Maintaining Student Status

Travel and Re-entry to the United States

Employment

Department of State Two Year Residency and Waiver Information

For questions regarding visa status, employment, extensions, etc J-1 visa holders should contact their visa sponsor for guidance. It is the responsibility of the student to abide by the laws that relate specifically to "nonimmigrant" aliens in the U.S. Failure to do this may subject the alien to deportation. The Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is responsible for enforcing the immigration regulations.

Maintaining Student Status

1. Maintain full-time academic status at Georgetown University Law Center . Exceptions MUST be approved in advance by your visa sponsor and submitted in written form to the Office of Graduate Programs' international student advisors. Notify your sponsor if there is any change in your academic program. This includes but is not limited to: a change in program level, a leave of absence, a transfer, or a termination of program.
2. Report any change of address to your visa sponsor and to the Law Center .
3. Keep passport valid at all times. In general, passports should always have at least six months before expiration.
4. Before traveling outside of the United States, obtain a travel endorsement on your DS-2019 from the Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) of your visa sponsor.
5. Keep all immigration documents. Students are required to keep all certificates of eligibility (DS-2019 forms) as well as their passport and I-94 documents. Inform your Visa Sponsor and the Law Center IMMEDIATELY if any of these documents are lost or stolen.
6. Refrain from unauthorized employment.
7. Maintain valid health insurance meeting the minimum requirements of the U.S. Department of State. 

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Travel and Re-entry to the United States

To enter the United States, continuing students need the following documents:

1. valid passport
2. valid J-1 entry visa 
3. valid form DS-2019
4. current proof of financial support
5. transcripts or, if travel is between semesters, proof of registration for the next semester
6. DS-2019 endorsed for travel

Travel to Contiguous Territory (i.e., Canada , Mexico , or Adjacent Islands other than Cuba)
Some individuals will require visas to enter Canada or Mexico. Please get current information directly from the consulates of those countries. The web addresses are as follows: Canada or Mexico 

When traveling to contiguous territory, international students do not typically give up their I-94 cards. Thus, to re-enter the U.S. from contiguous territory, the student must present a valid passport with a U.S. visa, a valid I-94, and I-20 as well as financial documents.

Re-entry for many students with an expired visa is possible as long as the trip has been less than 30 days and the student was in status in the U.S. when entering the contiguous territory. This process is known as automatic visa revalidation. However, students from certain countries (Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and "state sponsors of terrorism") are not eligible, and will need to renew their entry visas before returning to the U.S.

Important: Applying for a U.S. visa in Canada or Mexico - new rules
Regulations prohibit those who have applied for a visa at one of the U.S. Consulates in Canada, Mexico, or adjacent islands from returning to the U.S. while their application is pending (such as in the case of security checks) or if their application is denied. Those whose visa applications are denied must return to their home country and apply for a new visa there before returning to the U.S.

Travel outside the U.S. while on Academic Training

If you are traveling outside the U.S. while on Academic Training, you must have your authorization letter, the DS-2019 signed for re-entry, valid J-1 visa, valid passport and a letter from your employer, stating that you are returning to the U.S. to resume employment.

Should you leave the U.S. while on Academic Training and need a new J-1 visa in order to return to the U.S., please understand that Georgetown cannot guarantee that you will receive a new J-1 visa to return to the U.S.

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Employment

All students must have a social security number to work on or off-campus. Click here for more information about obtaining a Social Security Number.

During and After Studies: Academic Training

J-1 students are eligible for Academic Training, in the form of off-campus employment, during and after their studies. You should file for Academic Training with the sponsor of your J-1 status, and submit your request prior to your completion of studies, or at the date required by your sponsor, whichever is sooner.

J-1 Academic Training is essentially defined as paid employment and/or unpaid internships that are a critical or integral part of a J-1 student's program of study. A J-1 student may be authorized to participate in Academic Training programs while enrolled in school or immediately following completion of the program of study. Please note that prior to beginning any Academic Training a student must obtain written approval from both the academic advisor and the Responsible Officer of his/her J-1 program.

A student may be authorized to engage in academic training if the following conditions are met:

• The student is primarily in the U.S. to study rather than to engage in Academic Training;
• The student is participating in Academic training that directly related to the major field of study, as listed on the Form DS-2019;
• The student is in good academic standing; and
• The student has received advance written approval from the Responsible Officer for the duration and type of Academic Training.

The period of academic training may not exceed the program time. For example, a student who completes an LL.M. degree in 9 months would be eligible for no more than 9 months of academic training.

Applying for Academic Training (Georgetown Sponsored J-1)

If your J-1 visa is sponsored by Georgetown University, you may apply for Academic Training by completing the Off-Campus Employment/Training Authorization Request Form for J-1 Students. Please note that written requests for Academic Training must be received at least 5 working days prior to the requested start date of employment.

Also, please note that in order to be granted an extension of status for post-completion Academic Training, students must apply for an extension of stay before their current DS-2019 expires.  This extension must be completed before the program end date on the DS-2019. 

Please give the Office of International Programs ten days to complete the program extension.  The period of post completion Academic Training must begin within 30 days following completion of the program of study.  

If you are graduating and are planning to leave the U.S., you must apply for Academic Training before you leave. You will not be eligible for Academic Training once you return.

The Office of International Programs on the main campus of Georgetown University is required by law to have your current address while you are on Academic Training.  Should you move while on Academic Training, you must provide your new address information to the J-1 advisor.  They have created a form to make this easier for you: Post Completion Academic Training Information Sheet .

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Revised September 12, 2005 (MD)