Announcements from the OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT & SCHOLAR SERVICES (OISSS)

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Winter Break and Travel Reminders:

OISSS will be closed for the Winter Break after Friday, December 20th, re-opening on Monday, January 6th.  We request that you  plan ahead accordingly.  

If you have an emergency during the Break, contact the Department of Public Safety.

Updating your I-9:

If you are on payroll and have recently received an extension of your J-1 or H-1B and will be traveling over Winter Break, please be sure to update your I-9 before leaving the U.S. to avoid any possible gaps in employment. The HR Service Center is open to walk-ins Mon-Wed and by remote appointment on Thurs-Fri. 

J-1 Visa Holders - Check Your Travel Signature

If you will be traveling outside the U.S. over Winter Break, please check the travel signature in the bottom right hand corner of your J-1 DS-2019. Travel signatures are valid for up to 1 year and can be used multiple times before they expire. 

J-1s sponsored by Brown can request a travel signature in person in OISSS anytime M-Th between 9-5pm or you can send a scan of the most recent version of your DS-2019 to your advisor.  When emailing, please include confirmation of your current residential address.   For further information about travel, please review this webpage: https://oisss.brown.edu/traveling/what-bring-when-traveling 

Re-entering the U.S.:

When entering the U.S., you must present a printed DS-2019,  H-1B or O-1 Approval (Form I-797), along with a valid passport with unexpired J-1/H-1B/O-1 visa to a U.S. customs officer to be admitted to the U.S. in J-1/H-1B/O-1 status. DO NOT use a nexus or global entry self-check kiosk to enter the U.S. Upon re-entry to the U.S., check your most recent I-94 arrival record to confirm that you have been re-admitted in the proper status.

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Department of State - Modernization of the Exchange Visitor Skills List:

An updated J-1 Exchange Visitor’s Skills List was published with immediate effect on December 9, 2024

The Department of State has updated the countries included on the Skills List based on criteria that are data driven, transparent, and consistent with U.S. goals for the development of foreign countries. The Department is not updating skills in this revision—for countries present on this revised Skills List, the skills listed remain the same as in the 2009 Skills List. However, the number of countries included on the Exchange Visitor’s Skills list has greatly decreased. Accordingly, J nonimmigrant exchange visitors who were subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement at the time of their admission or acquisition of J status based on designations in a previously published Skills List will no longer be subject to that requirement if their country is not designated in this revised list.

To see if your country has been removed, please review the revised J-1 Exchange Visitor’s Skills List here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/exchange/waiver-of-the-exchange-visitor/exchange-visitor-skills-list.html

If you have questions about how this change may affect your individual situation, please contact your OISSS advisor: Laura Beth Montague (laura_beth_montague@brown.edu) or Sonja Paulson (sonja_paulson@brown.edu). 

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Upcoming Scholar Experience Survey for J-1, H-1B, and O-1 visa holders:

OISSS is pleased to announce that we will be administering a survey specifically created to better understand your experience as an international scholar/employee at Brown and/or its affiliated hospital. We look forward to hearing from you and learning about your experiences!  The survey will be released during the first week back from Winter Break.  Please look out for the email. 

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OISSS Office Hours:

As a general reminder, please note that OISSS is open for in-person walk-ins Monday through Thursdays from 8:30-5pm.  We are closed to in person walk-ins on Fridays as the office works remotely, but are available via phone, email, and for Zoom appointments during normal business hours.

OISSS Front Desk: (401)-863-2427  oisss@brown.edu

To schedule an appointment with Laura Beth Montague, please email her directly at laura_beth_montague@brown.edu.  To schedule an appointment with Sonja Paulson, please email her directly at sonja_paulson@brown.edu or visit her calendly.