J-1 RESEARCH SCHOLAR PRE-ARRIVAL ORIENTATION INFORMATION

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1 Direct phone: (860) Fax: (860) J-1 RESEARCH SCHOLAR PRE-ARRIVAL ORIENTATION INFORMATION Hartford Seminary has prepared this handout for individuals who have a Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status (Form DS-2019) for the category of Research Scholar at Hartford Seminary. It will describe how to apply for a J-1 visa to enter the U.S. The Exchange Visitor Program allows research scholars an opportunity to conduct research, observe, and consult with our faculty and students in connection with a research project. This program establishes long-lasting ties between the U.S. and other countries, resulting in a better understanding of American values and institutions, through the exchange of ideas and experiences. Caution: Do not enter the U.S. on a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa, or in WT or WB status through the Visa Waiver program. It is unlawful for individuals in these classifications to work in the U.S., and it is difficult and sometimes impossible to change your nonimmigrant visa status to J-1 once in the country. Step 1: Read Form DS-2019 Please note that your SEVIS Form DS-2019 indicates that we have created a record on your behalf in the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Your SEVIS ID number is found in the upper right hand corner of page one (1) of your SEVIS Form DS If any information on this form is incorrect, please contact our office immediately. Please be sure to read page 1 and page 2 of the form carefully. If all of the information on the form is correct, sign your name in the appropriate space on the form as indicated on page 1. If you have dependents (husband or wife, children under the age of 21) that will be traveling with you, they will receive their own Form(s) DS-2019 to assist with their application(s) for J-2 visa(s). You will have to sign their Form DS Please contact Lorraine Browne at lbrowne@hartsem.edu if you intend to bring your dependents to the U.S. with you and you have not received separate documentation for your dependent family members. Please refer to the start date in item number 3 of SEVIS Form DS-2019 to make sure that it is accurate. Note that entry to the U.S. in J-1 scholar status or J-2 dependent status is permitted up to 30 days before and up to 30 days after this start date. Please Note: The spelling of your name and your date of birth must be exactly as they appear on your passport. The same is true for dependents. If your name and/or date of birth on SEVIS Form DS-2019 are not exactly the same as the information that appears on your passport, please request a corrected SEVIS Form DS-2019 from our office. Form DS-2019 is only a certificate of eligibility for J-1 status. Issuing the form alone does not grant J-1 status itself. You must acquire a J-1 visa after being issued Form DS Step 2: Make Sure Your Passport is Valid In order to avoid possible problems applying for a visa or entering the U.S., your passport should be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the date you plan to enter the country. Step 3: Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires proof of payment of a one-time SEVIS I-901 fee of $180. This will be collected from prospective J-1 scholars with begin new program DS-2019s issued after

2 September 1, 2004, who are applying for an initial J-1 visa from outside the U.S. While immigration regulations indicate that the fee should be paid prior to your visa application at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, we suggest that you pay the fee as soon as you receive your Form DS This will allow sufficient time for DHS to update your fee payment in your electronic SEVIS record. The SEVIS fee is NOT required if you are currently in valid J-1 immigration status. Similarly, if you are transferring to a new J-1 sponsor, a SEVIS fee is not required. J-2 dependents are not required to pay the SEVIS fee. Individuals from a very limited number of countries are exempt from the requirement to have a visa to enter the U.S. However, they are not exempt from the SEVIS fee. Proof of the I-901 SEVIS fee payment must be verified at the U.S. port of entry before the visa-exempt individual will be admitted to the U.S. in J-1 status. Please see below for visa exempt approved persons and countries. Persons Citizens of Canada or Bermuda Bahamian nationals British subject residents in the Bahamian, Cayman, Turks or Caicos Islands Exempt From Applying for F-1, F-3, M-1, M-3 or J-1 status upon entry Entering the United States without a visa as described in 8 CFR 212.1a and applying for F-1, F-3, M-1, M-3 or J-1 status upon entry The fee can be paid either 1) over the internet with an electronic application form and a credit card or 2) by mailing a paper application with a check or bank draft drawn in U.S. dollars to a processing center in the U.S. There is currently no mechanism to pay the fee at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate or at a U.S. port