On this page you will find detailed instructions for completing the J-1 Request Forms in Adobe Sign. For more information on the entire J-1 request process and J-1 visas sponsored through Rice, please see https://oiss.rice.edu/jscholar.

Applying for a J-1 visa requires obtaining a DS-2019 form, issued by OISS to the J-1 Scholar. The host department must submit the J-1 request to OISS at least 90 days before the requested program start date to allow time for OISS and visa processing. The request process consists of two Adobe Sign forms, which must be completed in order.

J-1 Request Part 1: Scholar Form – This form is initiated by the academic department and then sent to the J-1 scholar for completion. The final submitted form is returned back to the academic department.
J-1 Request Part 2: Department Form – This form is initiated and completed by the academic department after they receive the completed J-1 Request Scholar Form. The final submitted form is sent to OISS.

While we hope that the forms together with this webpage make the process very clear and easy to follow, we also hosted two demo/training sessions in January 2023. Click here to view a recording of one of the demo sessions (approximately 20 minutes).

J-1 Request Part 1: Scholar Form

Department section of the J-1 Request Part 1: Scholar Form

Initiating the form

The form is initiated in Adobe Sign under Workflows ("OISS - J-1 Request Part 1: Scholar Form"). The form should be directed to the academic department administrator who can answer the initial question (see below), and then to the J-1 scholar. Please update the Document Name with the scholar's information ("J-1 Request Scholar Form: LastName, FirstName").

Initial questions

When initiating the form, the academic department will specify:
1) The type of J-1 (i.e., paid employee processed through HR, externally funded academic visitor processed through VMS, or Undergraduate Visiting Researcher processed through OTR)
2) Who is responsible for payment of the $300 J-1 scholar fee (academic department or the scholar)

Scholar section of the J-1 Request Part 1: Scholar Form

Introduction

Pages 1-3 of the form contain important and detailed information about the J-1 status. Please read through this information very carefully. By completing and submitting the form, you are confirming that you understand and agree to comply with all the rules and immigration regulations that apply for J-1 Exchange Visitors in the United States.

If you have any questions about the information before you feel comfortable agreeing to follow the listed regulations, please contact your academic department or OISS.

Personal Information

Page 4 collects your personal information. Please make sure to answer the questions carefully and accurately.

Name, Email address, City of Birth, Country of Birth, Country of Citizenship, Country of Legal Permanent Residence

Please enter your name exactly as it appears on your passport.

If you are a citizen of multiple countries, you may enter them all here. However, only one country of citizenship can be listed on your DS-2019, so please enter that country first. You will need to upload the passport from this country only in the document section.

Have you previously been in the U.S. on a J visa in the past 2 years

If your response to this question is yes, you will be asked to provide the dates and Exchange Visitor Category from your most recent DS-2019 form. The Exchange Visitor Category is listed in field #4 on the first page of the form.

You will also be asked if you were subject to the 212(e) 2-year home-country physical presence requirement. If you were subject, you will be asked follow-up questions regarding a possible waiver.

Type of last position held in home country

Please select the type of employer and enter your position title (if not student) for the last position held if your home country in the field provided. If your current/most recent employer does not fit within the options offered, select Other and enter information about your employer in the available field.

English Proficiency questions

On page 5 you can indicate how you are meeting the mandatory English proficiency requirement.

According to federal regulations, J Exchange Visitors (EV) must possess “sufficient proficiency in the English language...to participate in his or her program and to function on a day-to-day basis.” [22 CFR 62.11(a)(2)] Sponsoring institutions are required to determine an applicant’s English proficiency before a DS-2019 can be issued. At Rice, the required level is based on our graduate admissions policy, and one of the following conditions must be met for a J-1 applicant to demonstrate English proficiency:

Option 1) Candidate is from an English-speaking country

If this option applies to you, you will need to select your country from the list available at https://graduate.rice.edu/admissions/language-proficiency-requirements. Countries not on the list are not eligible for meeting the English proficiency requirement, and another option must be selected.

Option 2) Candidate has earned an acceptable score on a recognized English language test

The accepted tests are TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo. If this option applies to you, you will need to select the appropriate test and enter your test score. List of acceptable scores is available at https://graduate.rice.edu/admissions/language-proficiency-requirements. You will also be asked to upload confirmation in the Document upload section.

