J-1 Research Scholars/Professors


JMU hosts international research scholars and professors who enter the U.S. on J-1, exchange visitor visas. In order to qualify as a JMU professor or research scholar on a J-1 visa, you must:

  • Have an agreement with JMU which details your duties and responsibilities and those of JMU;
  • Have the monetary funds available to you for the duration of your stay. You may be able to satisfy this requirement with JMU salary, your home institution's sponsorship, family funds or other sponsor;
  • Have the intention of returning to your home country after the completion of your program. The J-1 visa is a temporary visa, and when you visit the U.S. Consulate or Embassy to apply you will be asked about your intentions to return to your home country. Be aware that many J-1 visa holders are subject to a 2-year foreign residency requirement, as further explained in 2-Year Foreign Residency Requirements.

Once you are admitted to the United States in J-1 status as a JMU scholar or professor, you must meet certain obligations relative to your status. You must:

  • Conduct research and/or teach only at JMU, unless you have received advance approval from your department and from International Student and Scholar Services for research or lectures at a different institution;
  • Maintain a valid passport all times;
  • Maintain health insurance coverage for the duration of your stay for both you and your family members (if applicable).
  • Apply for extension of stay before the expiration of your present DS-2019 if your offer of employment or research has been extended;
  • Report a change of address to International Student and Scholar Services within 10 days of any move. 

Insurance Requirements

  • It is mandatory that all J-1 visitors have medical insurance coverage while attending JMU. You must obtain this coverage as soon as you enter the United States and provide proof of the coverage to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.
  • If you will be a full-time professor, that coverage will be provided to you by JMU and you will pay a portion of the premium through a payroll deduction. If you are accompanied by family members, you must add them to your health insurance plan; their portion of the premium will also be taken through a payroll deduction.
  • If you are a research scholar or adjunct professor, you will be responsible for obtaining and paying for coverage on your own. If you need assistance in locating appropriate health insurance carriers, please contact the Office of International Student and Scholar Services immediately upon arrival.

2-year Foreign Residency Requirements

Some J-1 visitors are subject to a two year foreign residency requirement following their stay in the J-1 status.  If you are subject to this rule, you will be required to return home for two years prior to re-entering the U.S or changing your status to an H, L or  K visa, or obtaining permanent residence.  The rule will apply to you if you are in a program in one of these categories:

  • Government Funded Program:  If you are financed in whole or in part by a national government (including either the U.S. government or your own government.)
  • Graduate medical Education or Training: If you entered the U.S. to receive graduate medical training
  • Specialized Knowledge or Skill: If your field of specialty is considered necessary to the development of your own country, as shown on the Exchange Visitor Skills List, you will be subject to the two-year rule.  Please visit the Exchange Visitors Skills List to learn more.

Waiver of Foreign Residency Requirement

If you are subject to the foreign residency requirement, you may qualify for a waiver to allow your approval under an H, L, or K visa and/or permanent residence application.  However, waivers are at the discretion of the U.S. government (and sometimes also require approval from the home government) so they are in no way guaranteed and permanent plans should not be finalized before a waiver is granted.  For information about waivers, eligibility and process, see Waiver of the J Visa Two-Year Foreign Residence Requirement 212(e).

Employment while on J-1

  • A J-1 visa holder is permitted employment only pursuant to the exchange program agreement under which s/he entered the United States, and at the location(s) noted on the DS-2019. A J-1 scholar/professor should refer to the written agreement with JMU to determine eligibility for employment. A copy of this agreement will be required by International Student and Scholar Services prior to the issuance of a DS-2019 and prior to the approval of employment documents at JMU.
  • In general, a J-1 Scholar or Professor may be employed only by the sponsoring institution. However, if the sponsoring institution gives prior permission, the Scholar or Professor may participate in occasional lectures or short-term consultations at a different institution. This additional employment must be incidental to the main purpose of the stay and must not cause a necessity for an extension of the DS-2019.
  • J-1 Scholars/Professors under JMU sponsorship: If you have been offered an occasional lecture or consultation with another institution, you must bring a letter of permission from your department to International Student and Scholar Services. A letter from that office will be written to the offering institution verifying your eligibility to accept payment for the lecture or consultation.
  • J-1 Scholars/Professors with other sponsorship: If you have been asked to conduct a lecture or provide consultation at JMU, you will be required to provide a letter of approval from your sponsoring institution prior to the beginning of your lecture or consultation.

Travel and Visa Information

Numerous steps must be taken prior to traveling, either before entering JMU for the first time, or while you travel over breaks from school. The information contained in this section will explain the most common steps applicable to scholars. Please contact ISSS if you have any questions regarding any of these steps, or any other travel issues.

