J-1 Visa Arrival: Entering the US and Reporting to Your Sponsor
Table of Contents
What Happens When You Arrive on a J-1 Visa?
Entering the US on a J-1 Visa and what you report to your sponsor afterwards, first your arrival, then any change of address, phone, email or site of activity.
Key Takeaways
- You may enter up to 30 days before the program start date on your DS-2019.
- The decision on your admission rests with a CBP officer. Your I-94 record shows how long you may stay.
- You report your arrival to your sponsor, and the sponsor validates your SEVIS record.
- You report any change of address, phone, email or site of activity to your sponsor within 10 days.
- Earliest entry
- 30 days before the program start date
- At the border
- Passport, visa and DS-2019
- Admission record
- Form I-94, online at CBP
- Admitted until
- Program end date plus 30 days, admission at most 4 years
- SEVIS validation
- By the sponsor, within 30 days after the program begin date
- Changes to report
- Within 10 calendar days
Entering the US
You may be admitted up to 30 days before the program start date on your DS-2019. The same applies to your spouse and unmarried children under 21 on the J-2 Visa. Each of you presents a DS-2019 issued in your own name.
At the port of entry you present your passport, visa and DS-2019. Whether you are admitted is decided by a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer.
If the SEVIS Fee applies to you, you need proof of payment before a visa or admission is granted. The payment can usually be verified electronically. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) recommends keeping a copy of the receipt.
Source: 8 CFR § 214.2(j): Exchange visitors · J-1 Visa: Common Questions (US Department of State) · Exchange Visitor Visa (US Department of State) · ICE SEVP: I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
Your I-94 Record
A J-1 participant is admitted for the length of the program, up to the program end date on the DS-2019 and for at most four years. The 30 days after the program end date for your departure are shown on your Form I-94 arrival/departure record, see Grace Period.
The I-94 is electronic. You can look it up online and print it from the CBP I-94 website, for instance if an employer or a government agency needs proof of your status.
Source: 8 CFR § 214.2(j): Exchange visitors · CBP: Arrival/Departure Forms: I-94
Reporting Your Arrival
Your sponsor must explain before you travel how to report your arrival to the sponsor and to the location of your program after entering the US. This includes your J-2 family members.
The sponsor then validates your participation in SEVIS. Your record changes from "Initial" to "Active", and the sponsor records your US address and site of activity. For programs of 30 days or more this has to happen within 30 days after the program begin date. J-2 records are validated together with yours.
Your sponsor must also provide an orientation and document your participation. It covers, among other things, life in the US, health care and insurance, your program and any pay and deductions, the sponsor's rules and how to reach the Responsible Officer.
Source: 22 CFR § 62.10: Program administration · 22 CFR § 62.13: Notification requirements
Who Reports What, and When
| What | Who | When |
|---|---|---|
| Your arrival | You, to your sponsor | As set out in the sponsor's arrival instructions |
| SEVIS validation ("Initial" to "Active") | Sponsor | Within 30 days after the program begin date, for programs of 30 days or more |
| You never report to the sponsor | Sponsor, in SEVIS ("No Show") | No later than 30 days after the program begin date |
| New phone number, email or US address, or a new site of activity you may choose without prior sponsor approval | You, to your sponsor | Within 10 calendar days |
| The same change in SEVIS | Sponsor | Within 10 business days of your notice |
Source: 22 CFR § 62.10: Program administration · 22 CFR § 62.13: Notification requirements
FAQs
What happens if I arrive after my program start date?
When the sponsor validates your SEVIS record, it may amend the program begin date. A record that is not validated within 30 days after the program begin date changes automatically to "Invalid" or "No Show".
Source: 22 CFR § 62.13: Notification requirements
Do I get a paper I-94 at the airport?
As a rule, no. CBP records your arrival electronically. You can print your I-94 yourself from the CBP I-94 website using "Get Most Recent I-94". A paper form can be requested during inspection.
Source: CBP: Arrival/Departure Forms: I-94
Do I have to report a move within the US?
Yes. A new US address, phone number or email address goes to your sponsor within ten calendar days. The sponsor enters it in SEVIS within ten business days.
Source: 22 CFR § 62.10: Program administration
Do my J-2 family members have to be validated separately?
No. Their SEVIS records are validated automatically when yours is. At the border, each of them presents their own DS-2019.
Source: 22 CFR § 62.13: Notification requirements · 8 CFR § 214.2(j): Exchange visitors
The Bottom Line
You can enter up to 30 days before your program starts, with passport, visa and DS-2019. After arrival you report to your sponsor as instructed, the sponsor validates your SEVIS record, and any change of address, phone, email or site of activity goes to the sponsor within ten days.
Related Terms
- DS-2019The Certificate of Eligibility your J-1 sponsor issues. You need it to apply for your visa.more
- SEVISThe US government database that holds the records of F, M and J visa holders and their families.more
- J-1 SponsorAn organization designated by the US Department of State to run J-1 exchange programs. Every J-1 participant needs one.more
- Grace PeriodThe 30 days after your J-1 program ends to prepare your departure from the US.more
- J-1 TimelineThe order of steps from your eligibility check to your arrival in the US, and what decides how long it takes.more
- Visa Expiry & TravelWhat happens if your J-1 Visa stamp expires while your program is still running, and what that means for trips abroad.more
Sources
- 8 CFR § 214.2(j): Exchange visitors
- J-1 Visa: Common Questions (US Department of State)
- Exchange Visitor Visa (US Department of State)
- ICE SEVP: I-901 SEVIS Fee Frequently Asked Questions
- CBP: Arrival/Departure Forms: I-94
- 22 CFR § 62.10: Program administration
- 22 CFR § 62.13: Notification requirements