J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

International Programs & Exchanges (IPE) is responsible for administering the Exchange Visitor Program at Western Washington University (WWU), and for approving and signing all documentation connected with the Exchange Visitor Program.

Hosting an international visitor in your department for the purpose of teaching and/or research or pursuit of an academic course of study makes you a participant in the Department of State's "Exchange Visitor Program" at WWU. Participants (called "Exchange Visitors") receive what is known as a "J-1 non-immigrant classification" from the U.S. Department of State. Even though the purpose of the Exchange Visitor Program is to promote educational and cultural exchange, nevertheless the participants may receive salaries and other funding from WWU. Please read the following before completing the "DS-2019 Request Form for International Professors & Scholars."

A. Definition of the Exchange Visitor Status

The J-1 program was established by the Fulbright-Hayes Act of 1961. Its objective is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. This objective can be met only if the participants in the program return home to exercise the skills and knowledge acquired in the U.S., thereby strengthening the ties between the United States and other nations of the world. The University's Exchange Visitor Program sponsors foreign nationals as temporary members of the academic staff for short-term teaching/lecturing, observing, conducting research, or consulting. The Exchange Visitor is under the sponsorship of an agency, institution, or organization that has been approved by the Department of State (DOS).

The WWU Exchange Visitor program is defined as ''A program of Western Washington University to provide courses of study, lecturing and research opportunities in the various fields of instruction and research conducted by the University for qualified foreign students, professors, research scholars, and short-term scholars, to promote the general interest of international educational and cultural exchange."

B. Eligibility requirements - Issuing Form DS-2019 and obtaining the J-1 Visa

Prior to issuing the DS-2019 form, it must be verified that the prospective exchange visitor:

1. Is eligible, qualified and accepted for the program in which s/he will participate;
2. Possesses English language proficiency;
3. Possesses adequate resources (for self/dependents) to complete program;
4. Has not been in the U.S. in exchange visitor status (J-1) for more than 6 months during the 12 months immediately preceding the start date of current program request.

IPE will issue a Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status) within ten business days of receipt by our office of a completed DS-2019 Request Form for International Professors & Scholars signed by the requesting WWU faculty/supervisor. A copy of the request form and instructions for completion are attached. The official DS-2019 form and pre-arrival information will be sent to the faculty member making the request. The faculty member should then forward all materials to the international visitor.

When the visitor receives the form, s/he should follow the instructions attached to the new DS-2019 form for entering the United States.

C. Definitions of Exchange Visitor Categories

The WWU J-1 program is designated to sponsor specific categories of exchange visitors. Each of these categories permits certain kinds of activities and has its own limitations of stay and employment options.

1. Professor

   An individual primarily teaching, lecturing, observing or consulting at post-secondary accredited educational institutions, museums, libraries or similar types of institutions. A professor may also conduct research and has a minimum stay of three weeks and a maximum stay of up to three years unless the Department of State grants special permission for a longer stay.

2. Research Scholar

   An individual primarily conducting research, observing or consulting in connection with a research project at research institutions, corporate research facilities, museums, libraries, post -secondary educational institutions or similar types of institutions. The Research Scholar has a minimum stay of three weeks and a maximum stay of up to three years unless the Department of State grants special permission for a longer stay.

3. Short-term Scholar

   Professor, research scholar, specialist, or a person with similar education or accomplishments coming to the United States for the purpose of lecturing, observing, consulting, training, or demonstrating special skills at research institutions, museums, libraries, postsecondary accredited educational institutions, or similar types of institutions. There is no minimum stay and the maximum duration of stay is limited to six months.

D. The Two-Year Home Residency Requirement

Upon completion of an Exchange Visitor Program in the United States, certain J-1 Exchange Visitors are required to live in their home country for a period of two years before they are eligible to apply for H-1b or immigrant status. The two-year home country residence requirement applies to those Exchange Visitors who (1) are financially supported by the U. S. government or their home government; or (2) have skills which are needed in their home country, as specified on the Exchange Visitor Skills List. The purpose of the home country residence requirement is to enforce the return of Exchange Visitors in order to carry out the educational exchange objectives of the program. Waivers of the residence requirement can be granted under certain circumstances, but such waivers are difficult to obtain.

E. Procedures for Obtaining a J-1 Visa

1. The sponsoring academic department begins the J-1 visa process by completing the DS-2019 Request Form for International Professors & Scholars, which can be obtained from International Programs and Exchanges. The sponsoring department, NOT the exchange visitor, must complete the request form.
2. Complete this form and attach evidence of financial support if other than WWU. Send the form to International Programs and Exchanges, MS 9100. The Dean, Department Chair, Provost's Office and IPE will keep copies of this form.
3. Once the Provost's office reviews the appointment and notifies IPE, IPE will prepare the Form DS- 2019 within ten working days of receipt in the IPE office.
4. IPE will forward the Form DS-2019 document and instructions to the sponsoring department for mailing to the Exchange Visitor. The Exchange Visitor presents the Form DS-2019 to the U.S. Consulate for issuance of the J-1 visa, along with required documents.

Note: (Canadians citizens are "visa exempt," and simply present the Form DS-2019 to the U.S. immigration officer at the port of entry.)

The Form DS-2019 is issued for a period of up to one year. Extensions of stay may be requested in one-year increments, for a maximum of three years. To extend the Form DS-2019, contact IPE at least 6 months in advance.

Accompanying dependents will be issued J-2 visas. The J-2 dependent has the benefit of applying to Citizenship and Immigration Services for permission to work while in the United States.

The J-1 visa may be appropriate for the following full-time academic appointments:

• Visiting Faculty

  Academic departments may invite short-term visiting faculty for up to two quarters to teach courses under direct supervision of department faculty. (Teaching faculty given full responsibility for course preparation, presentation, and evaluation without oversight, or who will be teaching a full academic year or longer, must be classified in H-1B status. All regular appointees-research, lecturer, or tenure-track-must be classified as H-1B.)

• Visiting Researchers

  Visiting Scholar is an honorary title awarded to persons who hold professorial (including research) positions at other institutions, or other professional positions, and who are invited by an academic department but are not employed by the University during their stay. These visitors must be fully funded by their home institution or employer (no personal or family funding is allowed). Please note that foreign graduate students who wish to "study" at WWU without enrolling are not eligible for the visiting scholar appointment.

The University is not required to provide funding for the J-1 Exchange Visitor. Form DS-2019 must show an estimated amount of financial support (in U.S. dollars) that will be provided to the Exchange Visitor for the effective dates of the appointment. Sources could include a U.S. government agency, an international organization, the Exchange Visitor's government, the Binational Commission of the Exchange Visitor's country, the Exchange Visitor's employer or other organization, or any combination of these sources. They may not include personal funds. Exchange Visitors funded fully by sources from abroad do not have to meet minimum established wage guidelines, but the amount of support should be reasonable to support their stays in the United States.

If the University is providing all or part of the Exchange Visitor's funding, then the salary must be prevailing wage based on the Exchange Visitor's education and experience, and commensurate with the level of position held in his/her home country.

All employment activities are limited to Western Washington University. Additional activities that involve honorariums or reimbursement of expenses to attend conferences or presentation of lectures must be authorized in writing by IPE prior to the activity.