Orientation & Check-In for J-1 Scholars

Passport

During your stay in the United States, you are responsible for maintaining a valid passport. An advisor will verify that your passport is valid before extending your program or validating your DS-2019 for travel. Should you require a renewal or replacement of your passport while you are in the U.S., you are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to insure that your passport is renewed or replaced before the current one expires. You should contact your Embassy or Consulate in the U.S. for more information about the process to renew or replace your passport.

Please visit http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fco/ to find your country’s consulates or http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/32122.htm to find your country’s Embassy or representative.

J Scholar Visa

The visa is the document that was placed in your passport by the U.S. Consulate when you presented the Form DS-2019. The visa is ONLY used for entry to the United States. It does not permit you to remain in the U.S. It does not need to remain valid during your entire stay in the U.S. The visa stamp does not have to be valid in order to request an extension of stay. It must be valid if you will travel outside the U.S. and wish to re-enter in J status.

If you need to obtain a new J visa, please review the visa application information on the U.S. Consulate’s website in the city where you will apply, to make sure that you allow enough time, prepare the correct forms, and follow the necessary steps. Please see http://usembassy.state.gov/ for more information.

J Scholar I-901 Receipt

Please keep this receipt as part of your immigration documents and history. J scholars only have to pay this fee once while on the same program, so you may need the receipt to show that you paid the fee the next time you apply for a J visa. Some government sponsored scholars do not need to pay this fee.

Form I-94

When you enter and leave the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection records your arrival and departure. As of May 2013, this arrival and departure information is now collected and kept electronically. There will be a stamp inside your passport showing proof of legal entry to the U.S. with information on port-of-entry, entry date, admitted status (J-1), and status end date (such as D/S) (Duration of Status). It is extremely important to make sure that this stamp has accurate information. Dependents’ stamps should be endorsed as “Class: J-2” plus “Until: D/S.” Please make an appointment to see an International Services Specialist immediately if the entry stamp in your passport or that of any of your dependents is not properly endorsed.

Please visit the CBP website at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/ to print a paper copy of the electronic I-94 record to keep with your other immigration documents. Please provide ISSS with a copy of the new I-94 each time you travel outside the U.S. and re-enter.

Form DS-2019

This is the Certificate of Eligibility for the “J” Exchange Visitor Program. The consular officer who issued your visa should have completed the Preliminary Endorsement section of the form (if you are a Canadian citizen, this should have been completed at the Port of Entry into the United States). You may engage only in the activities permitted under the program and the category authorized on your Form DS-2019.

Social Security Number

If you will be a University of Colorado employee, you will need to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). This number is used for tax and retirement purposes by all persons who work in the United States. The Social Security Administration recommends that you wait 10-15 days after your arrival in the United States before applying for a social security number. They have to verify your immigration information, and 10-15 days is the approximate amount of time needed for the data from immigration to get to the social security office. Once you make the application, it will take a minimum of 2-3 additional weeks for you to receive your SSN. That means that it could take a month or so before you get an SSN.

ISSS recommends that you bring enough money with you to cover your living expenses for the first month or so. (We estimate living expenses to be about $2,500/month for the scholar and an additional $600 for each dependent.) To apply for a SSN, you will need to present your passport, immigration documents, and offer letter. You will also need to have another form of photo identification (other than your passport) with you at the time of application.

If you will not be a University of Colorado employee, you may not be issued a SSN. Spouses and children of J-1 scholars who are in J-2 status will not be permitted to apply for an SSN, unless they have employment authorization from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Link to Social Security Administration addresses: https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp

Colorado Identification Or Driver's License

Two types of documents are issued by the State of Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles. The first is a Colorado ID card, which is a small plastic document about the size of a credit card that serves as a photo identification document. It contains your photo, name, date of birth, and address. The other document is a Colorado driver’s license that both provides the same identity information and serves as permission to operate a motor vehicle in Colorado and the United States. If you do not plan to drive in the U.S., then the Colorado ID will be sufficient, but if you plan to drive in the U.S. and will be here for more than a few months, a Colorado driver’s license would be appropriate and recommended.

To receive an ID or driver’s license, individuals must be able to demonstrate that they have legal permission to remain in the US for an 6 months beyond their date of application for the document, and that they have taken up residence in Colorado. To receive a Colorado driver’s license, a person must also show the ability to operate a motor vehicle. Most individuals will be required to take a written test on driving regulations and safe operation of a motor vehicle, as well as a road or practical test during which applicants demonstrate they can safely and properly operate a motor vehicle. Canadian, French, and German citizens can convert their home country licenses into a Colorado license without taking the road or written tests; however, they must surrender their home country license, which is destroyed. Those with driver’s licenses from other states will turn in that license, which will be returned to the issuing state.

To apply for a Colorado identification document or driver’s license you must go to a Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) full-service office. To find the location of the office nearest you, read about the Colorado driving rules, and obtain study help for the written and driving tests, please visit the Colorado DMV’s website at http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue-MV/RMV/1177024843078.

When you go to the DMV office, you will need to bring the following documents:

1. A valid passport with print out of I-94 record.
2. All DS-2019 forms, including the form with the original entry stamp and the currently valid form.
3. Your original J-1 invitation letter or offer letter.
4. A letter from your department written within the past 30 days confirming that you are working at or visiting the University.

The DMV office will also need to check your legal status in the USCIS S.A.V.E. database. Sometimes the database available to the local DMV office does not show a person’s status immediately. If that happens, the office personnel should explain the process you need to follow. This often involves making a trip to the main DMV office on Pierce Street in Lakewood with your original documents and copies to give to the investigators who will confirm your status with the USCIS status verifying office.

Once issued, your driver’s license will be valid until the expiration date on your DS-2019 or until the expiration of your grace period, whichever date the S.A.V.E. database shows.

Health Insurance Requirement

U.S. government regulations require ALL J-1 exchange visitors and their J-2 dependents to carry health insurance that meets certain standards while they are participating in the J-1 Exchange Program. Federal regulations require that all J-1 participants and their dependents have adequate medical/life insurance coverage which provides:

• $100,000 of coverage per accident or illness, which may include a deductible of up to $500 and up to a 25% co-insurance provision;
• $25,000 for repatriation of remains; and
• $50,000 for emergency evacuation back to your country. Failure to maintain insurance coverage will result in termination of your J-1 status.

For a discussion of medical insurance in the United States and a list of insurance carriers, please see the attached document and list. Most of those who will be employed by the University will purchase medical insurance through the University’s Payroll and Benefits office; paperwork for purchasing insurance will be provided by your department. In most cases, however, you may need to purchase extra coverage for medical evacuation and repatriation of remains. These benefits are not part of the University’s medical insurance programs.

J-1 Insurance Requirements

What You Need to Know About Healthcare in the United States

List of J-1 Insurance Carriers

Update Insurance Through Online Form