Validation of Visa
All students on J-1 visas have 30 days from their Program Start Date,
as listed on the DS-2019, to enter the United States and be validated
in SEVIS. If the student is not validated within 30 days, the student's
status will change to "no show" and the visa will be void.
Be sure to contact your ISEP coordinator as soon as you arrive on campus
and provide them with your physical address on campus.
Keeping
Your Documents Safe
It is not necessary to carry your passport with you at all times in the United States, but it is essential to keep it in a safe place. Make a copy of the identification and visa pages of your passport and keep it in a secure place, separate from the original. If your passport is missing or stolen, you must contact your embassy and the local police immediately. For purposes of identification, you should carry your university student I.D. card, which will have your photograph on it. The I-94 Arrival/Departure Record is one of your most important immigration documents. You should make a copy of your I-94 and DS-2019 and keep them in a safe place with the copy of your passport. Your I-94 and DS-2019 will be needed whenever you enter or leave the U.S. during the exchange period. If you lose any of these documents, please contact the ISEP Central Office immediately. |
Maintenance of Status
In order to maintain your status as an exchange visitor, you must be
enrolled as a full-time student. Once an exchange visitor loses his
full-time student status, he or she can be deported under the immigration
laws. Ask your host coordinator about the institution's policy regarding
full-time student status. Usually the minimum requirement is 12 credit
hours per semester for undergraduate level and 9 credit hours per semester
for graduate level.
Sponsorship Termination
ISEP reserves the right to terminate your J-1 exchange visitor sponsorship
if you:
- Fail to maintain full-time status or acceptable academic standards at the host or home institutions.
- Are found in violation of the laws or regulations of the United States, the home or host institutions or the ISEP conditions of participation.
Any action to terminate sponsorship will be taken in consultation with the coordinators of your home and host institutions. If your visa sponsorship is terminated, ISEP is required to notify the U.S. State Department that you are out of status and no longer legally residing in the United States.