Option 3) Candidate completed a higher education degree or has a high school diploma from an English-speaking country or an approved international university where the official language of instruction is English

If this option applies to you, you will need to enter your institution in the field provided. List of approved countries or international universities is available at https://graduate.rice.edu/admissions/language-proficiency-requirements. Institutions not on the list are not eligible for meeting the English proficiency requirement, and another option must be selected. You will also be asked to upload proof of your degree in the Document upload section.

Option 4) Candidate has successfully completed the Rice video/audio interview

If you would like to choose this option, please work with your academic department to get your Rice video/audio interview scheduled if you have not yet done so. More information about this option is provided on the form once you select it.

If there is any additional information you would like to provide about your proof of English proficiency, there is an open text field on the form where you can type the information. This field can also be left blank.

Dependent questions

Your spouse and your unmarried children under 21 years of age are eligible to join you in the United States as dependents, and page 6 of the form collects information about them. If you indicated that you are not bringing dependents with you, you may skip this section and move to the next page.

If you are bringing dependents with you, you will need to provide the following information for each dependent:
• Last, first & middle names, as indicated on their passport
• Relationship to you (i.e., spouse or child)
• City and country of birth
• Country of citizenship – If your dependent is a citizen of multiple countries, you may enter them all here. However, only one country of citizenship can be listed on the DS-2019, so please enter that country first.
• Country of legal permanent residency
• Personal email – If your child doesn't have an email address, please enter preferred parent email in this field

If you have multiple dependents, please note that a new line appears as you complete the information for each dependent, allowing you to provide the information listed above for each of them.

Please also indicate if your dependent(s) intend to travel to the U.S. with you, or join you at a later time. Please note that J-2 dependents cannot enter the United States before the J-1 scholar.

Please note that J-2 dependents have the same health insurance requirements as the J-1 Exchange Visitor. You can learn more at https://oiss.rice.edu/scholarhealthinsurance.

In the Document upload section, you will be asked to upload copies of passports for each dependent, and the marriage and/or birth certificate(s) proving your relationship. If the marriage/birth certificate(s) are not in English, please also upload an English translation (an unofficial one is acceptable). Please combine all dependent documents to one PDF file for uploading purposes.

UG Researcher questions

Questions on page 7 apply only to Undergraduate Visiting Researchers. If that is not the type of your J-1, you may skip this section and move to the next page.

If you are coming to Rice as an Undergraduate Visiting Researcher, please answer the questions on this page. You will be asked to provide the following:

• Name of your research supervising professor at Rice.
• Confirmation that you are currently participating in an undergraduate level academic degree program in your home country.
• Confirmation if you will be earning an undergraduate level academic degree before starting your program at Rice.
• Clarification if you will be under 22 years of age when you start your research at Rice.

Please also note that no more than 49% of your funding can come from personal funds, unless your university has a written agreement with Rice. If you're planning on being self-funded, please check with your academic department to make sure you qualify.

Document upload

On page 8 you will be asked to upload the required documentation. Accepted file types include PDF, JPG, etc.

Passport ID page

This document is required for all incoming J-1 scholars. Only the ID page with your picture and biographical information is needed, you do not need to upload any additional pages from your passport.

Current CV

This document is required for all incoming J-1 scholars. Please make sure your CV is up-to-date. It should also confirm the information regarding the last position in your home country you indicated on page 4 of the form.

Proof of English proficiency

If you indicated that your English proficiency requirement is met by an English language test or completing a degree in an English-speaking country or approved international university, you will need to upload confirming documentation here.

I-612 Approval Notice for 212(e) waiver from USCIS

This document is required if on page 4 you indicated that you have received a waiver from USCIS for a 2-year home-country physical presence requirement based on being in the U.S. previously in J visa status.

Proof of funding

J-1 Exchange Visitors are required to have sufficient proof of funding for the full duration of their J-1 program:
• J-1 Scholar: $2300/month
• J-2 Spouse: +$500/month or +$6000/year
• Each J-2 child: +$300/month or +$3600/year

For J-1 scholars paid by Rice, proof of funding is only required if your Rice salary as listed on your offer letter does not cover the minimum requirement listed above. In that case you will need to upload proof of additional funding. If your Rice salary is sufficient, no document needs to be uploaded in this section.

