J-1 Students
J-1 visa holding students are normally eligible to leave the U. S. for temporary trips while they are studying. This can include leaving the U.S. for a conference, visiting family, or spending the summer at home. However, some specific details must be observed when traveling:
- Be certain to have a valid J-1 visa in your passport upon your return to the U.S. **
- Be certain that your form DS20-19 has been endorsed for travel on page two by staff
in the Study Abroad office. We recommend that this travel endorsement be applied within
6 months of your planned trip.
- Due to meetings and other possible availability issues, please plan to get your DS20-19 travel signatures at least one week prior to traveling.
- Please plan to have J-2 spouse/child DS20-19 signed in addition to the main J-1 student DS20-19, if the J-2 family members are also traveling.
- Be certain that your passport will still be valid for at least six additional months into the future upon your return to the U.S. This is a mandatory condition of maintaining legal J-1 status while inside the U.S.
- Before leaving, check for any possible need for transit visas in other countries as you progress towards your destination.
- Be prepared with alternate plans in case your travel is unexpectedly disrupted.
** Automatic Revalidation – for some J-1 visa holders, it is possible to take short-term trips to Canada or Mexico (30 days or less), under the Automatic Revalidation program, which recognizes expired J-1 visas in combination with Active DS20-19 for travel purposes.