J-1 Visa US Address: ZIP Codes, Reporting Deadlines and SEVIS

ZIP Code & US Address: Your sponsor records your actual US residence in SEVIS. Report an address change within 10 calendar days; a ZIP Code helps identify the postal destination.
Table of Contents
  1. Which US Address Must You Report During J-⁠1 Visa?
  2. Your Residence and Reporting Deadlines
  3. Your Address at Program Validation
  4. ZIP Codes and Postal Addresses
  5. FAQs
  6. The Bottom Line
  7. Related Terms
  8. Sources

Which US Address Must You Report During J-1 Visa?

Your sponsor records your actual US residence in SEVIS. Report an address change within 10 calendar days; a ZIP Code helps identify the postal destination.

Key Takeaways

  • Report your actual, current US residence to your sponsor.
  • You have 10 calendar days to report a change; your sponsor has 10 business days from notification to update SEVIS.
  • Your address is recorded during SEVIS validation and updated when you move.

At a glance
Address required
Actual physical residence
Your reporting deadline
Within 10 calendar days of a change
Sponsor's SEVIS deadline
Within 10 business days of your notification
ZIP Code
Five-digit postal code; ZIP+4 adds four digits

Your Residence and Reporting Deadlines

Under 22 CFR § 62.10(d)(3), the address you report is your actual, current US physical residence. Report changes to your J-1 Sponsor within ten calendar days. Your sponsor must enter the change in SEVIS within ten business days of your notification.

The same reporting deadlines apply to changes in your phone number and email address. These are program reporting obligations, see Lawful Status.

Source: 22 CFR § 62.10: Program admin­is­tra­tion

Your Address at Program Validation

Your sponsor validates your participation in SEVIS, changing the record from "Initial" to "Active". As part of validation, it must record your actual US address and site of activity. See Arrival & Reporting.

For programs lasting 30 days or more, validation is required within 30 days after the program begin date. For shorter programs, it must happen before the program end date. Records not validated on this schedule automatically become "Invalid" or "No Show".

Source: 22 CFR § 62.13: Notification requirements

ZIP Codes and Postal Addresses

A ZIP Code is the five-digit postal code USPS uses to help process and deliver mail. ZIP+4 adds four digits for more precise sorting. It identifies a postal destination, while the J-1 Visa reporting rule requires your actual residence.

The USPS ZIP Code lookup displays an address in standardized postal format. USPS recommends this format for mail to avoid sorting delays.

Source: US Postal Service: Introduction of the ZIP Code · US Postal Service: ZIP Code, The Basics · 22 CFR § 62.10: Program admin­is­tra­tion

FAQs

Is my host company's address the address I must report?

The residential address must be where you actually live. Your sponsor also records your site of activity during SEVIS validation; that is a separate piece of information.

Source: 22 CFR § 62.10: Program admin­is­tra­tion · 22 CFR § 62.13: Notification requirements

Are the two ten-day deadlines the same?

No. You report a change within ten calendar days. Your sponsor has ten business days after your notification to enter it in SEVIS.

Source: 22 CFR § 62.10: Program admin­is­tra­tion

The Bottom Line

Report where you actually live, and tell your sponsor within ten calendar days when that address changes. The sponsor updates SEVIS within ten business days of your notice.

Sources

  1. 22 CFR § 62.10: Program admin­is­tra­tion
  2. 22 CFR § 62.13: Notification requirements
  3. US Postal Service: Introduction of the ZIP Code
  4. US Postal Service: ZIP Code, The Basics
18 October 2026 · Checked against the sources above.
Next check · November 2026