Virginia Tech® home

Travel for J Visitors

It is strongly recommended that you always carry your original documents when you travel domestically and internationally.

While you don't need any specific documents to leave the U.S., individuals coming to the U.S. in J status will need the following documents to enter:

  • Appropriate, valid J visa stamp (unless exempt: Canadian citizens generally do not need visa stamps)
  • Original, unexpired DS-2019 most recently issued to you (for example, if you received an extension,  use the extended DS-2019 to travel, not your initial DS-2019)
    • Scholars and Student Interns who have already entered the U.S. to start their J program and who will travel internationally then return to the U.S. should also obtain a travel signature on their DS-2019.
  • Valid passport
  • Proof of financial support (bank statement, offer letter from VT, support letter from your home institution or home government, etc.)
  • SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt

Important Note:

International visitors to Virginia Tech should be aware of  OFAC sanctions and ensure that they do not engage in any prohibited transactions unless authorized by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or expressly exempted by statute.

 

Upon your return to the US, please e-mail a copy of your I-94 record to your adviser at ISS. You may obtain a copy of your I-94 record from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home

If you still have a valid, unexpired US visa stamp in an expired passport, you can continue to use the visa. To do so, you will need to carry both your expired and unexpired passport AND you have to ensure that the visa is physically intact (i.e. does not have any cuts or holes in it, even if the passport does have cuts or holes).

Please review the section on Automatic Visa Revalidation if you are traveling to Canada or Mexico or the Caribbean Islands for a period of less than thirty days.