Travel Validation

As a J-1 visa holder you will need a travel validation signature from us (your visa sponsor) on your DS-2019 form when you travel outside of the U.S. during your program duration. The travel validation allows you to re-enter the U.S. on your current J-1 visa and is valid for one year.

You are allowed to leave the U.S. for a maximum of 30 days. You can either take advantage of the whole amount of time permitted to be spent outside of the U.S. all at once, or you can organize your time as you like. However, you must be aware of the fact that you are prohibited to exceed a period of 30 days in total.

Travel to the following countries does NOT require a travel validation:

Canada, Mexico, Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Marie-Galante, Martinique, Miquelon, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Christopher, Saint Eustatius, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions bordering on the Caribbean Sea.

Steps to get your travel validation:

• Step 1: Get permission from your supervisor and any other employee(s) in charge of handling vacation and absences (such as HR).
• Step 2: At least 10 days prior to departure, fill out the form below called ‘Travel Validation Request Form’ and upload your original DS-2019.  Then submit it online.
• Step 3: Receive your signed DS-2019 back from us via email and add the signed DS-2019 to your travel documents.