You must report to OISSS with your passport, your DS-2019, I-94 arrival record printout, and proof of health insurance within 30 days of the start date indicated on your DS-2019.

• Passport that is valid at least six months into the future at all times, especially upon entry or re-entry to the U.S. It is your responsibility to renew your passport before it expires. Applications for renewal or extension of a passport must be made at the Embassy or Consulate of the country issuing the passport.
• Valid DS-2019. Monitor the program completion date as stated in section 3 of your DS-2019. If your appointment at Brown University is extended, the sponsoring department must contact OISSS before the current completion date to request an updated DS-2019.
• Valid I-94 admission number
  • If you entered the U.S. prior to April 30, 2013 you were issued a white I-94 card. This card should be marked with the notation “J-1, D/S (Duration of Status)”.
  • If you entered the U.S. after April 30, 2013 your admission stamp should be marked “J-1, D/S (Duration of Status)” and you will want to visit www.cbp.gov/i94 to retrieve your I-94 admission number (keep a print out of your I-94 admission information for your records).

Report a change of address to OISSS within 10 days of your address change. OISSS will update your address change in SEVIS.

J-1 Exchange Visitors and their dependents are required by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations to have health insurance with specific minimum coverage requirements while in the United States. Failure to maintain health insurance coverage will result in termination of your J-1 Exchange Visitor program.

• J-1 scholars are permitted to engage only in employment activities as described on your DS-2019. Consult with OISSS before you engage in any other work during your stay.
• J-1 students may engage in on-campus employment (part-time while school is in session and full-time during vacation periods) or off-campus work authorization through Academic Training.

Both require approval from the OISSS.

Documents required of J-1 exchange visitors and their J-2 dependents for reentry are:

• Valid passport
• Valid J-1 or J-2 visa stamp
• Unexpired Brown University DS-2019 with a recent OISSS travel validation signature. For J-1 short-term scholar, the signature is valid for 6 months; for all others, it is valid for 12 months). Request a travel validation signature from OISSS at least 3 days prior to traveling.

It may not be necessary to extend an expired visa (stamp in your passport) when traveling to Canada or Mexico or adjacent Caribbean Islands for less than 30 days. Please check with OISSS regarding eligibility for automatic revalidation of an expired visa.

If you leave Brown University 30 days or more prior to the end date on your DS-2019, submit the Departure Notification Form to OISSS so that your record can be updated.

Dependents (spouse and/or children under 21 years of age) who accompany a J-1 Exchange Visitor require a dependent DS-2019 form and a J-2 visa stamp in their passport to be admitted into the U.S. in J-2 status. Persons in J-2 status may apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for employment authorization to work in the U.S.