How to Sponsor a J-1 Visa

Review the international scholar’s eligibility for a J-1 visa on our J-1 Exchange Visitors page. Begin as early as possible, but at least 3 months in advance of the desired start date. If International Scholars Operations (ISO) advisors receive a request within 2 months of the start date, units may be asked to change that date. Please see our J-1 Process Handout for more specific information about processing timelines.

Review the ISO J-1 Checklist for necessary documents, and gather them. Have the scholar complete pages 1-3 of the J-1 Visa Intake Form, then units must complete pages 6-7 of appointment information. Make sure the information on the intake form is consistent with information on supporting documents.

Enter the J-1 Visa Intake Form information into the J-1 Visa Request form online and hit “Submit”. The person who submits the visa request will receive an email from our ticketing system confirming receipt and including a Visa Request Tracking Number. Use this tracking number when inquiring about the status of the visa request.

Note: Only an authorized staff member in the UW department or program sponsoring the international scholar may prepare a visa request. A UW NetID is required.

ISO will review for visa and appointment eligibility issues. As part of this review, ISO may reach out for more information or documentation.

After the review is complete, ISO will send the Conditionally Approved Visa Request to the person who submitted the visa request by email.

Note: Once the PDF has been sent, the visa request may not be altered without prior approval from the ISO Team.

Assemble the Conditionally Approved Visa Request and supporting documents, following the guidelines in our J-1 Checklist. Route it for signature by the appropriate parties (usually the chair and dean), and then send it back to ISO by one of the following methods:

• By campus mail to campus mailbox 351245
• As one complete PDF by replying to the email sent with the approved visa request
• As one complete PDF uploaded to the visa request using the “Manage Files” function

When the packet arrives at ISO, the person who submitted the visa request will receive an email confirming receipt.

ISO will review all documentation and issue a DS-2019. As part of this review, ISO may ask for more information or additional documentation if supporting documents are missing or inconsistent. The resulting DS-2019, with attachments, will be uploaded to the “Manage Files” page for the relevant visa request. The person who submitted the visa request will receive an email notification that the DS-2019 is ready for download. (If the exchange visitor’s active EID was provided on the visa request, the exchange visitor will also receive a separate email notification.)

Provide the exchange visitor with their signed DS-2019, with attachments, by one of the following methods:

• Send the exchange visitor the scan of the DS-2019 issued by ISO, with attachments, via email or another file-sharing method.
• Print the scanned DS-2019 and attachments, and mail to the J-1 exchange visitor in hard copy.

Please note that UW is forbidden by law from sending DS-2019s by scan or fax to third parties except the exchange visitor, their dependents, the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of State.

See steps on the J-1 Getting to the U.S. page. The exchange visitor should enter the United States on or before the start date listed on the DS-2019; if that is infeasible, contact ISO to change the dates on the DS-2019. More information is available on the J-1 visa pages for international scholars.

All J-1 exchange visitors must attend a scheduled J-1 check-in session at ISO within 30 days of the start date listed on their DS-2019 or risk violating their J-1 status.

Review the international scholar’s eligibility for a J-1 visa on our J-1 Exchange Visitors page. Begin as early as possible, at least 2 months in advance of the expiration of the exchange visitor’s current DS-2019.

Follow steps 2-6 outlined above.

If you provided the exchange visitor’s active EID on the visa request, the exchange visitor will receive an email notification that their DS-2019 is available for download. If you did not provide the EID on the visa request, you must provide the exchange visitor with their signed DS-2019, with attachments, by one of the following methods:

• Send the exchange visitor the scan of the DS-2019 issued by ISO, with attachments, via email or another file-sharing method.
• Print the scanned DS-2019 and attachments, and mail to the J-1 exchange visitor in hard copy.

Please note that UW is forbidden by law from sending DS-2019s by scan or fax to third parties except the exchange visitor, their dependents, the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of State.

Update the exchange visitor’s I-9 Verification of Employment Eligibility form as appropriate. The exchange visitor does not need to attend a new check-in session or apply for a new J-1 visa stamp at a U.S. consulate abroad at this time, although a new visa stamp may be necessary for future international travel.

Review the international scholar’s eligibility for a J-1 visa on our J-1 Exchange Visitors page. Begin as early as possible, but at least 1 month in advance of the desired start date. If ISO advisors receive a transfer-in request within 2 weeks of the start date, the transfer may not be completed in time.

Review the ISO J-1 Checklist for necessary documents, and gather them. Have the scholar complete pages 1-3 of our J Visa Intake Form, then unit administrators should complete pages 6-7 of appointment information. Make sure the information on the Intake Form is consistent with supporting document information.

Enter the J Visa Intake Form information into our J Visa Request form online and hit “Submit”. The person who submits the visa request will receive an email from our ticketing system confirming receipt.

ISO will review for visa and appointment eligibility issues. As part of this review, ISO may reach out for more information or documentation.
After the review is complete, ISO will send the Conditionally Approved Visa Request to the person who submitted the visa request by email.

Assemble the Conditionally Approved Visa Request and supporting documents, following the guidelines in our J-1 Checklist. Route it for signature by the appropriate parties (usually the chair and dean), and then send it back to ISO by one of the following methods:

• By campus mail to campus mailbox 351245
• As one complete PDF by replying to the email sent with the approved visa request
• As one complete PDF uploaded to the visa request using the “Manage Files” function

When the packet arrives at ISO, the person who submitted the visa request will receive an email confirming receipt.

ISO will review all documentation. As part of this review, ISO may ask for more information or additional documentation if supporting documents are missing or inconsistent. ISO will then contact the current program sponsor and request that the transfer be initiated in SEVIS (the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). ISO will confirm with the unit and the exchange visitor when this step is complete.

The transferring scholar must attend a remote J-1 check-in session on or after the effective date of the transfer and bring all required documentation, including a completed Insurance Compliance Form.

Note: ISO cannot issue the new DS-2019 until after the effective date of the transfer AND check-in. Once check-in is complete, ISO will issue a new DS-2019, which will be sent to units by two methods:

• A scan of the signed DS-2019, with attachments, will be uploaded to the “Manage Files” page for the relevant visa request. The person who submitted the visa request will receive an email notification that the DS-2019 is ready for download. (If the exchange visitor’s EID was provided on the visa request, the exchange visitor will also receive a separate email notification.)
• The original signed DS-2019, with attachments, will be sent to the unit by campus mail.

Provide the exchange visitor with their signed DS-2019, with attachments, by one of the following methods:

• Send the exchange visitor the scan of the DS-2019 issued by ISO, with attachments, via email or another file-sharing method.
• Print the scanned DS-2019 and attachments, and mail to the J-1 exchange visitor in hard copy.

Please note that UW is forbidden by law from sending DS-2019s by scan or fax to third parties except the exchange visitor, their dependents, the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of State.

Update the exchange visitor’s I-9 Verification of Employment Eligibility form as appropriate. The exchange visitor does not need to apply for a new J-1 visa stamp at a U.S. consulate abroad at this time, although a new visa stamp may be necessary for future international travel.