Scholars

Immigration Requirements

After receiving your DS-2019 from USF, it is time to prepare to come to the Tampa Bay area.   

(Before Arrival) Get Your J-1 Visa or Transfer J Status to USF

If you are outside the US:

  • Pay the  
  • Make an appointment for a J-1 visa at a US Embassy or Consulate.
  • After receiving the visa stamp in your passport, make arrangements to arrive in Florida.鈥� Tampa International Airport is the closest airport.
  • You and any J-2 dependents may enter the US up to thirty (30) days before program start date on the DS-2019.

If you are inside the US:

  • OIS will work with your J-1 program sponsor to arrange transfer of your SEVIS record to USF.鈥�
  • Your category, subject/field code, and program objective cannot change.鈥�
  • USF will not be able to produce the final DS-2019 until you arrive at USF.

Report to OIS for Document Check

Mandatory Document Check  

  • Once you have completed the required e-forms, please email j1visa@usf.edu to arrange a Document Check. 911爆料网 will then schedule a virtual meeting via Teams to review your uploaded documents. 
  • During Document Check, OIS will 鈥渁ctivate鈥� your SEVIS record.鈥�  
  • Two days (48 hours) after SEVIS activation, you can apply for an SSN number at the local SSA office. See the J Scholar Social Security Information handout for more information.
  • After Document Check and after applying for your SSN, you may complete Right Start with Human Resources if you are employed at USF and any department on-boarding.

Attend Your OIS Orientation

Mandatory Orientation

  • OIS conducts Scholar Orientation, normally on the second Tuesday of each month.鈥�  
  • Scholars are required to attend the next available session.鈥�  
  • Dependents are welcome to attend the orientation. 

Update your U Number in iStart

  • During your first week with your new USF department you should be provided with your University ID Number (U Number) and a Net ID. Once you have your U Number, login to iStart and complete the Update your U Number E-Form to complete the scholar checklist. This step is mandatory in order to allow you to use iStart resources as a continuing scholar at USF.

212(E), Waivers, Bars

212(e) 鈥� Home Residency Requirement

After completing a J-1 program in the US, some J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents are required to live in their home country for a period of two years before they are eligible to apply for immigrant status (US Permanent Residency or 鈥済reen card鈥�) or work visas (H, L or K). This requirement, also known as the Home Residency Requirement, is meant for the home country to benefit from the scholar鈥檚 experience in the US. Read more about the Home Residency Requirement on the .

212(e) does not apply to all J-1 exchange visitors. If you are subject, there may be a notation on your DS2019 and/or visa. Please note that you may not change to another nonimmigrant status in the US. This requirement applies to you if:

  • You have received funding from the US or your home government;
  • Skills in your subject of research are needed by your home country as noted in the US government's "Exchange Visitor Skills List", or;
    • The US Department of State (DOS) published a effective December 9, 2024. This revised list removes 37 countries from the Skills List and does not add any additional countries to the list
    • NOTE: If you were previously on the list but your country was removed as of the 2024 revision than you are no longer subject to 212(e)
  • You have received graduate medical education or training in the US.  

For complete information on the Two Year Residency Requirement, please visit

Waiver of 212(e)

To request a waiver of the Two Year Requirement, you must file a . 

Do not apply for a waiver unless you have guaranteed plans for H, L, K, or permanent residence status. Once you receive a recommendation for the waiver, you CANNOT extend or transfer your J-1 status.

Bars

The 12- and 24-month bars determine when a J-1 exchange Research Scholar or Professor is eligible for a second visit to the US.

 J-1 Professors or Research Scholars are barred from participation in the same category for two years or 24 months from the end date of their programs. For example, a Research Scholar with program dates of August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019 will not be able to return as a J-1 Research Scholar or Professor until July 31, 2021. This also applies to J-2 dependents. This is a different rule from 212(e), the two-year home residency requirement. The bar does not prevent individuals from returning to the United States in any other visa status.

J-1 regulations also state that scholars and dependents who participated in a J program for more than six months are not eligible to return to the US as a Research scholar or Professor until 12 months after exit from the US.  Time spent in the J-1 Short-term Scholar category does not count towards the 12-month bar. The 12-month bar does not prevent individuals from returning to the United States in any other visa status.