J-1 Visa

• The U.S. hospital department provides you with online application instructions to generate a DS-2019 (J visa eligibility document).

• You then complete the visa sponsorship application material. The U.S. hospital department reviews the request. 

• Ask your U.S. hospital department about their internal processing times. Each U.S. hospital department requires days or weeks of internal administrative procedures before they submit application forms to GPS. After the U.S. hospital’s internal administrative procedures are complete, they submit the visa sponsorship application to the GPS.

If you would like to make travel plans before you receive your DS-2019, please confirm the date that your paperwork was delivered to GPS with your U.S. hospital department. 

Processing time to issue a Form DS-2019 is approximately one (1) month after a complete file has been received at GPS from your U.S. hospital department. Faster DS-2019 processing times are not possible. GPS cannot process a DS-2019 earlier for those who have purchased non-refundable airplane tickets, rented an apartment, etc.

• Ask your U.S. hospital for your lab site address and identify Boston-area neighborhoods to live in.

• Decide whether you want a realtor to help you find an apartment.

• Confirm your passport is valid at least 6 months beyond your expected arrival in the U.S. If your spouse and/or children will accompany you, also confirm their passport validity.

• If you have children younger than 5 years old who require daycare, learn more about daycare and join daycare company waitlists.

• If you have children 5 –19 years old who have not yet completed secondary school, review schools.  

• You will receive a “Visa Guidance” email from GPS. 

• After you receive the DS-2019 package, follow all of the instructions on the Required J-1 Checklist.  Not following the exact Checklist instructions may result in the cancellation of your J visa status and government fines.

After you receive your DS-2019 from GPS, you can apply for a J-1 visa from the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. Please note that some visa applications take more than 30 days due to administrative processing (a background check by the U.S. Consulate). Please be aware:

• It is not possible to inquire whether it will happen to you before you apply for the visa.

• It is not possible to expedite this process.

• Your hiring department or GPS cannot contact the consulate on your behalf. 

• Processing can last 30–60 more days, but overall duration can vary based on the applicant’s background.

• The consulate may ask for additional documents or have follow-up questions. 

• If you need to purchase airplane tickets in advance, purchase only refundable/flexible tickets to enter the U.S. GPS cannot process a DS-2019 earlier for those who have purchased non-refundable airplane tickets, rented an apartment, etc.

Please notify your administrative contact and our office by using this form if you are placed in administrative processing. 

• Make arrangements to enter the U.S. (purchase a plane ticket, etc.)

• Notify your U.S. hospital department of the date you will arrive in the U.S.

• If you would like to reserve your apartment before you arrive in the U.S., contact your realtor or start searching for an apartment.

• If you will not have an apartment upon arrival in the U.S., reserve a hotel room.

• Review U.S. banking options and how you plan to transfer or access money.

• Notify your credit card companies, bank, cell/mobile phone company, and other relevant businesses in your home country of your move to the U.S. 
  

Note: Canadian citizens do not need to obtain a visa from the American Embassy/Consulate.

• Review the required J-1 Checklist to confirm that you completed all items. Not following the exact checklist instructions may result in the cancelation of your J visa status and government fines.

• Notify your U.S. hospital department of your arrival. They will provide you with onboarding information (such as hospital computer login/password, email, hospital ID, etc.). 

