Requests for J-1 Scholar DS-2019s must be submitted by an academic department at Binghamton University. In order to be eligible for any of the J-1 scholar categories, the prospective Exchange Visitor must have earned at least the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree. If you are inviting an undergraduate student to conduct research or complete an internship, please review the request process on our J-1 Student Intern page.
Eligibility
The prospective J-1 scholar must
- Be sponsored by a Binghamton University faculty member
- Have sufficient funding to cover the estimated living expenses for themselves and any dependents
- Be coming to Binghamton University on a temporary basis for up to 5 years. Please note that J-1 status cannot be used for tenure-track positions.
- Demonstrate sufficient proficiency in the English language, as determined by an objective measurement of English language proficiency, successfully to participate in his or her program and to function on a day-to-day basis.
- Have earned at least the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree
- For J-1 Professor or Research Scholar only: must not be subject to the 12 month or 24 month bar on repeat participation due to a previous J-1 status in the U.S. See below for additional details.
- Be working primarily in person at Binghamton University. J-1 scholars may only work remotely up to 40% of the time (two days out of five).
DS-2019 request process
Complete the DS-2019 request form
- The ISSS DS-2019 Request Form must be completed by the sponsoring academic department. Do not send this form directly to the prospective J-1 scholar. Please type the form and ensure that all fields are complete; any incomplete information will delay processing of the DS-2019.
- Determine the appropriate J-1 category:
- J-1 Research Scholars are coming to Binghamton University primarily to conduct research but may also teach. Maximum duration of 5 years.
- J-1 Professors are coming to Binghamton University primarily to teach but may also conduct research. Maximum duration of 5 years.
- J-1 Short Term Scholars may engage in research or teaching. Maximum duration of 6 months.
- Confirm the scholar’s English language proficiency. Departments may confirm English language proficiency by providing a score report from a recognized English language test, obtaining signed documentation from an English language school, or conducting an interview in person or by video conferencing.
- Confirm whether the $95/semester ISSS administrative fee will be paid by the academic department or by the J-1 scholar.
Gather the required documents
- Scholar’s curriculum vitae
- Passport biographical page for scholar and any dependents
- Documentation of funding in the amount of at least $1,700/month for the scholar, $700/month for an accompanying spouse, and $500/month for each accompanying dependent child. All financial documents must be in English or accompanied by a certified translation. Any bank statements must clearly state the name of the bank, name of the account holder, currency, date, and available balance. If the J-1 scholar will be supported by a friend or family member, that person must provide a letter of support in addition to the bank statement.
Submit a complete application
Sponsoring professors will need to submit the Request for Visiting Scholars/Professionals and Volunteers form in myBinghamton. Include the completed DS-2019 request form and all supporting documents. For any questions about the electronic workflow request, please review the instructions from the Office of the Provost.
Stay in contact with the scholar and ISSS
- ISSS will review the request and issue the DS-2019 within five business days of receiving a complete request with all supporting documents. We will email an electronic DS-2019 to the J-1 scholar and provide a copy to the department.
- Departments should keep in touch with the scholar and let ISSS know if there are any changes to the scholar's arrival plans.
Important considerations for J-1 status
12 and 24-month bars on repeat participation
The Department of State has established 12-month and 24-month bars that affect anyone who has previously been in the U.S. in J-1 or J-2 status and wishes to come as a J-1 Research Scholar or J-1 Professor. These bars do not affect eligibility for J-1 Short Term Scholars.
The 12-month bar prevents anyone previously in the US on a J-1 visa, in any category (including student), once their program has completed, from returning to the US in the J-1 Professor or Research Scholar category until at least 12 months has passed from their program end date. The only exception is if the previous stay was for less than six months or if the person was classified as a “short term scholar” because the “short term scholar” category has a built-in six-month limit.
The 24-month bar (which should not be confused with the two-year home residency requirement) is another bar unique to the J-1 Professor or Research Scholar categories. If the previous J-1 visa was issued for the Professor or Research Scholar category and the program has completed, that person cannot return to the United States as a J-1 Professor or Research Scholar until 24 months after the end date of their previous program.
Required ISSS orientation upon arrival
All J-1 scholars must report to ISSS upon arrival for a brief orientation. Federal regulations require the scholar to check in and for ISSS to provide specific information to the J-1 scholar about immigration requirements, health insurance, Binghamton University, and life in the U.S. Failure to attend this required orientation will jeopardize the J-1 scholar’s immigration status.
Health and accident insurance
All J-1 scholars and their dependents are required to maintain sufficient health insurance in the U.S. ISSS advisors will review health insurance requirements and enroll the J-1 scholar at the ISSS orientation.
Tax and Social Security issues
If a J-1 scholar is being paid by Binghamton University, they will need to apply for a Social Security Number. ISSS provides information on this process at orientation. All J-1 scholars are required to file tax returns for each year in the U.S. and can use nonimmigrant tax preparation software that ISSS provides.
University access
The academic department is responsible for submitting HR Forms and helping the J-1 scholar get a university ID card, a university email, and access to any other necessary university resources.
