Pre-departure information

DS-2019 (also known as your Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status) and Notice of Admission

Your DS-2019 will be mailed to your home university via UPS Express. State Department requirements prevent us from being able to share an electronic copy of your DS-2019 form, needed for your visa appointment. A digital copy of your notice of admission letter will be uploaded to the documents section of your online My Study Abroad application. Your SEVIS number, which is needed to schedule an appointment for your visa, is located on the back of your notice of admission. A hard copy is also being mailed to your home university.

Visa

You will need to obtain a J-1 visa. The International Student and Scholar Services office has created a helpful webpage that will explain your next steps in acquiring your visa. It is important to make your appointment at the American consulate as soon as possible. Reference your local US embassy website for any required documentation needed for your appointment. You will need your SEVIS number which will be located at the top right corner on the back of your acceptance letter. Please note that we are not immigrations officers. If you have any questions pertaining to your visa or visa status, you should contact the US embassy directly.

http://isss.illinois.edu/students/incoming/pre_arrival/immigration.html

You are responsible to pay the SEVIS fee. The University of Illinois does not pay this fee.

While completing your visa application you may come across something about an I-94 form. Please read the following statement from International Student & Scholar services at UIUC:

Arrival and departure will be recorded electronically. Please download and print from www.cbp.gov/i94 your I-94 and secure it with your other immigration documents. Please make sure to input your information as it appears on your US entry visa. As with all immigration procedures, you can always contact ISSS or at 217-333-1303 if you have any questions.

We are happy to help if we can. If you have issues obtaining you visa, please let us know so we are aware, especially if it will impact your arrival date.

If you need an address because you do not have your housing you may use the university address. It is:

901 West Illinois St.

Urbana, IL 61801

You can arrive to the US up to 30 days prior to the program start date and can stay in the US up to 30 days past the end date of the program. Keep this in mind when booking flights if you would like to travel before/after the semester.

To uphold your visa status you must be registered as full-time student, which is 12 UIUC credit hours.

NOTE: Visa application rules change frequently and the university cannot control visa acceptance. You are responsible for applying for and providing the proper documentation to the consulate or embassy.

NOTE: International Student and Scholar Services will send you an email after your semester abroad with information regarding filling out IRS form 8843 (or other forms if you worked). This is required by all students on a J-1 visa. Not submitting this form to the IRS could affect being approved for visas in the future.