J 1 Txst Sponsor Faq

The International Student & Scholars Services Office charges a fee of $500 to provide this service. This is a one-time fee and may be paid by the sponsoring individual, department, or scholar.

Review the steps below to invite a J-1 scholar.

1. Each J-1 category has a specific program objective. Review the J-1 Exchange Visitor Category website to identify which category is best for your international scholar.
2. Once you have decided which category is best, review the Getting Started website to understand which documents are required when inviting a J-1 Exchange Visitor.
3. Submit required documents to ISSS using the J-1 Exchange Visitor Request Portal to request a DS-2019.

Consider and be aware of the Two-Year Home-Country Physical Presence Requirement. and 12 and 24-month bars (see key J-1 regulations). Some J-1 Exchange Visitors have this requirement which prevents them from changing to another status, like H-1 or F-1.

A J-1 can apply for a waiver of the Two-Year Home-Country Physical Presence Requirement. However, once the waiver is approved, no more J-1 program extensions are permitted and the J-1 must immediately apply for a change of status.

Timing is a real consideration in this scenario. In this case, think of starting with the H-1, instead of the J-1. The H-1 status enables an international to remain in the US for as long as six years, as long as he or she is working with the entity indicated on his or her valid H-1 approval notice.

For repeat participation, the J-1 short-term scholar category is the best option.

Exchange visitor program periods must be less than six months. Otherwise, the exchange visitor must wait at least one year outside the U.S. before they may begin a new program.

Review the 12 and 24-month bars for more information.

Each J-1 category has a specific program objective with a defined limitation of stay. Review the J-1 Exchange Visitor Category website to identify which the limitation of stay per exchange visitor category.

An Exchange Visitor may not arrive more than 30 days before the program start date stated on the Form DS-2019.

Please note that if they arrive prior to 30 days, U.S. Customs and Border Protection may deny them entry into the U.S.

If a J-1 Exchange Visitor completes the program on or before the program end date, the sponsor or Exchange Visitor must contact ISSS at internationalscholars@txstate.edu.

ISSS will update the J-1 Exchange Visitor's immigration record upon program completion (making the record inactive) and permanent departure from the US. When this update is made, the J-1 Exchange Visitor will receive an update via email from SEVIS.

Each exchange visitor category has a limitation of stay. A program extension may be granted by the ISSS Office if the limitation of stay has not been exceeded.

Review each program's limitation of stay on the J-1 Exchange Visitor category website.

Request a J-1 Exchange Visitor Program Extension.

The sponsoring individual or department serve as the first point of contact for a J-1 Exchange Visitor.

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) serves as another point of contact.

• Contact ISSS at internationalscholars@txstate.edu or 512-245-7966

The Form DS-2019 is a Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status (J-nonimmigrant) that is created by a Responsible Officer (ISSS Office) in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

The DS-2019 allows a prospective Exchange Visitor to apply for a J-1 visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consular office outside the US. The J-1 visa is necessary for an Exchange Visitor to be granted permission to enter the U.S.

A sample Form DS-2019 can be viewed on the Study in the States website.

• $500 for new applications, including transfer-in exchange visitors, and $100 per additional dependent.
• $200 maintenance fee. 
  • The application fee of $500 and annual maintenance fee of $200 covers any requests for program extensions; transfers; replacement of lost/damaged DS-2019's, and ISSS Office services.

You must notify the ISSS Office, and the TXST department will need to issue a new invitation letter with the updated dates. We cannot update the student’s immigration documents until the revised invitation letter exactly matches the new dates.