of entry. The fee can be paid by you or by another party inside or outside the U.S. However, you must have proof of payment when you apply for the visa and when you enter the U.S. All scholars who pay the SEVIS fee will receive a formal receipt that should be used as proof of fee payment. The receipt will be sent to the mailing address you provide on Form I-901. This receipt notice will take time to process and to arrive in the mail. The Form I-901 instructions state that receipts will be sent via airmail at no additional cost. The payee can request expedited courier delivery, by indicating this request on Form I-901 and by paying an extra $35 at the time of initial payment. If the courier delivery option is selected, the scholar must include a contact telephone number and actual street address because the courier will not deliver to a P.O. Box. Although fee payments should also be entered into your permanent immigration (SEVIS) record, it is strongly recommended that you retain the fee receipt with your other important immigration documents to use as needed. To Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee Online This is the recommended way to pay your I-901 SEVIS Fee 1. Log onto the following website: 2. Complete Form I-901 online. Make certain to type your name and SEVIS ID number exactly as it appears on your SEVIS Form DS-2019 and complete each section accurately. You must supply the necessary Debit, Visa, MasterCard or American Express card information. 3. Submit the electronic Form I-901 and payment. 4. Print a copy of the online receipt to use as temporary proof of payment until you receive the original hard copy of the SEVIS I-901 fee receipt. 5. A formal SEVIS I-901 fee receipt notice should be mailed to the address you indicated on Form I-901 within 3 business days. Be sure to make copies of your receipt, and keep the original with your other important immigration documents. 2

3 To Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee by Mail 1. Complete the enclosed Form I-901. Make certain to type your name exactly as it appears on your SEVIS Form DS-2019 and complete each section accurately. 2. Obtain a check, international money order or bank draft in the amount of $180 US Dollars, made payable to I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee. 3. Send the completed Form I-901 and payment to one of the addresses below depending on the mail service you choose to use. 4. A formal SEVIS I-901 fee receipt notice will be mailed to the address you indicated on Form I-901 within 3 business days. Be sure to make copies of your receipt, and keep the original with your other important immigration documents. The mailing addresses for paying by check or money order using the paper Form I-901 are: P.O. Box address for regular mail service: I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee P.O. Box St. Louis, MO Street address for courier/express delivery: I-901 Student/Exchange Visitor Processing Fee 1005 Convention Plaza St. Louis, MO To Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee at a participating Western Union Agent 1. Log onto the following website: and follow the instructions for SEVIS I-901 Fee Payment by Western Union Quick Pay. 2. Print out and bring a copy of the instructions from this website along with a copy of the sample form from the same website to a local participating Western Union Agent location. 3. Travel to the nearest Western Union Agent location. Find a Western Union Agent at: or call the telephone number of the Western Union Commercial Services Network Agent in your country. 4. Complete a Blue Form at the participating local Western Union Agent location. This form may show words such as Payment Services or Quick Pay printed in the applicable local language, however, all Quick Pay forms will be blue. Fill out all appropriate information. Make certain to include your name exactly as it appears on your SEVIS Form DS-2019 and complete each section accurately. Make certain to include the SEVIS ID number (located on the upper right hand corner of your Hartford Seminary SEVIS document), your date of birth, and the Hartford Seminary Exchange Visitor Program Number exactly as it appears on Form DS Make the payment at the Western Union Agent. 6. Retain the Western Union receipt to use as temporary proof of payment until you receive the original SEVIS I-901 fee receipt notice. 7. A formal SEVIS I-901 fee receipt notice will be mailed to the address you indicated on Form I-901 within three business days. Be sure to make copies of your receipt, and keep the original with your other important immigration documents. Please note that the SEVIS fee is non-refundable. If your J-1 visa application is denied by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, and you reapply for a new J-1 visa within 12 months of the denial, you will not be required to pay a new SEVIS fee. Step 4: Obtain a valid J-1 visa Please apply for a J-1 visa well in advance of your planned travel to the U.S. as it can take a few months to obtain a nonimmigrant visa at some U.S. embassies and consulates. To find the U.S. embassy or consulate nearest you, visit the following website: 3