• Review your DS-2019 when you get the package
• Contact us if there are any errors
• Pay the SEVIS fee on FMJfee.com
• As a J-1 Exchange Visitor, you are responsible for paying the SEVIS fee, and this fee is an addition to any other regular visa application fees/machine-readable visa fees
  Note: Canadian citizens do not need to obtain a visa from an American Embassy/Consulate, but they must pay the SEVIS fee
• Go to the U.S. Department of State website to fill out the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form DS-160 and to pay the visa application fee
• Visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulate’s website for a list of all the U.S. embassies/consulates. Consult the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you plan to apply to complete the required forms, schedule an interview, and obtain specific J-1 Exchange Visitor visa application instructions
• Note: If you are asked for a letter to confirm your current J-1 research participation, please request the letter from your employer/department at the hospital. The DS-2019 form is the only document provided by GPS for your visa application. Please note you will not need to complete Form DS-7002, which is specific to the J Training/Internship visa category that our office does not sponsor
• Review visa appointment wait times here
• If you cannot arrive in the U.S. within 30 days before or after the start date listed in Section 3 of your DS-2019 form, you must inform our office (i.e., arrival date change form) no later than 15 days after the DS-2019 start date
• When you are ready to schedule your exact date of arrival in the U.S., follow our "Entering the U.S." instructions
• Within 3 calendar days after your arrival in the U.S., you MUST register with our office. You must register with our office even if you have previously lived in the U.S. or previously been in J visa status
• You also must sign up for International Orientation. All J-1 Exchange Visitors are required to attend one International Orientation as soon as possible after arrival. Spouses are invited to attend, but children are not permitted. The orientation provided by your U.S. hospital cannot replace the International Orientation
• Do NOT register with our office before you enter the U.S.
• If you are applying for a social security number, you must wait at least five business days after you receive an email from GPS confirming your orientation date
• You are required to purchase health insurance within 30 days of your arrival in the U.S.

Medical benefits of at least $100,000 for each accident or illness

Some plans limit what they will pay for services, such as overnight hospital stays or surgery. If the actual charge for these services is higher than your policy’s limits, you will be responsible for the remainder of the cost.     

Deductible no more than $500 per injury or illness 

A deductible is the amount of money you must pay before the insurance will pay your medical bills. After you pay the deductible, the insurance company begins to pay the expenses. Deductibles are usually $100, but the amount varies.

Co-payment no more than 25% per accident or illness

This means the insurance policy must pay at least 75% of covered medical expenses.  

Closely examine how the co-payment works. Some policies pay 100% of covered costs until the insurance company has paid a specific amount, then pay only 80% or 90% of your remaining medical bills.  

Other policies require you pay the co-payment at the beginning (for example, 10% or 20% of the medical cost), and then the insurance company pays your remaining medical bills. Many insurance companies require you to pay a $15 –$30 co-payment for each doctor’s visit.

Coverage for activities related to working in a hospital

The insurance company may have a list of exclusions for medical care if something happened to you while doing certain “high-risk” things (such as skiing, skydiving, etc.). Read the list of exclusions from the policy carefully to guarantee that certain risks that may be an everyday part of your research activity will not be excluded from the policy. 

Medical evacuation in case of serious accident or illness in the amount of $50,000. 

If it is judged necessary by a medical doctor that the Exchange Visitor should be transferred elsewhere because of serious illness or injury, the insurance policy must pay up to $50,000 for this travel. 

This benefit is generally used in three cases: 

1. If the Exchange Visitor is away from the host community and needs to be transported back to the host (for example, during a vacation or field trip)

2. If the Exchange Visitor needs to be transported to another hospital for more specialized treatment

3. If the Exchange Visitor needs to be transported to his or her home country for medical reasons

Repatriation of bodily remains in the amount of $25,000

If an Exchange Visitor passes away while in the U.S., the insurance policy must have sufficient benefits to send the Exchange Visitor’s remains to his/her home country for burial. Some credit cards include medical evacuation and repatriation insurance if you buy your plane ticket to the U.S. with that credit card. Contact your credit card company directly to see if they offer this benefit.

If your home country's hospital/university, previous employer, or government provides health insurance coverage, confirm it meets all the requirements outlined above. If it does not meet them, review the alternatives below.

J-1s paid through Mass General Brigham hospital payroll will qualify for the Mass General Brigham insurance program.

Those who receive stipends through Mass General Brigham hospitals are NOT eligible for health insurance.  Please consult your department if you have any questions about payroll and stipends.

