional funding in the amount of  $6,000 for  each dependent (spouse or child) per year.
• Please note evidence must be a liquid asset & less than six (6) months old
  

J-1 visa holders must depart the U.S. within 30 days of DS-2019 expiration date or completion of program/degree requirements (if not applying for Academic Training), whichever is earlier.

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 their International Student Advisor in 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.