For externally funded Academic Visitors and Undergraduate Visiting Researchers, please upload proof of financial support showing at least the minimum amount required, as listed above. Acceptable documents include the following:
• Scholarship/Fellowship letter
• Salary letter from employer (as long as it confirms salary will continue during Rice program
• Bank statement (no older than 6 months) – If the account is not in your own name, a letter of support from account holder is also required
Please note that non-liquid funds, such as tax returns or land/property deeds are not accepted.

Proof of paid $300 J-1 EV Rice central administrative fee

If your academic department has indicated that you are responsible for the $300 J-1 EV Rice central administrative fee, you will need to upload confirmation of the payment. To make the payment, please visit https://signup.rice.edu/JScholarFee.

Dependent documents

If you are bringing dependents with you, please upload copies of passports for each dependent, and the marriage and/or birth certificate(s) proving your relationship. If the marriage/birth certificate(s) are not in English, please also upload an English translation (an unofficial one is acceptable). Please combine all dependent documents to one PDF file for uploading purposes.

Proof of Meningococcal Vaccination Record or Waiver

This document is required for all incoming Undergraduate Visiting Researchers under the age of 22.

Additional document

If there are any additional documents you would like to provide to OISS, you may upload them in this field.

Signature

By signing and submitting the form, you certify that all of the information and documentation you have submitted on the form is accurate and true. If any documentation or answers are later found to be false, you understand that your J-1 status will be terminated and you must leave the United States immediately.

Furthermore, by signing and submitting the form, you agree to comply with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services immigration regulations throughout your time at Rice University in J-1 status.

J-1 Request Part 2: Department Form

Department section of the J-1 Request Part 2: Department Form

Initiating the form

This form is initiated in Adobe Sign under Workflows ("OISS - J-1 Request Part 2: Department Form"). The form should be initiated only after the academic department receives the completed J-1 Request Scholar Form. It will then be submitted to OISS to begin the DS-2019 process.

Please update the Document Name with the scholar's information ("J-1 Request Department Form: LastName, FirstName"). When submitted, the completed form will be sent automatically to OISS by email and uploaded to an OISS Box folder.

General Questions

When initiating the form, the academic department will first specify if the scholar is coming to the U.S. from abroad, is transferring an existing J-1 status to Rice, or is pursuing a change of status to J-1 from another immigration status, and provide the scholar's full legal name as it appears on their passport.

The academic department will also provide additional information regarding the type of appointment the J-1 scholar will have, i.e., paid employee processed through HR, externally funded academic visitor processed through VMS, or Undergraduate Visiting Researcher processed through OTR.

Additional general questions include:
• Name of hosting academic department
• Name of sponsoring faculty member
• Dates to be employed at Rice (Please be mindful of the requirement to submit requests at least 90 days in advance)

Is the scholar's initial appointment for 6 months or less?

The duration of the scholar's appointment is important when determining the appropriate J-1 category. Appointments that are 6 months or less are eligible for the Short-Term Scholar category, but this category cannot under any circumstances be extended beyond 6 months. Even if the initial appointment is 6 months or less, but there is a chance the scholar will later be extended beyond 6 months, a Research Scholar category will be necessary.

To learn more about the different J-1 categories, please see https://oiss.rice.edu/jscholar.

Will the scholar perform their work only at Rice University?

A J-1 scholar may only work at the Site of Activity or Activities listed in SEVIS, so it is important to list the correct location. Non-Rice locations for work are very rarely approved. If any of the other sites are medical facilities, please verify that there will be no patient care or contact.

Please note that if the scholar wishes to collaborate both at Rice and from outside the United States, the process becomes significantly more complex. Please contact OISS to discuss best options.

Brief description of scholar's primary research objective

A good research objective should not be too general (e.g. "Mathematics"), nor too specific (e.g. "Machine learning procedures applied to the analysis of seismic vulnerability of typical bridges located in the Southeast region of Texas").

