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.
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