Mass General Brigham has different types of health insurance packages:

• Confirm that the health insurance you are enrolling in meets J-1 requirements

• Use www.AskMyHRportal.com  1-833-Ask-MyHR (275-6947) to look up insurance information and submit questions

Mass General Brigham hospitals (Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, McLean Hospital, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Mass Eye and Ear) do not include Medical Evacuation and Repatriation insurance, which you must buy separately as required by your J visa status. Review U.S. private companies that offer this coverage below. 

If you have a Harvard Medical School appointment, you may be eligible to buy health insurance from Harvard Medical School. The Harvard University-sponsored Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan is managed by the Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) and requires use of the HUHS facilities and/or Blue Cross Blue Shield participating health care providers.

You may purchase health insurance from Harvard if you are:

1. Appointed at Harvard Medical School

2. A post-doctoral fellow

3. Not eligible for health insurance from a Mass General Brigham hospital

If you are not sure whether you have a Harvard Medical School appointment, please ask your Mass General Brigham department. If you would like health insurance from HUHS, you must enroll with HUHS within 30 days of your arrival in the U.S.

You can get more information about HUHS in the following ways:

• Review the “Post-doc Affiliate” information

• Call 617-495-2008

• Email mservices@uhs.harvard.edu

• Go in person to 75 Mt. Auburn Street, 1st floor, Holyoke Center, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (Harvard Square)

Be sure to bring your Harvard ID badge and appointment letter or appointment documents.

Harvard University health insurance plans do not include Medical Evacuation and Repatriation insurance, which you must buy separately as required by your J visa status. Review U.S. private companies that offer this coverage above.

Your legally married spouse and your unmarried children under 21 years old are eligible for J-2 visa status.

Each J-2 family member must have their own DS-2019 and get their own J-2 visa from the American Embassy/Consulate (only Canadian citizens do not need visas in their passport to enter the U.S.).

Please have marriage and birth certificates with English translations ready to present at the consulate and possibly at point of entry.

All J-2 family dependents must travel with their own DS-2019 and valid passport.

Your J-2 family members can enter the U.S. with you, or they can enter the U.S. separately after you if there have not been any significant changes in your J-1 program since the initial DS-2019s were issued.

There are restrictions on a J-2 visa holder switching to a J-1 research scholar visa; see the chart below under "Starting new J-1 programs", which outlines the 24-month bar on repeat participation.

J-2 family members are not required to enter the U.S. within 30 days after the start date listed in Box 3 of the DS-2019.

Your family should always know your U.S. home address, where you will work, and what type of work you do.

Any other relatives, such as parents or cousins, may visit the U.S. with Visa Waiver for Tourism (must visit for not more than 90 days and have citizenship from a specific list of countries). Those who do not qualify for Visa Waiver for Tourism may enter the U.S. with B-2 Tourism visa status.

For information about non-married partners, please read more about cohabitating partners.

Definition

Some J-1 Exchange Visitors may have a two-year home residency requirement, also known as Section 212(e). A two-year home residency obligates some J visa holders to return to their home country for an aggregate of two years upon completion of their J-1 program.

The J-1 Exchange Visitor must first live in their home country for two years or receive a “Waiver” (permission from the J-1's home government and the U.S. government to be released from the two-year home residency) if they want to obtain:

•     H visa status

•     K visa status

•     L visa status

•     Change to any other visa status without leaving the U.S.

•     Permanent residence in the U.S (green card)

Two-year home residency may apply for three reasons

J-1 Exchange Visitors have a two-year home residency if any of the following reasons apply:

1. They come to the U.S. with money provided either by their home country government, the U.S. government, or some international organizations that receive government money

2. Their country of citizenship or country of last permanent residence appears on the U.S. Department of State's Skills List and the J-1’s skill is on the list

3. They come to the U.S. to obtain clinical training with ECFMG visa sponsorship

J-2 family dependents also will have a two-year home residency if the J-1 has a two-year home residency. The two-year home country residence requirement and other conditions of J-1 status are explained to the J-1 Exchange Visitor on the second page of the DS-2019.

The Exchange Visitor's home country and the U.S. Department of State frequently grant an official release ("Waiver") from the two-year home residency for those who would like to stay in the U.S. after completing their J-1 medical research program.

