This page addresses visa documents specific to your J-1 status; however, other essential documents (such as the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record) are listed on the Important Documents page. Please review both pages to understand what documents are necessary to maintain your J-1 status in the U.S.
Form DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility
The DS-2019 is your certificate of eligibility for exchange visitor status at the University of Washington. Check this document for accuracy, carefully read the instructions on page 2, then sign and date it.
The DS-2019 was issued by an advisor (“Responsible Officer” or “Alternate Responsible Officer”) in International Scholars Operations (ISO), and lists your biographical data, your UW academic department, the dates of your exchange program, your category of participation, and the source(s) and amount of funding.
The DS-2019 serves several important purposes (for example, permitting you to apply for a visa) and must remain valid at all times. If your J-1 program at UW is extended or updated, ISO will issue you a new DS-2019 with new information. Keep every DS-2019 for your permanent record – do not discard the old ones.
You will need paper DS-2019(s) in order to apply for visa stamps at U.S. consulates or at U.S. ports of entry for (re)entry to the U.S. You may print out the DS-2019(s) sent to you electronically, or use the paper originals mailed to you by the unit. Scans of DS-2019s displayed on an electronic device may not be accepted by US authorities; please take printed paper DS-2019s with you.
Your DS-2019 should be kept safe at all times to avoid having it lost or stolen. Inform the ISO team immediately if this occurs, as we must report this to the government.
Do not scan or fax your DS-2019 to anyone except the ISO team, the Department of State, or the Department of Homeland Security.
DS-2019: Duration of Status and Extension of Stay
The duration of your program is stated in item 3 of the DS-2019. ISO may extend your program participation to the limit allowed by law (up to 5 years for exchange visitors in the Professor and Research Scholar categories, up to 6 months for exchange visitors in the Short-Term Scholar category, up to 1 year for exchange visitors in the Specialist category).
To request an extension, the sponsoring academic department submits the UW J Visa Request Form. The ISO team then issues a new DS-2019 reflecting the extension.
Waiver of Two-Year Home Country Physical Presence Requirement
If you apply for a waiver of the 2-year home country physical presence requirement, your DS-2019 cannot be extended beyond its current expiration date.