SEVIS Fee

The Department of Homeland Security requires many nonimmigrant visa seekers to pay a SEVIS fee prior to going to the U.S. Consulate or Embassy to apply for their visa. This applies to all new JMU scholars in J-1 status unless you are transferring your DS-2019 to JMU from another U.S. school.

It is strongly recommended that this fee be paid electronically by credit card, after which you will print out a receipt immediately. The receipt is needed in order to process your request for a visa and must be obtained prior to attending your visa interview. If you are unable to pay by credit card you may pay with a money order or cashier's check through a mail service, but you must allow additional time for processing of the receipt which you must have in order to apply for your visa.

For additional information about and/or to pay this fee, see the official SEVIS instructions.

Applying for a Visa

There are several very important steps in the application of a nonimmigrant visa. Remember to follow each step carefully and be calm and professional in your approach to U.S. officials, and you will find your chance of success will increase.

The first thing you will need to do is to pay your SEVIS fee and receive a receipt for that payment.

In order to secure your nonimmigrant visa, you must visit the U.S. Consulate or Embassy nearest your home town in your country of residence. For example, if you live in the northern-most part of Chile, and the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy is in La Paz, Bolivia, you may not visit that office. You will need to travel to Santiago for your visa request. Refer yourself to the list of all U.S. Consulates and Embassies in your country.

The U.S. Consulate or Embassy in every country has different requirements for visa applications. Some require appointments, and some take only walk-in applications. Some will require a background check and fingerprinting, which can take several months. It is important that you contact the Consulate or Embassy as soon as possible to make arrangements for your appointment.

When you do have your appointment for a J-1 visa application, you should take the following documents:

  • A valid passport;
  • A SEVIS-generated DS-2019 issued by JMU;
  • A receipt from DHS indicating your payment of the SEVIS fee;
  • Proof of your financial ability to pay for your stay. This can be a bank statement with personal or family funds, or documentation from a sponsoring department. The Consulate will want to see proof that you will be supported throughout your entire U.S. stay;
  • Proof of your ties to your home community. This could be information about the family you are leaving behind, the job opportunities available to you upon your return, property which you own, etc.

Travel out of country while in J-1 Status

While you are in the United States on a nonimmigrant visa, you are free to travel back and forth, provided you have remained in status throughout your stay. Just remember that you must ALWAYS have your DS-2019 signed by an ISSS staff member before you travel, and you will also need a valid, unexpired visa to reenter the U.S. (unless you are traveling to Canada, Mexico or contiguous islands for less than 30 days, in which case this requirement is waived.) Also keep in mind that you may need visas to enter the country where you are planning to travel if it is not your home country.

Checklist for Travel During Breaks

3 months prior to travel:

  • Check into the necessity of obtaining a visa to enter the country/countries where you plan to travel;
  • Make sure your passport will be unexpired throughout your travels, or plan to have it renewed in your home country;
  • Check the expiration date on your visa and, if necessary, make an appointment at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy where you will be traveling to apply for renewal of the visa - for some of you the visa renewal process may be time- consuming given the extended security checks by the U.S. government. Before you travel, make every effort to find out what the procedures are at the U.S. Consulate or Embassy in your country to ascertain whether you will have enough time to complete the process;

1 month prior to travel:

  • Complete a Departure Form and return it to ISSS;
  • Have a staff member sign your DS-2019 - do NOT wait until the last minute to have this completed as staff members are not always available immediately;
  • Obtain a letter from your sponsoring department at JMU that certifies that you will still be employed or engaged in research at JMU upon your return.

Renewing Your Passport

In addition to providing you with the best identification document available, a current passport is an essential part of maintaining your legal nonimmigrant status here in the United States. Please be sure that it is always valid for at least 6 months in the future. If you are traveling back home for an extended period of time (i.e., winter or summer breaks), you may find it easiest to renew your passport while there. However, if your length of travel will make renewal at home impossible, you should contact your country's embassy here in the United States for information about the steps necessary for renewal. Most countries have embassies located in Washington, DC, where you may be able to obtain the renewal in person while you wait. Some countries require a much longer waiting period, so you are encouraged to begin asking questions of your embassy eight to nine months before your passport will expire. The Electronic Embassy maintains a list of all Embassies found in Washington, D.C.

Visas into other countries

All countries have unique visa requirements based on intended length of stay, country of origin and many other factors. When traveling while on an J-1 visa, it is imperative that you check into whether you will need a visa to enter the countries you will be visiting (including any stops in transit.) Most countries have embassies located in Washington, DC, where you will likely be able to obtain any necessary visas. You are encouraged to check out information on the Embassy websites to begin the process of applying for the visa. The Electronic Embassy maintains a list of all Embassies found in Washington, D.C.