Scholars

Immigration Requirements

After receiving your DS-2019 from USF, it is time to prepare to come to the Tampa Bay area.   

(Before Arrival) Get Your J-1 Visa or Transfer J Status to USF

If you are outside the US:

  • Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee 
  • Make an appointment for a J-1 visa at a US Embassy or Consulate.
  • After receiving the visa stamp in your passport, make arrangements to arrive in Florida.  Tampa International Airport is the closest airport.
  • You and any J-2 dependents may enter the US up to thirty (30) days before program start date on the DS-2019.

If you are inside the US:

  • OIS will work with your J-1 program sponsor to arrange transfer of your SEVIS record to USF. 
  • Your category, subject/field code, and program objective cannot change. 
  • USF will not be able to produce the final DS-2019 until you arrive at USF.

Report to OIS for Document Check

Mandatory Document Check  

  • Once you have completed the required e-forms, please email j1visa@usf.edu to arrange a Document Check. We will then schedule a virtual meeting via Teams to review your uploaded documents. 
  • During Document Check, OIS will “activate” your SEVIS record.   
  • Two days (48 hours) after SEVIS activation, you can apply for an SSN number at the local SSA office. See the J Scholar Social Security Information handout for more information.
  • After Document Check and after applying for your SSN, you may complete Right Start with Human Resources if you are employed at USF and any department on-boarding.

Attend Your OIS Orientation

Mandatory Orientation

  • OIS conducts Scholar Orientation, normally on the second Tuesday of each month.   
  • Scholars are required to attend the next available session.   
  • Dependents are welcome to attend the orientation. 

Update your U Number in iStart

  • During your first week with your new USF department you should be provided with your University ID Number (U Number) and a Net ID. Once you have your U Number, login to iStart and complete the Update your U Number E-Form to complete the scholar checklist. This step is mandatory in order to allow you to use iStart resources as a continuing scholar at USF.

212(E), Waivers, Bars

212(e) – Home Residency Requirement

After completing a J-1 program in the US, some J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents are required to live in their home country for a period of two years before they are eligible to apply for immigrant status (US Permanent Residency or “green card”) or work visas (H, L or K). This requirement, also known as the Home Residency Requirement, is meant for the home country to benefit from the scholar’s experience in the US.

212(e) does not apply to all J-1 exchange visitors. If you are subject, there may be a notation on your DS2019 and/or visa. Please note that you may not change to another nonimmigrant status in the US. This requirement applies to you if:

  • You have received funding from the US or your home government;
  • Skills in your subject of research are needed by your home country as noted in the US government's "Exchange Visitor Skills List", or;
    • The US Department of State (DOS) published a revised J-Exchange Visitor Skills List effective December 9, 2024. This revised list removes 37 countries from the Skills List and does not add any additional countries to the list
    • NOTE: If you were previously on the list but your country was removed as of the 2024 revision than you are no longer subject to 212(e)
  • You have received graduate medical education or training in the US.  

For complete information on the Two Year Residency Requirement, please visit Two-year Home-Country Physical Presence Requirement. 

Waiver of 212(e)

Outline of process to apply for a waiver.

To request a waiver of the Two Year Requirement, you must file a DS-3035 form. 

Do not apply for a waiver unless you have guaranteed plans for H, L, K, or permanent residence status. Once you receive a recommendation for the waiver, you CANNOT extend or transfer your J-1 status.

Bars

The 12- and 24-month bars determine when a J-1 exchange Research Scholar or Professor is eligible for a second visit to the US.

 J-1 Professors or Research Scholars are barred from participation in the same category for two years or 24 months from the end date of their programs. For example, a Research Scholar with program dates of August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019 will not be able to return as a J-1 Research Scholar or Professor until July 31, 2021. This also applies to J-2 dependents. This is a different rule from 212(e), the two-year home residency requirement. The bar does not prevent individuals from returning to the United States in any other visa status.

J-1 regulations also state that scholars and dependents who participated in a J program for more than six months are not eligible to return to the US as a Research scholar or Professor until 12 months after exit from the US.  Time spent in the J-1 Short-term Scholar category does not count towards the 12-month bar. The 12-month bar does not prevent individuals from returning to the United States in any other visa status.