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J-1 Students
The J-1 visa is for educational and cultural exchange programs designated by the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. The J-1 Student Visa will allow you to stay in the United States for the duration of your program (designed in your DS-2019). In order for prospective students to obtain this type of visa, they will have to show evidence that after completing studies, the individual will return to the country of their permanent residence.
After the student is admitted, the student must request a Form DS-2019 (using the link in their admission letter). After receiving a complete request, a DS-2019 is mailed directly to the student. (Be sure to read the entire DS-2019 before signing the first page.) The student will then pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. Once the fee has been paid and the student has a receipt of payment, the Form DS-2019 is then used to apply for a J-1 visa from an American embassy or consulate abroad.
To be admitted to the US, it is necessary to have the Form DS-2019, a valid J-1 visa, and a valid passport (valid at least 6 months beyond the date of entry).
More information concerning J-1 visas and status can be found here -
https://j1visa.state.gov/participants.
After being admitted to the US in J-1 status, the student is then eligible to stay in the US for “duration of status” (D/S on the Forms I-94 and the Form DS-2019). Duration of status (or to be “in status”) means the time during which the student is in compliance with J-1 regulations. Upon completion of studies, the student has an additional 30-days grace period to depart the US.
Passport
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 an 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: Canadian citizens are not 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.
DS-2019 "Certificate of Eligibility"
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 is 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 left 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.
US Immigration Regulations for J-1 Students
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.
Permission to register less than full-time (see below) must be obtained through International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS). Please note that your Academic Advisor must complete the form before we can complete this request.
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.
Academic Integrity
The American classroom culture and expectations are very different from most of the other countries. Plagiarism, (taking someone else’s ideas and claiming them to be your own) is considered cheating and can lead to suspension or expulsion. Using someone else’s ideas in written work is permitted as long as you give the originator of the idea their due credit through proper citation.
To learn more about plagiarism and how to avoid it, visit:
Request drop below full-time
To obtain permission to drop below a full course of study for academic or medical reasons (see form for details), you must complete a request for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) before the beginning of the semester for which you are requesting it. You will need to upload:
- A recommendation form from your Academic Advisor
- If applicable - a letter 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
Request to withdraw from the semester
To withdraw from the entire semester, you must:
- Email both isss-students@mail.wvu.edu and copy ("cc") the registrar@mail.wvu.edu that you wish to completely withdraw from the semester.
- Your SEVIS record & DS-2019 will be shortened.
- Depart the US within 15 days of your request to withdraw.
- To return to the US, you must follow the directions in the confirmation email from our office.
If the student wants to change education levels (e.g. Bachelor’s degree to Master’s
degree or a even a second Bachelor's degree after completing the first) while
remaining at WVU, a new DS-2019 with the new educational program noted needs
to be issued after the student has been admitted.
To apply for a new DS-2019, the student will need to follow the link in their new admission letter , upload the required documents (e.g. passport, financial guarantee, etc), answer the questionnaires (mark "yes" for Change of Education Level). Once we have reviewed your completed request, we will email you to pick up your newly updated DS-2019. Please note: Federal regulations do not allow for students to move from the category "Student Non-Degree" to a degree-seeking student or vice versa. In addition, it is not possible to "reverse matriculate" (e.g. Masters to Bachelor's).
Know Your Rights (Wilberforce Pamphlet) from the Department of State . An information pamphlet describing your rights while working in the United States.
- be on department letterhead and signed by your academic advisor
- provide a description of the academic reasons why the student's program could not be completed within the allotted time
- specify an expected date of completion of the student's program
- 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
When preparing to travel abroad it is important to ensure you have the required documents for entry to another country and re-entry to the U.S. Entry requirements to other countries are typically available on their embassies websites. Depending on the country to be visited and the student’s nationality, there may be the need to apply for a visitor’s visa.
In order to return to the U.S., a student must have:
- a valid passport - Check your passport expiration date. Make sure it will not expire sooner than six months from your re-entry date. If your passport expires in less than six months, it is crucial that you renew your passport in the US through a consulate or embassy before traveling, or renew it while you’re back in your country of citizenship (if home for a long enough period).
- a valid U.S visa - Check your visa expiration date. If the J-1 visa foil in your passport will expire before your intended re-entry date to the U.S., you’ll need to obtain a new visa to re-enter the US. Please see ISSS if you need a new DS-2019.
- a current/valid DS-2019 - Carry your most recent original DS-2019 that is signed
by an ISSS Staff member (ARO) for the most recent semester
- verification of enrollment - a copy of enrolled courses
- proof of I-901 SEVIS fee payment - You can find this at fmjfee.com.
- Financial Verification - Financial information showing proof of necessary funds
to cover tuition and living expenses
- been out of the U.S. for less than 5 months
- contact information for ISSS - (304) 293-3519
If you are not in the Morgantown area to get your DS-20 signed in person and you have enough time to mail it to us for a travel signature, you can mail it to the address at the bottom of the web page. Be sure to include a self-addressed, "stamped" envelope as you are responsible for paying for the return shipping charges.
Other Obligations
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Strive to understand and tolerate a host country’s educational and cultural
setting, including standards of conduct, law, respect for others, honesty
and integrity.
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Respect the rights of self-determination of others.
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Observe the laws and respect for culture of the host country.
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Participate as fully as possible in the life of the host university and country.
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Seek to participate in joint and cooperative ventures of an educational,
social or cultural nature with citizens and students of the host country
and with other international students and scholars.
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Individually and in groups, act with respect for the rights of persons from
other countries, cultures and subcultures, without abridging those rights
even in pursuit of one’s own rights.
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Accept responsibility for the best interests of international education interchange
programs, so as to gain the largest amount of public support for them and
the widest possible involvement in them.
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.
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.
PO Box 6313 1505 University Ave.
Morgantown, WV 26506
phone: 304-293-3519
fax: 304-293-7511
isss-students@mail.wvu.edu
isss-scholars@mail.wvu.edu