Reinstatement to J1 Status

When you enter the U.S. in J-1 status, you assume specific obligations to maintain your immigration status and your program status with the United States Department of State (DOS). This is the agency that administers the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. Failure to meet these obligations results in your being "out of status". The Department of State has instituted a procedure whereby it may be possible to be "reinstated" to lawful J-1 status.

Many times the ISSO staff will be able to correct an infraction by updating the exchange visitor’s SEVIS record, without formal adjudication by the USCIS. An infraction, however, should be taken very seriously and recurrence can be cause for the ISSO to consider reinstatement for the exchange visitor.

To maintain valid J1 status, the exchange visitor must:

• Have Form DS-2019 extended, if necessary and allowable, PRIOR to the end date on the current Form DS-2019.
• Maintain at all times the original program objective.
  
• Comply with the insurance coverage requirements.
  
• Not engage in unauthorized employment.
  
• Maintain a full course of study (J1 student)
  
• Complete a transfer to another institution PRIOR to the end date on the current Form DS-2019

If, for any of the above reasons, the exchange visitor is out of status for more than 120 days (from the end date on the current Form DS-2019) or, if a student, fails to maintain a full course of study without prior consultation and approval of his/her academic adviser and ISSO staff, REINSTATEMENT is necessary.

The reinstatement application will be initiated by the ISSO ONLY if it can be determined that the need for reinstatement is due to circumstances beyond the exchange visitor’s control. The ISSO will complete the necessary changes in SEVIS and prepare a written statement of explanation of the violation as well as the circumstances involved and a request that the exchange visitor be reinstated to J1 status.

The J-1 exchange visitor must include

1. a written statement explaining the circumstances beyond the J-1 exchange visitor’s control that lead to the request for reinstatement
2. copies of all IAP-66 and DS-2019 forms
3. the reinstatement application fee of $198.00, payable, by check or money order, to ‘U.S. Department of State’

Once the ISSO receives approval of the reinstatement request from the Department of State, a new DS-2019 will be issued to you.