You can enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the start date listed in Section 3 of your DS-2019.

See our Change Arrival Date Form if you need to change your date.

You can participate at your U.S. hospital on or after the start date on the DS-2019.

When entering the U.S., place your visa documents in your carry-on bag because you will not have access to your other luggage when you go through U.S. Immigration.

Be prepared to provide the immigration officer with the following items when entering the U.S.:

• Your passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months into the future and must contain a valid J-1 visa (Canadian citizens do not need to obtain a visa from an American Embassy/Consulate, but they do need to pay the SEVIS fee.)

• Your DS-2019

• I-901 paper receipt for the SEVIS fee

• If you are not paid by the U.S. hospital at which you will participate, bring a copy of the award letter if you are paid from abroad, or personal bank statement if you financially support yourself with personal funds

• The location of your temporary or permanent U.S. home address

• The name and address of the Mass General Brigham department at which you will participate

Your I-94 will read D/S, which is an abbreviation of “Duration of Status” and grants the J-1 Exchange Visitor admission to the U.S. until the program end date as listed on the DS-2019 document; it also allows the DS-2019 to be extended.) after "The immigration officer will enter your electronic “Form I-94 Arrival/Departure” visa information into the government’s database.

The immigration officer will enter your electronic “Form I-94 Arrival/Departure” visa information into the government’s database.

The electronic Form I-94 is an important document that verifies your legal visa status and permitted length of stay. Form I-94 also is required for employment authorization, Social Security number applications, Massachusetts driver’s licenses, extensions of stay in the U.S., etc.

The immigration officer will return all documentation to you.

Each time after you enter the U.S., you must go to http://www.cbp.gov/I94 and print a copy of your new electronic Form I-94.

Keep Form DS-2019 and your Form I-94 record with your passport. Keep copies of your passport and visa documents in a safe place in case your originals are lost or stolen. Keep all DS-2019s issued to you.

All J-1 Exchange Visitors are required to register with our office within three days after arrival in the U.S. and attend one international orientation within 30 days of arrival.

• GPS international orientations are held on Thursdays. Each session will close upon reaching full capacity or one business day before its scheduled start, whichever comes first
• Activation of your J-1 Visa and orientation sign-up must be completed through our Visa Manager database. Please see below for more information

Steps:

1. Access visa manager
   
2. If you know your Mass General Brigham username and password, click on "Log-in with a Network ID to Gain Full Access"
3. If you do not yet know your Mass General Brigham username and password, registering will require the original Visa Manager log-in information emailed to you during your DS-2019 preparation:
   a. University identification number, i.e., your Mass General Brigham employee ID (or in some cases, a temporary ID assigned by Visa Manager that begins with "TEMP...")
   b. Date of birth: This date should match the date of birth on your DS-2019. If it does not, contact your department
   c. PIN: If you do not have your PIN, click on "E-mail me my limited access PIN"
4. If you are not automatically taken to the relevant e-forms after you log in, click on “Insurance and Finances” in the left-hand side navigation right below your name and then “J-1: Registration and Orientation”

Please note:

• Late registration may result in the cancelation of your J visa status and/or government fines

• You must be in the U.S. to register

• You must register with our office even if you have previously lived in the U.S., previously worked at a Mass General Brigham hospital, or previously been in J visa status

• An orientation at your U.S. hospital cannot replace the international orientation held by GPS.

• All international staff and scholars must register with their appropriate hospital department or office. Please note: International orientation is not intended to replace any type of departmental or hospital orientation program, and we do not provide instructions for items, such as computer user names or passwords, hospital identification cards, or explain the specifics of different health insurance plans.

