Overview
It is your responsibility to understand and comply with the terms of your immigration status during your stay in the United States. A violation of the immigration regulations (for example, unauthorized employment or failure to maintain a full-time credit load could jeopardize your student status). Please review this information carefully and contact the Office of International Student Services if you have questions.
Documents
Federal law requires you to carry "registration" documents at all times, which include DS-2019 and I-94 card. For day-to-day purposes, we suggest that these documents be kept in a secure location such as a bank safe deposit box. However, if you are traveling within the U.S. you should carry these documents with you. If you are traveling by air, train, bus or ship, you may be required to produce these documents before boarding. Keep photocopies of all your documents in a separate location, in the event your documents are lost or stolen. You should also have a copy on file with the Office of International Student Services that is made during Orientation.
Passport
Your passport must be valid at all times. Keep your passport and other important documents in a safe place. Report a lost or stolen passport to the police, as 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. While in the U.S., always carry with you a photocopy of the passport's identity page and photocopies of the other documents listed below.
Visa
The visa is the 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 a J-1 student, and need not remain valid while you are in the U.S. (Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa.)
DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility
Issued by your school or sponsoring agency, this document allows you to apply for a visa, enter or re-enter the U.S., and make certain other requests to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The DS-2019 must remain valid at all times. Request a new form prior to its expiration date. Keep every DS-2019 for your permanent record. Do not discard the old ones.
I-94 Departure record
When you entered the U.S. you were issued Form I-94, a small white card usually stapled to the passport opposite the visa stamp. Except for brief visits to Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands, you will be issued a new I-94 card each time you enter the U.S. The I-94 card records the date and place you entered the U.S., your immigration status (for example, J-1 or J-2) and authorized period of stay (usually written simply as "D/S", meaning "duration of status"). A $160 fee is required to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged I-94.
Regulation Highlights
Period of authorized stay
Your admission to the U.S. is for "duration of status;" that is, for the time indicated on your DS 2019 plus 30 days to prepare to depart the U.S.
Full-time requirements
A "full course of study" is 12 or more credits per semester for undergraduate students, and 9 or more credits per semester for graduate students.
Employment
Employment is any work performed or services provided (including self-employment) in exchange for money or other benefit or compensation (for example, free room and board in exchange for babysitting).
- You may work on the campus you are authorized to attend up to 20 hours per week while school is in session, and full-time during breaks (such as spring break) and between semester.
Returning to the U.S. after a temporary absence
At the port-of-entry you must present:
- An unexpired DS-2019 endorsed for travel by the responsible officer in the Office of International Student Services. The travel signature is located in the lower right hand corner of the form.
- Valid J-1 visa.
- Passport