J-1 Transfer Procedures

Leaving and reentering

If you go abroad and come back into the United States using this school's Form DS-2019 (formerly known as the IAP-66), your reentry will authorize you to attend this school. However, the "leaving and reentering" procedure may not work if you travel to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean islands for less than 30 days. This is because the USCIS inspector at the port of entry may hand back your Form DS-2019 intact and unmarked, and refuse to record your reentry. If that happens to you, you will have to proceed as though you had not gone abroad, and either leave North America and reenter the United States, or else carry out the "transferring programs" procedure.

Transferring programs without leaving the country by changing J-1 sponsorship

First fill out and sign the back of the white page of the enclosed Form DS-2019. Then take the Form (all three copies) to your present J-1 Responsible Officer, who represents your J-1 sponsor and issues your Forms IAP-66. Ask to have item 8, in the lower right-hand corner of the Form, completed and signed. That will release you to this school's sponsorship. If your present J-1 Responsible Officer is unwilling to sign item 8, call this school's International Office. Then proceed either by notification or else by application.

Transferring by notification. You may use this procedure only if your I-94 Departure Record card shows "Duration of Status" or "D/S" instead of a specific expiration date. Bring your Form Ds-2019, with the required signatures, to this school's International Office. We will mail the yellow copy to the government as notification and return the pink copy to you, and that will complete the transfer.