4 Please Note: If you are already in the U.S. in another nonimmigrant status, you must apply for a change of status to J-1. To apply for a change of status, please visit, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at To apply for a J-1 visa, you will need to submit the following documents to the U.S. embassy or consulate: 1. Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160), which can be obtained from the U.S. Consulate or downloaded at: (Please Note: The online DS-160 application replaced the DS-156, DS- 157, DS-158, and DS-3032, which are no longer necessary). J-2 Dependents are required to complete Form DS-160 and schedule an interview with the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. 2. Visa application fee (check with the Consulate for the fee amount and how it must be paid) 3. One photograph (please visit the following website for specific requirements: 4. Evidence of English ability sufficient for exchange program. 5. Passport 6. Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status (SEVIS Form DS-2019) signed in blue ink by RO/ARO at Hartford Seminary and signed and dated by research scholar. 7. Original invitation letter from Hartford Seminary. 8. Original documents proving the availability of sufficient funds to meet expenses as stated on your SEVIS Form DS Evidence of residence abroad and intent to depart the U.S. after completion of the program. 10. Proof of having paid the SEVIS I-901 fee. 11. Proof of having paid the nonimmigrant visa application fee. All visa applicants are now required to schedule a personal appointment for an interview. Please keep in mind that it may take a few weeks to schedule an appointment so you should initiate your visa application as early as possible. Before your interview, practice answering questions in English about your application, your plans in the U.S., and your plans after you return home. If your spouse and children will remain in your home country, be prepared to explain how they will support themselves without you sending them money from the U.S. You may not need to do anything special to prove that you intend to return home. It may be sufficient for you to explain that you plan to return to your country to work, to continue your studies, or to do whatever you plan to do when you return home. However, you may need to prove that you have such strong ties to your home country that you will return there. If you believe it is likely that you will need to prove your intention to return home after you complete your research, please carefully read the enclosed handout entitled, Proving Nonimmigrant Intent" for U.S. Visa Application Purposes. The consular official may decide to subject your application to a special security clearance before granting the visa. Security clearances may take as long as a few months, so it is very important that you apply for your J-1 visa as early as possible. Once the application has been sent for security clearance, the applicant must simply wait until the consulate approves or denies the visa. If your visa application is denied, it is unlikely that the Consulate will reverse the decision. For this reason, it is important that you arrive at your appointment with the best supporting information. If your visa is denied, please contact Hartford Seminary and we will try to provide you with suggestions that may strengthen your next visa application. Step 5: Travel to the U.S. Once you have obtained your J-1 visa, you are ready to travel to the U.S. Immigration regulations allow you to enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days prior to the start date of your program as indicated in item number 3 of your SEVIS Form DS You must carry with you items 7-10 listed in Step 4 of this handout. Place these documents 4

5 in a folder or envelope that you will have with you at all times during your travel. During your trip to, or upon arrival in, the U.S., you will be given a form titled, Arrival/Departure Record (USCIS Form I-94). Using a pen, print the information requested on this form, making certain to spell your name exactly as it appears on your passport. Step 6: Apply for "Admission" to the U.S. When you arrive in the U.S., you will apply for admission and an Immigration Inspector will examine your documents. You will need to present the following documents: USCIS Form I-94 Passport with valid J-1 visa, and SEVIS Form DS-2019 You should have the following documents ready to present if the Immigration Inspector asks for them: Original financial documents Original invitation letter from Hartford Seminary The Immigration Inspector may ask you one or more questions. If you are asked about your funding, answer the question and offer to show the Inspector your financial documents. If you are asked about your intentions, answer the question and offer to show supporting documents. Please be advised that nationals or citizens of certain countries are now subject to a Special Registration when