J-1 Departmental Procedures
J-1 Research Scholars, Professors, & Short-Term Scholars
Recommended lead time: 2-3 months. More time should be allowed if the person is in the U.S. and will apply for a change of status.
- Host department requests DS-2019 using iSTART;
- Department submits voucher for processing fee to ISSS;
- ISSS prepares form DS-2019—up to two weeks from receipt of complete request for a DS-2019 to be issued;
- ISSS sends DS-2019 to department with pre-arrival materials to be mailed to visitor;
- Department sends DS-2019 packet to visitor.
In the most common scenario, the visitor is abroad. He/she makes an appointment to present the DS-2019 and visa application to the U.S. embassy or consulate to apply for a J-1 visa. Spouse and children may apply for J-2 dependent visas. Security clearances can sometimes cause delays of a few weeks and, in some cases, a few months.
If visitor is in the U.S., DS-2019 may, in most circumstances, be mailed to the Immigration Service with a change of status request. Approval may take several months.
If visitor is in the U.S., on another institution’s J-1 program, he/she may usually transfer to our program if the category remains the same and if the time limit is not exceeded.
NOTE: Visas are issued at the discretion of consular officials. Although the majority of our J-1s get their visas without incident, occasionally a visa is denied. The most common reason for a denial is that the officer suspects that the applicant intends to immigrate to the U.S. The visa applicant should always be prepared to show strong ties to his or her home country. If a visa is denied, contact the ISSS office with as much detail as possible, and we will try to assist you.