You are in one of the following J-1 categories in Box #4 of your DS-2019: 

• Research Scholar

• Professor

• Specialist

• Short-Term Scholar

J visa holders in the category of “Research Scholar” may extend and transfer employers via the J-1 transfer process for up to a total of five years

• The research subject/field code at the bottom of Box #4 of your DS-2019 relates to the proposed research at Mass General Brigham

• If you had a two-year home residency, you cannot have received a Waiver (official release from the two-year home residency)

• The new Mass General Brigham hospital department will require you to submit specific information in Visa Manager, which is an online visa sponsorship system

• After you submit your information in Visa Manager, multiple offices may need to approve the request before the request is submitted to GPS. Your Mass General Brigham hospital department can provide their internal timelines to you

• The new Mass General Brigham hospital department must submit complete transfer material to our office through Visa Manager at least one month before you stop working at your current position

• If you have any questions, the Mass General Brigham hospital department must act as the liaison with our office about your transfer

• Processing time to issue a Form DS-2019 is approximately one month after your Mass General Brigham hospital department submits a complete transfer request in Visa Manager. Faster DS-2019 processing times are not possible

• You are responsible for maintaining your J-1 visa status and position with your current sponsor until our office finalizes the transfer

• Contact your current international office, inform them of your intent to transfer, and complete any forms they require. Your current program sponsor must “release” your J-1 visa status, and our office must generate a new DS-2019 before you begin participation at the Mass General Brigham hospital 

• Our office will email you with additional instructions when a J-1 transfer date has been arranged

• If your current supervisor approves, you may travel internationally and return to the U.S. before your J-1 transfer date. Do not travel internationally after the transfer date until you receive the new DS-2019 from our office

• If you do not currently live in the Boston area, please read more about Living in Boston

The average processing time is one (1) month from when our office receives a complete request from your department, and we are unable to expedite requests. GPS processes a high volume of J visas each year.  

Those who will enter the U.S. with J-1 Exchange Visitor visa status use their SEVIS Form DS-2019 “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status” to apply for their J-1 visa. See this checklist for items that you must complete.  

All GPS sponsored J-1 visa holders are required to attend international orientation. ECFMG J-1s are not required to attend international orientation. You might also be required to attend additional hospital or departmental orientations at your U.S. hospital.

International orientation includes information about maintaining your visa status, travel guidance, and other relevant topics.  

You do not need to complete Form DS-7002, which is specific to the J Training/Internship visa category that our office does not sponsor. Your DS-2019 is the only document required from our office for your visa application.

Mass General Brigham is listed as the sponsor of the J-1 visa program on behalf of all Mass General Brigham research hospitals. Your hospital and worksite are listed in part 1 under “Primary Site of Activity".

• Your legally married spouse and your unmarried children under 21 years old are eligible for J-2 visa status. All J-2 family members should have their own DS-2019 and get their own J-2 visa from the American Embassy/Consulate. Only Canadian citizens do not need visas to enter the United States.  

• All J-2 family dependents must travel with their own DS-2019 and valid passport.

• Your J-2 family members can enter the U.S. with you, or they can enter the U.S. separately after you if there have not been any significant changes in your J-1 program since the initial DS-2019s were issued. 

• J-2 family members are not required to enter the U.S. within 30 days after the start date listed in Box 3 of the DS-2019. 

• Your family should always know your U.S. home address, where you will work, and what type of work you do.  

Any other relatives, such as parents or cousins, may visit the U.S. with Visa Waiver for Tourism (must visit for not more than 90 days and have citizenship from a specific list of countries). Those who do not qualify for Visa Waiver for Tourism may enter the U.S. with B-2 Tourism visa status.  

J-2s spouses can obtain work authorization after entry to the U.S. The J-2 is responsible for completing the employment authorization application. J-2 employment authorization may be granted for reasons, such as self-fulfillment, personal experience, to experience American culture, etc. Work authorization is NOT intended to help provide financial support for the basic living expenses of the primary visa holder and/or the family. If the spouse’s income appears to be needed to support the family, USCIS will not authorize the work permission because sufficient family funding should have been verified prior arrival in the United States. 