entering the U.S. You may be fingerprinted and photographed at the point of entry. You should calmly provide all information requested by the Immigration officer. If you have the required documents and there are no more questions, the Immigration Inspector will admit you to the U.S. by stamping your passport, your SEVIS Form DS-2019, and your USCIS Form I-94. When you leave the inspection area, make certain you have the following documents in your possession: 1. Passport, 2. Departure Record (part of Form I-94) 3. SEVIS Form DS-2019 and all supporting documents Step 7: Upon Admittance into the U.S. If you have not arranged to be picked up from the airport, please take a taxi from the airport to Hartford Seminary if you will be living on campus (77 Sherman Street, Hartford, CT 06105). Please make sure you have cash in U.S. dollars in order to pay for the taxi ride (estimated cost is $45-$55 including tip). There will be someone waiting for you at the main building (77 Sherman Street) to welcome you and take you to campus housing. If you will be living off-campus, please contact the Responsible Officer prior to arriving for assistance. Contact Information: Housing Related Issues: Roseann Lezak, Director of Administration and Facilities, (860) ; rlezak@hartsem.edu Responsible Officer for J-1 Exchange Visitor Program: Lorraine Browne, (860) ; lbrowne@hartsem.edu Alternate Responsible Officer for J-1 Exchange Visitor Program: President Heidi Hadsell, ; hadsell@hartsem.edu 24-Month Bar (effective November 18, 2006) The 24-month bar refers to repeat participation in the Exchange Visitor Program by individuals in the Professor or Research Scholar categories. Individuals in these categories who have entered the United States under a J-1 visa 5

6 under the Exchange Visitor Program, or who have acquired such status while in the United States, and who have completed his or her program, are not eligible for participation in a J-1 professor or research scholar category for a period of two years following the end date of such program participation as identified in SEVIS. Two-Year Home-Country Physical Presence (Foreign Residence) Requirement 212(e) Upon your completion of a J-1 program in the U.S., you may be required to spend two years in your home country, or country of last legal residence, before you will be allowed to return to the U.S. in certain types of immigration classifications. You may be subject to this requirement if the following applies: Individuals are subject to 212(e) if: Your J-1 program is a government-financed exchange program OR You are participating in graduate medical education or training OR If you are acquiring a skill that is in short supply in your home country, according to the U.S. government "Exchange Visitor Skills List." In limited circumstances, exchange visitors who are subject to this two-year home residency requirement may apply for a waiver directly from the Department of State (DoS) if they meet certain conditions. Please see Lorraine Browne if you have any questions about this requirement. Health Care Insurance As a research scholar, you are required by regulation to have adequate health care insurance that covers you (and your spouse and/or children if they are in the U.S. in J-2 status) while you are a research scholar at Hartford Seminary. Insurance coverage is for illnesses, accidents, and medical evacuation and repatriation during the period you are at Hartford Seminary as a research scholar. Minimum coverage must meet both DoS and Hartford Seminary requirements. The Patriot Exchange Program under Gateway Plans, offers a health insurance plan that meets the required A rating as stated in 22 CFR 62.14(c). The required rating is noted on the cover page of the plan brochure. Patriot Exchange Program (U.S. & Non U.S.) Health care insurance designed for students studying abroad or participants of cultural exchange programs. Coverage is designed to meet the U.S. J-1 visa travel insurance requirements. Highlights: Two short-term travel medical plan designs Coverage for students, their spouses and unmarried dependent children traveling with them Plan Maximums up to $500,000 Renewable up to 48 months if minimum of three months is purchased Freedom to seek treatment with hospital or doctor of your choice Universal Rx pharmacy discount savings 24 hour secure access from anywhere in the world to manage your account at any time Student Health Center $5 co-pay per visit No coinsurance Optional add-on coverage available for high school sports, personal sports and legal assistance Pre-existing conditions coverage available to U.S. and non-u.s. citizens - see specific plan design for benefit information overview - Please see the attached plan brochure Please Note: Acquiring medical insurance is required; failure to do so is a direct violation of the Exchange Visitor Program regulations and your DS-2019 is subject to termination. You will be required to obtain medical insurance upon your arrival at Hartford Seminary. Certain information in this document is from the NAFSA Manual and as of April