During Your Program

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During your Fulbright program in the U.S., IIE will be ready to assist you whenever possible. Throughout the duration of your grant you will have specific reporting requirements. Your IIE Advisor will send you general instructions and announcements to remind you of these reporting requirements. You are expected to be aware of the information on your Fulbright grant documents.

Know your Fulbright Terms and Conditions

Current Fulbright Visiting Scholar Terms and Conditions are available here. They are applicable at the time of posting. Participants will be deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions and any updates as determined by the program sponsor, the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), by continuing participation in the Fulbright Program.

J-1/J-2 Visa Basics: Remaining in Good Standing

J visa: As per Fulbright Policy, you are required to enter on and remain in the U.S on the J-1 visa issued for your Fulbright program. Entering the US on a different visa category and/or planning to switch to a different visa category can affect your status on the Fulbright program, so any changes or errors must be reported to your IIE Advisor as soon as possible.

Address updates: You must report your U.S. address update within 10 days of moving. Under no circumstances should the address of your host institution be used as your residential address. When you update your address on the Fulbright website, you need to indicate both your residential and mailing address even if they are the same. All address updates must go through the IIE Self Service Portal

Keep your original DS-2019 safe: Your SEVIS Form DS-2019 (Certification of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor [J-1] Status) is as critical as your passport in proving your eligibility to be resident in the United States during your grant period. Your DS-2019 must be valid throughout your stay in the United States. Make sure to keep track of this important document and have it with you whenever you travel. If you or your J-2 dependents lose your DS-2019 (s) make sure to let your IIE advisor know right away.

Understand your J-1 Visa Stamp - Your entry permit stamp in passport; may expire while in the United States without penalty. There is no process to renew the J-1 entry visa inside the United States either through the Department of State or any other U.S. Government agency. The entry visa does not need to be renewed unless the grantee plans to leave the United States and seek re-entry outside the period of the visa's validity. An entry visa may be renewed by a Visa Issuing Officer at the American Embassy in your home country.

Duration of Status - Indicates that the exchange visitor is in status as long as his/her DS-2019 form is valid and s/he engages in authorized activities. At the U.S. port of entry, CBP should process an entry as "D/S" in the I-94 system and may also stamp the DS-2019 form and passport. If a note other than D/S is indicated, you should contact IIE.

Valid Program Status - The Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) Office of the United States Department of State considers an exchange visitor to be in "valid program status" only through the completion of approved J-1 activities, regardless of the end date of the DS-2019 form. EVP does not consider the thirty-day grace period as part of valid program status.

30-Day Grace Period - Upon completion of approved J-1 activities (even if earlier than the end date of the DS-2019 form), the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) grants exchange visitors 30 days during which the only activities in which they may engage are travel within the United States and/or preparation for departure.

Valid passport: You must always be in possession of a valid passport. If your passport is lost or stolen, let your IIE advisor know right away and take immediate steps to secure a replacement passport.

Full-time program engagement: You must be pursuing full-time in person program activities, in your host institution community, at all times during your grant period. Fulbright Visiting Scholars are permitted up to two weeks of leave during their program. Please plan accordingly and reach out to your IIE advisor with any questions.

Additional Surveys and Reports: You may be asked to complete additional surveys or reporting requirements as assigned by IIE. When you are alerted about a survey or similar, please take quick action to meet the requirement.

Other important terms: SEVIS: Student and Exchange Visitor Information System; CBP; Customs and Border Patrol; USCIS: United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Public Assistance

As noted in your Fulbright Terms and Conditions, under certain U.S. federal, state, county, and local laws, J-1 visa holders and their dependents may qualify for “public assistance,” such as health insurance, subsidized housing, food assistance, or unemployment benefits. Accepting “public assistance” benefits as a J-1 or J-2 visa holder can lead to inadmissibility to the United States due to reliance on “public assistance” under the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 212(a)(4).

As the information and regulations regarding public assistance are subject to change at any time, you are responsible for understanding what benefits could qualify as “public assistance” and the risks of enrolling in and/or receiving such benefits. Please review the most recent guidance on current regulations and detailed descriptions of non-allowable public assistance, at the USCIS website:

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/public-charge/public-charge-resources

Health and Safety

General Emergency information

In the case of an emergency in the United States, to call for help, dial 911. This will connect you to the nearest emergency help dispatcher, who can send police, fire rescue, or paramedics. Be sure to tell the dispatcher your name and your specific location at the beginning of the call as their database may not automatically give them this information from your telephone, particularly if you are calling from a cell phone.