The DS-2019 permits you to live and work in the U.S. You also can use it to apply for a new J visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate. The expiration date of your J status is listed in Section 3. The DS-2019 does NOT extend your J visa in your passport. The DS-2019 permits you to live and work in the U.S. You also can use it to apply for a new J visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate. The expiration date of your J status is listed in Section 3. The DS-2019 does NOT extend your J visa in your passport.

Review the DS-2019(s) and sign it in English at the bottom left side just above the line on the form that says "Signature of Applicant." The "place" should be listed as "Boston," and you should write the date that you sign it on the right. If you have J-2 family dependents with you, a DS-2019 must be completed for each dependent. If applicable, you can sign for any minor children, and your spouse may sign their own DS-2019.

Your category/type of visa is listed in Section Box #4 of your DS-2019. GPS is only authorized to sponsor the following categories:

• J-1 Research Scholar (or Professor) - Granted up to 5 years. Extensions beyond 5 years are not permitted. Avoid if J-1 program will be 6 months or less unless there is the possibility the program will need to be extended. 

• J-1 Short-term Scholar - Granted up to 6 months. Extensions beyond 6 months are not permitted. Cannot be done back-to-back. 

• J-1 Specialist - Granted up to 12 months. Extensions beyond 12 months are not permitted. Rarely used due to qualifying criteria. 

It will depend on your specific category and the duration. Please review the rules and regulations.

Please see our timeline at the top of this page.

Your home country health insurance is acceptable if it meets the J-1 requirements as broken down under health insurance. GPS does not assist with the review of insurance plans; this is the responsibility of the J-1.

SEVIS is the U.S. federal government’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. All J records are maintained in the SEVIS Database. All J-1 Exchange Visitors (including Canadians) are required to pay a SEVIS fee when they apply for a J visa for the first time, in addition to any regular visa application fees/machine readable visa fees. You are responsible for paying the SEVIS fee, which helps cover the costs of the SEVIS program.  

You may check the fee on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website. J-2 dependent spouses and J-2 dependent children do not pay a SEVIS fee. J-2 dependent spouses and J-2 dependent children do not pay a SEVIS fee.  

The fee can be paid either:

• Online with a credit card by completing Form I-901 (Fee for Remittance for J Nonimmigrants) on FMJfee.com, or

• Through the mail by submitting a completed Form I-901 and a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. currency

Paying on online is the fastest option and strongly recommended. 

The fee must be paid at least 3 business days prior to the visa interview date. This timeframe allows the fee payment to be deposited and recorded in SEVIS. Canadian citizens who would like to apply for J-1 status at a Port of Entry into the United States must pay the SEVIS fee at least 3 business days before appearing at the Port of Entry.  

Yes, you are allowed to make an appointment for an interview at an U.S. embassy or consulate before you have a receipt for your SEVIS I-901 fee payment. However, you need to ensure that there is a record of your payment before you go to your interview.  

The payment will be recorded in the SEVIS system. However, it is recommended that you bring your receipt to the visa interview. Individuals who pay electronically can able to print an electronic receipt immediately at the time of payment.  

Please keep your SEVIS fee receipt. You may have to pay a visa application fee if you apply for another J visa in the future, but you should not pay the SEVIS fee again. Having the receipt will help document your previous payment.

You must have a valid visa when entering the U.S. from outside of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. If you do not already have a valid J visa in your passport, you will need to obtain another J visa from an American Consulate/Embassy while you are abroad. You may need to pay an application fee for the visa, but you do not have to pay the SEVIS fee again (bring your previous SEVIS fee receipt with you to confirm previous payment).

Visa processing times at U.S. embassies/consulates will vary. Please refer to the timeline at the top of this page if you have delays with your renewal.

Most people who need more than the maximum period of stay have their J-1 visa status obtain an alternative visa (H, E, TN) after their J visa status has been fully extended. Immigration history and offered role can dictate visa options.

Some J-1 Exchange Visitors may have a two-year home residency requirement, also known as Section 212(e). An Exchange Visitor who has a two-year home residency must first live in their home country for two years OR obtain a "Waiver" of the requirement from the U.S. government if they want to obtain H, K, or L visa status, change to any other visa status without leaving the U.S., or get a green card. A Waiver is permission from your home government and the U.S. government to be released from the two-year home residency.

