Travel Guide for J-1 Visa Holders

Active exchange visitors that plan to depart the United States with an intent to return at a future time to continue their current Exchange Visitor Program, should review and complete the travel survey e-form. 

As a participant in a J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, exchange visitors are allowed to re-enter the U.S. after a temporary absence of 30 days or less, without special permission. If your absence is greater than 30 days, a Temporary - Out of Country Absence authorization is required to keep the SEVIS record ACTIVE and to facilitate re-entry. If the departure is greater than 30 days, please submit the Temporary - Out of Country Absence e-form in UAtlas. 

When planning travel, please make sure to have the following documents:

• Valid Passport - a valid passport is a passport that has not yet expired. When entering the U.S., the passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the end date of the program, unless the exchange visitor's country is exempt from this requirement. Exempt countries, know as the six-month club, can be found listed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
• Valid J-1 Visa - a valid visa is a visa that has not yet expired. When entering the U.S., the visa must be valid on the date of the entry. If the visa has expired, it can only be renewed at a U.S. Embassy abroad. If there is a need to renew the visa, we recommend that the visa appointment is scheduled at a U.S. Consulate in the home country of legal permanent residence or citizenship. Keep in mind that a visa is required for travel to the U.S., but allowed to expire while physically present in the U.S.
• Valid DS-2019 - a valid DS-2019 is one that has not yet expired based on the program end date (see DS-2019, section 3, "from and to" period of time). 
• Valid Travel Signature - a travel signature is required from ISSS on your DS-2019 in order to re-enter in J-1 "status." The travel signature is valid for one year and must be valid on the date of re-entry to the U.S. 

What is an "Out of Country" Absence?

An Out of Country Absence (OOC) is a temporary period of time outside the United States of more than 30 days with an intent to return to the U.S. to continue an original Exchange Visitor Program objective. During the OOC absence, the current SEVIS immigration record will remain ACTIVE. 

General Guidelines for a Temporary Absence

If your stay abroad is MORE than 30 days and you intend to return to continue your original Exchange Visitor (EV) program objective, you must receive authorization for a Temporary OOC absence or your SEVIS immigration record will become INACTIVE, and your J-1 program will "Complete." A completed program will subject EV's in the Research Scholar and Professor category to a 24-Month Bar on repeat participation in those categories. For a temporary absence of 30 days or less, authorization for a temporary OOC absence is not necessary, but you must have a valid travel signature on your DS-2019 in order to re-enter the U.S. Please review the Traveling and Intent to Return section above for information on submitting a Travel Survey and obtaining a travel signature. 

Out of Country Absence Eligibility

In order to take a Out of Country Absence, individuals must meet these requirements during the absence:

1. Continuing to pursue the original program goals and objectives. 
2. The research or collaboration will be ongoing and continue to benefit the University of Utah.
3. Maintain the minimum required health insurance for yourself and dependents (if any) that meets the U.S. Department of State requirements for the duration of the EV program, even while abroad. This requirement cannot be waived.
4. Reporting changes to your out of country site of activity and return date to ISSS.
5. Remain under the supervision of your Professor or Primary Investigator at the University of Utah.

Applying for an Out of Country Absence

Submit a Temporary Out of Country Absence e-form. Please be prepared to include the following information in the e-form:

• Begin Date and End Date of Your Temporary Absence
• Address of your site of activity (your physical location) outside of the U.S. (most commonly a university, a research institution, or lab). 
• Proof of health insurance that meets the minimum requirements of the J-1 visa, and confirmation of continued coverage for you and your dependents during your temporary absence.
• Contact information of your faculty supervisor or Primary Investigator (PI).

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allows exchange visitors an additional period of 30 days, called the 30-day grace period, following the end date of their program found on their most current Form DS-2019, in order to prepare for departure. During the "grace period" exchange visitors are no longer in J-1 status. The purpose of the grace period is to allow exchange visitors an opportunity to settle their affairs, engage in travel and tourism throughout the U.S., and prepare to return to their home country. 

During the grace period, exchange visitors are no longer permitted to continue and/or complete exchange activities, such as, teaching, research or study. Although an EV may travel throughout the United States, once an EV departs the country during the grace period, they will not be permitted re-entry using their J-1 or J-2 visa, since their Exchange Program will have ended. If there is a need to return to the U.S., for example to visit friends or attend a graduation ceremony, they can use an alternative U.S. visa status, such as a B1/B2 tourist or ESTA, if eligible, to re-enter the U.S. 

• Please keep in mind that it is your responsibility to understand the visa status that is most appropriate for your visit to the U.S.
• If your exchange program ends more than 15 days early, based on the end date of the most current DS-2019, you must report this "early completion" to ISSS, submitting the "Shorten Program" e-form, for an accurate accounting of your stay. Once submitted, we will issue a new DS-2019 based on the early completion of your exchange program. 
• If your exchange program is terminated due to a violation of your visa status, you are expected to leave the U.S. immediately, and are not eligible for the 30-day grace period. 
• If you apply for, and timely file for a "Change of Status" through USCIS, and do so before the end of the 30-day grace period, you are allowed to remain in the U.S. beyond the 30-day grace period, and during the adjudication period.