Maintaining Visiting Scholar Status

The Exchange Visitor Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State (DOS); it allows Babson College to invite or employ international students, faculty and research scholars to the U.S. for a temporary stay in J-1 status.

As a J-1 Exchange Visitor it is your responsibility to maintain your immigration status throughout the duration of your J-1 program at Babson College by following the guidelines below:

Report to the Glavin Office

You must present your passport with J-1 visa, Form DS-2019, and evidence of insurance within 3 days of the start date indicated on your Form DS-2019.

Maintain Up-To-Date Immigration Documents

Passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the program end date on form DS-2019. It is your responsibility to renew your passport before it expires. Applications for renewal or extension of a passport must be made at the Embassy or Consulate of the country issuing the passport.

Valid DS-2019. Monitor the program completion date as stated in section 3 of your DS-2019. If you plan to stay longer at Babson, a new Form DS-2019 must be issued by BEFORE the current completion date.

Report Your Current Address

Report a change of address to ISSS within 10 days of your address change. ISSS will update your address change n SEVIS.

Maintain Required Health Insurance

J-1 Exchange Visitors and their dependents are required by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations to have health insurance with specific minimum coverage requirements while in the United States. Failure to maintain health insurance coverage will result in termination of your J-1 Exchange Visitor program.

Follow Employment Regulations

J-1 Scholars are permitted to engage only in employment activities as described on your DS-2019. Consult with ISSS BEFORE you engage in any other work during your stay.

J-1 Students may engage in on-campus employment (part-time while school is in session and full-time during vacation periods) or off-campus work authorization through Academic Training.

Both require approval from the ISSS BEFORE you engage in employment.

Receive ISSS Authorization for Re-entry after Travel Outside the United States

Documents required of J-1 exchange visitors and their J-2 dependents for reentry are:

Valid passport
Valid J-1 or J-2 entry visa
Unexpired Babson College DS-2019 with a recent ISSS travel validation signature. For J-1 short-term scholar, the signature is valid for 6 months; for all others, it is valid for 12 months). Request a travel validation signature from ISSS at least 3 days prior to traveling.

It may not be necessary to extend an expired entry visa when traveling to Canada or Mexico or adjacent Caribbean Islands for less than 30 days. Please check with ISSS regarding eligibility for automatic revalidation of an expired visa.

Follow SEVIS Transfer Procedure

An Exchange Visitor may transfer from one designated program to another designated program. If you intend to transfer to another institution within the U.S. you must notify ISSS of your intent. ISSS coordinates your transfer with the new institution and schedules a release of your SEVIS records. After the release date, the new institution will issue you a new DS-2019.

Program transfers for J-1 Exchange Visitors in the Professors and Research Scholar categories must take place within the five years limit on participation in these categories. The transfer procedures must be completed prior to the completion date as noted in section 3 of the DS-2019 form.

Notify ISSS of an Early Departure from Babson College

If you leave Babson College 30 days or more prior to the end date on your DS-2019, email ISSS@babson.edu so that your SEVIS record can be updated.

J-2 Dependents Status

Dependents (spouse and/or children under 21 years of age) who accompany a J-1 Exchange Visitor require a dependent DS-2019 form and a J-2 visa stamp in their passport to be admitted into the U.S. in J-2 status. Persons in J-2 status may apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for employment authorization to work in the U.S.