Key Facts About Your DS-2019

The J-1 visa program is offered for a wide range of visitor categories in the United States, from au pairs, to interns, to scholars and professors at esteemed institutions.

Those seeking this visa will need to undergo a crucial process to allow a successful entry into the United States. These steps include necessary forms that permit interviews for their visa – specifically the DS-2019.

What is on Your DS-2019?

This form, along with a person’s visa and passport, will be the key to getting into the United States from the moment they enter U.S. Customs and Border Protection after being issued by your school or program. It will provide any customs officers information about:

• Your identity as the visa holder
• Any spouses or other dependents you have arrived with
• Your sponsor, as well as the category of which they are appointed
• The length of your program, including beginning and end dates
• The category of program you are joining, as well as a description of your field
• Any financial support you will be receiving, or estimated to receive

Other key sections of this form include a certification statement, which the visa holder will sign to affirm, and a SEVIS ID number, in the form of an “alpha” character (the letter “N”), followed by 10 numbers.

Your DS-2019 also provides details that you will need to review and agree to via signature on the second page. This includes information about returning to your home country and not applying for an immigrant visa at least 2 years after their exchange visit.

How to Obtain a DS-2019

Typically, this process is initiated once you have been approved for a position at a specific institution or program. At that time, your information is added to a database for individuals looking to visit abroad, known as SEVIS.

Once your information has been processed in this system, a designated official within your school should receive a PDF file of your DS-2019. They will sign it themselves before sending you an electronic copy.

Before arriving in the United States, you will need to provide proof that you are sufficiently funded for your stay before a DS-2019 can be issued. Minimum funding requirements are provided by your program, to which you will need to provide proof in the form of a bank statement, letter, and/or affidavit of financial support.

Your program might have specific steps or instructions to receive your DS-2019, and a designated school official or similar can guide you through these extra steps. Processing times may also vary depending on how fast you complete your application, and if there are additional tasks that need to be completed.

What Can You Use Your DS-2019 For?

Aside from entry into the country, your DS-2019 has a multitude of capabilities that will be crucial to your visit and plays a role into your status into the future. After you have used this document to apply for your J-1 visa, you can also use your certificate to pay your SEVIS fee before seeking admission into the US.

Once you have arrived, your DS-2019 has continued usage for many important processes that help your stay, including:

• Applying for a Social Security Number
• Obtaining an ITIN (Individual Tax Identification Number)
• Getting a driver’s license or state identification card
• Proof for work authorization for a US job
• Requesting an immigration status change

Maintaining Your J-1 Non immigrant Status

Your DS-2019 is a legally bound key outline of your stay in the United States, which means that you are also responsible for fulfilling the activities which are highlighted in your form. This also means abiding with the program duration you have been assigned and making sure that you have left the United States before the end of your 30-day grace period, which happens after your DS-2019 end date.

For those having trouble completing their programs or studies by the end date on this form, you will need to submit a request for a program extension.. In these cases, you would receive a new DS-2019 from your program sponsor with the new dates. You can still extend or transfer this extension to another institution before this end date as well.

If you plan on transferring to a different institution, you will need to discuss this first with an advisor at your school, who will look to release your electronic SEVIS record to the new school. A new DS-2019 is only generated when this SEVIS release date is reached.

Health Insurance for J-1 Visa Holders

Having a DS-2019 isn’t the only qualification you’ll need to satisfy for your visa! Department of State regulations state that you’ll also need to provide health insurance coverage that meets their requirements and covers your entire stay in the U.S.

International student insurance companies like ISO offer dedicated plan options for prospective visa holders and their dependents, so enroll in a plan today!