In an emergency, ensure your health and safety first. Following an emergency, contact your IIE advisor and your university foreign student advisor in the international student office on your campus to update them about your situation. If it is after business hours, you may contact IIE at 212-984-5332 to report a medical, visa, or legal matter that cannot wait to be addressed during the next business day. You must leave a message for your call to be returned. For any other type of issue or situation impacting your Fulbright grant, please reach out to your IIE advisor during regular business hours.

ASPE provides access to a mental health consultant and referral services hotline that is accessible 24 hours a day. For more information, see the ASPE Health Information section of the website.

Health Resources on your Campus

The health center on your campus may be a good place to start for information on wellness resources, health concerns, and counselling services offered. Check your university’s website for information about specific health center services offered and hours of operation including any after hours support, and confirm, ideally before you are in need of support, whether you may avail yourself of their services, as many universities' campus health services may not extend to Visiting Scholars.

Each campus has a public safety office that is responsible for security functions. They work closely with other offices on campus and local authorities to support student safety on campus. Report any security concerns on campus to this office as well as to the international students and scholars office.

Sign up for automatic safety updates and emergency text alerts at your U.S. university. Each campus will have a plan for sharing information with campus community members regarding closures related to weather and campus based emergencies.

Travel During your Program

Fulbright Travel Warning Since COVID-19

Since March 2020 the Fulbright Program has strongly recommended against any non-essential travel by Fulbright participants, both within the United States and internationally. Please note that some Fulbright Commissions and US Embassies have further restricted travel for their grantees due to concerns about visa restrictions and border access.

Many U.S. states and foreign governments have adopted extraordinary measures to restrict movements across borders in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, and this situation continues to evolve. Therefore, conditions for future travel may become more challenging without notice, including the reduced availability of air tickets, closed borders, and heightened requirements for quarantine.

Per J-visa regulations, you are required to participate in your Fulbright Program in the community where your U.S. host institution is located.

Unexpected changes may have an impact on your Fulbright Program, so if you choose to travel outside of your U.S. host campus community at any point in your program, please be aware of the following:

Transportation, including flights, may be unexpectedly delayed or cancelled.

You will be responsible for any additional costs incurred because your domestic or international travel is delayed or cancelled.

You may/will be responsible for the cost of any COVID testing required for travel.

If you are unable to return to your U.S. host community to continue in your Fulbright Program activities you may risk the continuation of your program due to loss of Fulbright funding, university funding, or J-visa sponsorship.

Domestic Travel

Remember you are required to be engaged in your program full-time to remain in good J-1 visa standing. If you must engage in short-term travel (such as to a conference or similar) we recommend that you carry your passport, DS-2019 and I-94 record with you. A driver’s license and state ID do not verify your J-1 exchange visitor status in the United States.

International Travel

If you must travel outside the United States, please note the following regulations that apply to international travel DURING the grant period (Important note: international travel during the pre- and post-program 30-day grace periods are not allowed, and travel in the last few weeks of your program is strongly discouraged as it could lead to difficulty re-entering):

You must notify your IIE contact person through the Self-Service Portal at least four weeks before any international travel. Indicate your planned travel dates, destinations, and information on how to contact you abroad.
You must have your DS-2019 signed for international travel by IIE prior to departure, and you must have this signature on your DS-2019 to re-enter the United States. Once you have submitted the details of your international travel to the Self-Service Portal, IIE will process an electronic reprint of your DS-2019 and affix the signature for travel validation. You will then receive an automatic email once the updated DS-2019 with a travel signature is ready for you to download and print at the IIE Portal.
This signature is valid for one year. Only an IIE representative can sign your DS-2019; the international office at your host institution cannot. You must have this signature on your DS-2019 to re-enter the United States. Remember that it is a J-1 visa requirement to report any international trip. Therefore international travel plans must be entered by you in the portal for approval, even if your DS-2019 is already travel validated.
It is your responsibility to find out if the country you intend to visit or travel through requires an entry or transit visa. Contact that country’s embassy for further information well ahead of the date of your intended visit. See www.embassy.org for information on embassies in the United States.