Proof of funding

J-1 Exchange Visitors are required to have sufficient proof of funding for the full duration of their J-1 program:
• J-1 Scholar: $2300/month
• J-2 Spouse: +$500/month or +$6000/year
• Each J-2 child: +$300/month or +$3600/year

If the scholar is paid by Rice and their salary as listed on the offer letter is sufficient, no other proof of funding documentation is needed. Otherwise the scholar should have uploaded the required financial proof as part of the J-1 Request Scholar Form.

Please confirm that either the salary or the financial documentation provided by the scholar shows a sufficient amount for the full duration of the J-1 program. If it does not, please collect additional financial documentation from the scholar and upload it as part of this form.

Work hours and tenure track

The J-1 visa requires the position to be at least 32 hours/week. If you are unable to confirm that the scholar is scheduled to work at least 32 hours/week, OISS cannot process the J-1 request.

The J-1 visa cannot be used for tenure track positions. If you are unable to confirm that this is not a tenure track position, OISS cannot process the J-1 request.

J-1 Scholar Fee

Please indicate who is responsible for payment of the $300 J-1 scholar fee (academic department or the scholar). This response should match the response provided on the J-1 Request Scholar Form.

English Proficiency

According to federal regulations, J Exchange Visitors (EV) must possess “sufficient proficiency in the English language...to participate in his or her program and to function on a day-to-day basis.” [22 CFR 62.11(a)(2)] Sponsoring institutions are required to determine an applicant’s English proficiency before a DS-2019 can be issued. At Rice, the required level is based on our graduate admissions policy. For more information on the available options, please see https://oiss.rice.edu/jscholar.

If the English proficiency requirement is being met through a Rice video/audio interview, you will need to upload proof of an acceptable score in the Document Upload section of the form. If the scholar has provided other proof of English proficiency, please make sure it meets the requirements listed at https://oiss.rice.edu/jscholar, as otherwise an English proficiency interview will still be needed.

UG Researcher Questions

Questions on page 3 apply only to Undergraduate Visiting Researchers. If that is not the type of your J-1 scholar, you may skip this section and move to the next page.

If you are completing the form for an Undergraduate Visiting Researcher, you must answer all the questions in this section.

Note on funding: If your Undergraduate Visiting Researcher is coming with 50% or more in personal funding (i.e., non-institutional or government funding), please contact Global and Digital Strategy to confirm that we have an agreement with their international university on file that is valid for the full duration of their visit. In this case you will also be asked to provide the name of the university and the expiration date of the current agreement with Rice.

Document Upload

On page 4 you will be asked to upload the required documentation. Accepted file types include PDF, JPG, etc.

Dean's Offer Letter

This document is required for all types of J-1 Exchange Visitors. For paid J-1 scholars processed through HR the offer letter from iO is also sufficient.

Employment information from Person Management in iO

This document is required only for paid J-1 scholars processed through HR, and should show the assignment details.

J-1 English Proficiency Interview score confirmation

This document is required if the scholar is meeting the English proficiency requirement through the Rice video/audio interview.

Proof of paid $300 J-1 EV Rice central administrative fee

If you indicated that the academic department is responsible for the $300 J-1 EV Rice central administrative fee, you will need to upload confirmation of the payment.

Completed J-1 Request Part 1: Scholar Form

Upload here the fully completed J-1 Request Part 1: Scholar Form with all supporting documentation provided by the scholar.

Rice Transfer-In Request Form

This document is only required if the J-1 scholar is already in the U.S. and transferring an existing J-1 status to Rice. Please note that transferring a scholar can be tricky and is not always possible. Please reach out to J advisor at OISS for more direction and support.

Official college transcript from all colleges and universities attended

This document is required for all incoming Undergraduate Visiting Researchers.

Completed Dean of Students Recommendation Form

This document is required for all incoming Undergraduate Visiting Researchers.

Additional document

If there are any additional documents you would like to provide to OISS, you may upload them in this field.

Signature

By signing and submitting the form, you confirm that the academic department will agree to follow all the obligations listed on the signature page of the J-1 Request Department Form, so please make sure to read through the information carefully.

On this page you will also be asked to provide the name and contact information for the person who OISS should notify when the DS-2019 is ready to be mailed to the J-1 scholar.