Exchange Visitors have a two-year home residency if any of the following reasons apply:

• They come to the U.S. with money provided either by their home country government, the U.S. government, or some international organizations that receive government money.

• Their country of citizenship or country of last permanent residence appears on the U.S. Department of State's Skills List, and the J-1's skill is on the list. 

• They come to the U.S. to obtain medical training under Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) sponsorship.

J-2 family dependents also have a two-year home residency if the J-1 has a two-year home residency. The two-year home country residence requirement and other conditions of J-1 status are explained to the J-1 Exchange Visitor on the second page of the DS-2019.

The U.S. Consular Officer and/or the Immigration Officer at the port of entry usually makes a judgment as to whether the J-1 Exchange Visitor is or is not subject to this requirement. The determination is noted in the lower left side of the Exchange Visitor’s DS-2019 and/or on the J visa page of the individual’s passport.

However, it is important to note that these notations from the U.S. Consular Officer and/or the Immigration Officer may not be correct. If you are not sure whether or not you have a two-year home residency, GPS can review your visa documents and you also may request an Advisory Opinion from the U.S. government.

An Advisory Opinion is a request for U.S. government to review your visa documents and provide a statement as to whether you have a two-year home residency (please note that the Advisory Opinion is not a Waiver; a Waiver is an official release from the two-year home residency, whereas the Advisory Opinion is only a clarification as to whether you have a two-year home residency). If you would like a letter template for the Advisory Opinion so that you do not have to write your own letter, please use our Contact Us form to request the Advisory Opinion letter template.

If you do not intend to stay in the U.S. after your maximum allowed period of stay of J visa status, you do not need to do anything about your two-year home residency and should not apply for a Waiver. If you would like to stay in the U.S. for more than the maximum allowed period of stay, you should apply for a Waiver towards the end of the third year on your J-1 program. 

Applying too early or too late could significantly limit your future visa options (you will not be able to transfer your J visa status or get another extension of your DS-2019 after you get the actual Waiver). You can start the Waiver process on the U.S. Department of State website and contact your country’s Consulate/Embassy in the U.S. for a “No Objection Statement.” The entire process can take many months. If you have started the J waiver process, do not travel outside the U.S. while the waiver is pending or after the waiver is approved. International travel will negatively impact the waiver.

J-1 visa holders are authorized to perform research only at the hospital noted on the DS-2019 (the hospital’s main address will be listed on the DS-2019 at the bottom of Box 1) and may engage only in the activity for which the DS-2019 was originally issued.

Any additional employment, salary, lecturing, and/or consulting must be related to your current research and requires a permission letter from GPS before the participation occurs. In order for our office to issue a permission letter, you are required to provide two letters to our office, specifying the following items:

1. One letter from the offeror setting forth the terms and conditions to present/lecture/consult, including the duration, number of hours, field or subject, amount of compensation (if any), and description of the activity.

2. One letter from your current hospital's Principal Investigator/supervisor, recommending such activity, specifically explaining how the activity is related to your current research project, and how the additional activity would enhance your current program.

Please note that this process of providing letters is legally required for each time you would like to participate in additional conferences, lectures, consultations, etc., even if you are not paid for your participation.

You are permitted to work outside of the U.S. without permission from GPS.

Please use this form to request a new DS-2019. Our office will coordinate with you on issuance of the new DS-2019. For additional travel information, please click here.

Immigration officials have the discretion to readmit you for up to 30 days. You will be given a Form I-515A and I-94 card that has a 30-day admission period. The SEVIS government database will also alert GPS if you have received an I-515A when you re-enter the U.S. It is very important that you report the I-515A to GPS immediately after issuance. GPS will instruct you on how to correct the I-515A to extend your permission to remain in the U.S., i.e., returning your "Admit Until" Date on your record to "D/S.” For additional travel information, please click here.