Travel in J-1 Status
J-1 exchange visitors returning to the U.S. after travel abroad are required to present a DS-2019 form signed in the lower right corner (Travel Validation by Responsible Officer) by a Scholar Advisor in the Davis IC within the past 12 months.
If traveling outside the U.S., you must have a valid visa to return to the U.S. except for trips to Canada, Mexico and the adjacent islands
Please check the expiration date of the visa in your passport issued to you at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If your visa has expired, you will need to apply for a new visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. You cannot extend your visa inside the U.S. There is no place/office in the U.S. to apply for a new visa. Be sure to check the website of the Embassy or Consulate where you will apply for the new visa as procedures at Consulates change over time. You are not required to pay the SEVIS fee more than once per J-1 program. You should carry your receipt notice from payment of the initial SEVIS fee with you if you need to apply for a new visa as well as documentation of your funding for your J-1 stay (copy of appointment letter at Princeton, outside fellowship, etc.).
You should always be readmitted to the U.S. for D/S or Duration of Status. Your I-94 should be marked D/S. If it is not and you are admitted to the U.S. for a specific time period (your I-94 is marked with a date), it probably means that an immigration officer thought you were missing some required item, i.e. your DS-2019 from, a valid travel signature on the DS-2019 form. You may be issued an I-515 form requiring you to attend to the matter within 30 days of re-entry to the U.S. Please report this to the Office of Visa Services so that we can assist you in responding.