To re-enter the United States, you must have:

Your valid passport. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the period of your authorized stay in the United States. If your passport needs to be renewed, it is your responsibility to contact your country’s embassy or consulate in the United States to renew your passport.
Your DS-2019 validated for travel. If dependents are traveling with you, each J-2 dependent’s DS-2019 must be validated for travel with IIE's signature as described above.
Your multiple-entry J visa. Make sure that your visa is valid on the date you will re-enter the United States and that “M” (for multiple) or “2” (for dual) is listed under “Entries” on your J-1 and dependents’ J-2 visas.

Important note: If your visa allows only a single entry (“1” under “Entries”), you used your one entry when you entered the United States the first time. If this is the case, or if your multiple-entry visa has expired, you must renew your visa in order to re- enter the United States. You can only renew your visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. IIE cannot renew visas. Because many U.S. Embassies and Consulates have instituted rigorous visa processing policies, including mandatory interviews of all applicants, we urge you to examine your need to travel outside the United States and determine if it is worth the risk of delay or failure to obtain a re-entry visa for the United States. IIE and the Fulbright Program cannot guarantee that your visa application will be successful or will be processed in a timely fashion. Please be aware of these potential difficulties of traveling and re-entering the United States.

Insurance Coverage Outside the United States During the Grant Period

When you travel outside the United States during your grant period, the Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) policy will NOT cover you. Make sure to seek separate travel insurance/healthcare coverage for any personal international travel you undertake during your grant period.

International Travel Allowable Duration and Stipend Reductions

Fulbright Visiting Scholars may undertake up to 15 days of international leave during their exchange. If IIE administers your grant payments, your stipend amount may need to be adjusted depending on the number of days you are outside the United States. If the total number of days of all trips outside the United States within your grant period exceeds 15, then your stipend will be reduced according to the chart below.

Days Outside the United States	Stipend Reduction
1-15	none
16-30	1/2 month

If your grant is not paid by IIE, please check with the Fulbright organization in your home country to determine if stipend adjustments are required.

Important Note: Breaks in your program activity/absences from the United States of longer than 30 days are not permitted on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program and may result in your Fulbright exchange/J1 visa sponsorship being suspended.

Working in the United States/Receiving Compensation

Supplemental U.S. Funding and Honoraria

As a researcher or lecturer holding a J-1 visa, you are eligible to accept supplemental funding in the form of travel reimbursement* or honoraria if:

it is consistent with the Fulbright Program’s purpose;
if it is related to your project; and
if you obtain pre-approval through IIE.

Such funding opportunities must be approved in advance by the U.S. Department of State, and retroactive requests cannot be considered. Please note that the U.S. Department of State will not approve requests that would delay the end date of the grant period or that are intended for the sole purpose of supporting your dependents. Stipend supplements, ongoing lecturing and consulting opportunities are considered supplemental when you receive funds in excess of your grant. You must report any payment received as income on your tax return.

Important Note: If the institution inviting you to lecture, for example, can pay your travel costs directly to the hotel or airlines rather than reimbursing you, then pre-approval is required only for the activity itself and not the funding. It is strongly encouraged that you inquire with the inviting institution if such an arrangement is possible.

In order to obtain approval to accept wages or income, you must submit the following letters to IIE via the "documents" section of the self-service portal (Document Type: Employment Offer/Honorarium Pre-Approval Request) at least 30 days before the intended activity will begin:

A letter from the institution that is offering you the supplemental funding opportunity. This should state the terms and conditions of the offer, including duration, number of hours, field or subject, amount of compensation and description of the activity.
A letter from your faculty associate recommending and supporting the activity and explaining how it would enhance your program.
A letter from you indicating why you are interested in undertaking the activity and how it relates to your grant.

IIE will then forward the request to the U.S. Department of State for approval. You will receive a written response from IIE through the self-service portal once a decision has been made. You may not engage in any activity which provides supplemental funding without the pre-approval of the U.S. Department of State.

Fulbright Program Activities and Opportunities

Fulbright Enrichment Events

On behalf of the U.S. Department of State, IIE implements a number of enrichment activities throughout the year in a number of locations throughout the United States. You are strongly encouraged to visit the enrichment program website for additional information and to read about past scholar activities on our Fubright Scholar Blog.

Scholars whose dates align with the enrichment seminar schedule will receive an invitation to apply to attend one of several visiting scholar seminars scheduled throughout the academic year. We have a limited number spaces in each seminar, and first priority will go to scholars who do not have access to Anchor Cities programming on the East and West Coasts. Seminars include interactive discussions, community service projects and local cultural activities designed to introduce the Fulbright Visiting Scholars to different aspects of the topics. Through local experts (such as public, private and/or non-profit leaders) and members of the academic community, the seminar presents different perspectives on the selected topic. Through community outreach activities and discussions, Fulbright Visiting Scholars learn how the selected topic impacts communities in the United States (specifically the host city) and explore its impact on their own home countries.

