NIH Building 31, Room B2B07 Tel (301) 496-6166
Bethesda, MD 20892-2028
ors.od.nih.gov/pes/dis
Fax (301) 496-0847
GENERAL
INFORMATION
J-1/J-2 Travel Information
Revised 05/2023
BEFORE TRAVELING REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Verify whether you need a new visa. Refer to our J-1/J-2 Visa
Renewal guidance if you plan to renew your visa.
Check your DS-2019 for a valid travel signature. If you need a
new travel signature, see the guidance below.
If your trip is longer than 5 weeks for personal travel or 2 weeks
for professional travel, you will need to request Extended
Absence from NIH approval from DIS before you leave.
If you are not traveling to your home country, you may need a
visa for the country you plan to visit. Please contact the
appropriate Embassy of that country before leaving the United
States.
Consult with DIS if you have:
1. An open or pending case with a DIS Immigration Specialist
2. A pending waiver of the Two-Year Home Residence (212(e))
requirement
3. A pending petition or application at U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS)
TRAVEL SIGNATURE ON FORM DS-2019
A valid travel signature on the bottom right corner of Form DS-
2019 is necessary before any travel abroad. The signature can
only come from a Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate
Responsible Officer (ARO) of the J-1 sponsor. For Exchange
Visitors sponsored by the NIH, a list of ROs and AROs can be
found on our website. Each signature is valid for one year from
the date of signature or the end date listed on the DS-2019,
whichever comes sooner.
To obtain a travel signature, NIH-sponsored Exchange Visitors
should visit the DIS Document Pickup Travel Signatures request
page.
The image to the right
shows where the travel
signature is located on
your DS-2019.
When traveling abroad, bring the following documents as
evidence of your eligibility to enter the U.S. in J-1/J-2 status:
❑
Valid Passport
❑
Valid Visa*
❑
Current Form DS-2019 with valid travel signature from DIS
❑
Travel letter from your Institute/Center
❑
NIH Identification (ID) Badge
❑
If traveling to country other than your home country: Visa
or travel authorization to visit country to which you are
traveling
*Automatic Visa Revalidation
A valid, unexpired U.S. entry visa may not be required if you
only plan to travel to Canada, Mexico, or a Caribbean Island
(other than Cuba) for less than 30 days, provided:
•
You are not a citizen of a country designated as a state
sponsor of terrorism by the Department of State (DOS).
•
You have maintained your J-1 non-immigrant status
and intend to resume your J-1 activity upon re-entry
•
You have Duration of Status (D/S) annotated on your
most recent I-94 (Note: if your I-94 has a date in the
“Admit Until Date”, please contact DIS)
•
Your visa was not cancelled or revoked
•
You do not apply for a new U.S. visa while traveling
•
You do not travel to another country besides Canada,
Mexico, or a qualifying Caribbean Island on your trip
Refer to the Department of State website for more
information on Automatic Visa Revalidation. Note that when
travelling on a cruise ship, you should check with the carrier
for any immigration restrictions before booking your trip.
Contact DIS if you have additional questions.
NIH Building 31, Room B2B07 Tel (301) 496-6166
Bethesda, MD 20892-2028
ors.od.nih.gov/pes/dis
Fax (301) 496-0847
GENERAL
INFORMATION
J-1/J-2 Travel Information
Revised 05/2023
WHILE TRAVELING
Store your documents in a safe and secure location.
Notify DIS and your lab if your travel plans change significantly,
such as extending your stay outside of the United States beyond
5 weeks.
RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES
Keep your J-1 or J-2 immigration documents in your carry-on
luggage so you can easily present them to Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) for re-entry to the United States. Do not use
ESTA or a B-1/B-2 visa to re-enter the country.
After you pass through the CBP, verify that the information on
your passport entry stamp is correct. Your immigration status
should be J-1/J-2 and your Admit Until Date should be
“Duration of Status (D/S).” If there is a mistake, politely request
that the CBP officer review your documents again and correct
the entry stamp. If you are unable to resolve the issue with CBP
at the port of entry, contact DIS as soon as possible.
Once you are able to access a computer, check your I- 94. Verify
that all information on the I-94 is correct. If anything other than
“D/S” is in the “Admit Until Date” field on your I-94, contact DIS.
PROVIDE UPDATED DOCUMENTS TO DIS
Upon your re-entry to the United States, send DIS a copy of any
updated immigration documents, such as your Form I-94 and
passport or visa. Submit copies of new immigration documents
to DIS via the DIS Customer Portal.
USEFUL RESOURCES
Request for Extended Absence from NIH:
https://ors.od.nih.gov/pes/dis/AdministrativeStaff/Do
c uments/RequestforExtendedAbsencefromNIH.pdf
Download Most Recent I-94:
https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home
Template for IC Travel Letter:
https://ors.od.nih.gov/pes/dis/VisitingScientists/Docu
ments/SampleLetterTravel.doc
List of countries ineligible for Automatic Visa Revalidation:
https://www.state.gov/state-sponsors-of-terrorism/
Information on Automatic Visa Revalidation:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-
visas/visa-information-resources/visa-
expiration-date/auto-revalidate.html
DIS Customer Portal:
https://nvistasportal.ors.nih.gov/
Contact DIS:
ors.od.nih.gov/pes/dis/AboutDIS/Pages/ContactUs.as
px
J-1 Visa Renewal Information:
https://ors.od.nih.gov/pes/dis/VisitingScientists/Docu
ments/j1visarenewal.pdf#search=j-
1%20visa%20renewal%20information
Keep copies of everything you send to DIS
Division of International Services
Building 31, Room B2B07
31 Center Drive MSC 2028
Bethesda, MD 20892-2028
Telephone: (301) 496-6166
ors.od.nih.gov/pes/dis