Note: Participating in the any Fulbright Enrichment program is a grant benefit and any funding spent on your behalf in support of such events is taxable as income. Please keep this in mind, particularly if you are paid by an international Fulbright Commission, as this may be the only income that would require you to file a U.S. tax return. Of course, the benefits of participating in enrichment activities are far greater than the minor inconvenience of having to file taxes, but please be aware of this implication prior to accepting to participate in a Fulbright enrichment program.

Reminder: One of the ways to make filing your taxes as easy as possible is to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Tax Identification number (ITIN) while you are in the U.S. on your Fulbright grant. The SSN never expires and is worth the investment of your time both during your exchange but also for any future visit you may make to the United States.

For other opportunities, The Chronicle of Higher Education offers a comprehensive list of academic meetings and conferences that you may choose to pursue at your own expense. You can find The Chronicle in your university library or at www.chronicle.com.

Fulbright's Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF)

The Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF) provides funding for U.S. institutions to host Fulbright Visiting Scholars, already in the United States, for short-term speaking engagements. The OLF travel award is designed to enrich U.S. institutions through lectures that will promote discussion on academic disciplines and cultural understanding. The OLF seeks to build relationships and partnerships with institutions that are underrepresented within the Fulbright Program as a means to promote future engagement with Fulbright. Priority Institutions include: Minority Serving Institutions, Community Colleges, Small Liberal Arts Colleges, Women’s Colleges and Art Colleges, and geographically underrepresented institutions. Every OLF visit must include at least one trip to one of these types of institutions. Please keep in mind that every application submitted by hosting institutions will be reviewed and is not guaranteed funding.

Fulbright Visiting Scholars whose grant length exceeds three months are strongly encouraged to maximize the impact of her/his exchange experience by giving lectures to various U.S. audiences of higher education. While official OLF applications must be submitted and driven by hosting institutions, Visiting Scholars are encouraged to proactively explore potential OLF visits. Please note however that it is the role of the hosting institutions to reach out to IIE with any questions about the application process.

Please note: Scholars will not receive funding for trips to meet with colleagues and friends in other parts of the United States, or to attend conferences. However, if scholars wish to attend conferences, we encourage you to find a nearby Priority Institution for a guest lecturing opportunity to be in compliance with the Outreach Lecturing Fund’s eligibility requirements.

General Eligibility: The applications for OLF awards must be submitted, by the hosting institution, at least one month prior to proposed lecture. The scholar must be on a grant of at least three months, and cannot participate in an OLF award within the last 30 days of their Fulbright Grant. Scholars wishing to participate in an OLF award must have a valid SSN or ITIN at the time of application. In order to receive payment, scholars must submit their SSN through the self-service portal. OLF hosting institutions must be at least 75 miles away from the scholar’s primary host institution to qualify for an OLF award.

Note: Participating in the OLF program is a grant benefit and is taxable as income. Please keep this in mind, particularly if you are paid by an international Fulbright Commission, as this may be the only income that would require you to file a U.S. tax return. Of course, the benefits of participating in OLF are far greater than the minor inconvenience of having to file taxes, but please be aware of this implication prior to accepting to participate in OLF.

All OLF applications must be approved by IIE prior to the date of the lecture. To apply, U.S. institutions must submit the following through our online application system at least 30 days prior to your trip:

A completed OLF Application (found here).
Uploaded to the application mentioned in item 1, a formal letter of invitation for you to give a presentation or guest lecture at their institution with date, time and location of the event. If your host institution is offering you an honorarium, please make sure they include this amount in that letter of invitation.
Uploaded to the application mentioned in item 1, a letter signed by you and your faculty associate host at your primary institution explaining how undertaking this OLF activity would enhance your Fulbright project. This letter should also indicate your primary host’s support of your participation and approving any honoraria that may have been offered by your OLF host institution. This letter is critical for you to remain in compliance with J1 regulations, so please assist your OLF institution with providing this letter.

Please visit the OLF website at fulbrightscholars.org/olf for additional details and to refer potential hosting institutions to the online application. Hosting institutions may direct all OLF related questions to OLF@iie.org.

U.S. Scholars

Non-U.S. Scholars

During Your Program

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