Check with the Visitor to see if they have recently (within the last 2 years) been in any J visa status whether at Stanford or at another institution. If they have been in J status before, request copies of their previous DS-2019s and note the following:

J visa status (e.g. J-1 or J-2)
J category type e.g. Research Scholar, Short-Term Scholar, Student, etc. (noted in section #4 of the DS-2019 - "Exchange Visitor Category")
Start and end dates of their prior J visa status

2) VISITOR'S STANFORD UNIVERSITY CLASSIFICATION

Make sure you know the Stanford University classification for this Visitor so that you will use the appropriate Request Form. There is often confusion between the Visiting Scholar, Visiting Researcher, and Postdoctoral Scholar classifications. If you are unsure of the differences among them, please read these University memos for clarification:

3) VISITOR'S PASSPORT INFORMATION

Obtain a copy of the biographic page of the visitor’s passport BEFORE completing the DS-2019 Application. (If there are dependents, obtain copies of their biographic passport pages as well.)
The name on the Request Form must match the name as noted on the machine-readable strip at the bottom of the biographic page of most passports. Any discrepancies may result in an incorrect document being issued which may cause delays in issuance of the J1 visa by the U.S. Consulate and may make it necessary for a new corrected document to be issued and sent to the visitor. Please be accurate when filling out the Request Form.
For Visiting Researchers, please also make sure the biographic information on the Registrar’s VR Application that you submit to the Registrar’s office matches the biographic information in the passport EXACTLY.

Reading the Passport:

Determine the spelling of names and the correct dates of birth by referring to the machine-readable information on the passport of your visitor and family members.

Above (circled in red) is a graphic sample of machine-readable text. It's always located along the bottom edge of the passport picture page, regardless of country of issuance.

In the example above:

The passport bearer’s LAST or FAMILY name is “Traveler”;

His FIRST, or GIVEN name is “Happy,” and

His date of birth is September 16, 1956 (see second row, after USA, the number sequence 560916)

Please conform to the machine-readable version in all entries involving the visitor, so that Consular and Immigration authorities will see consistency between the passport and the visa certificate that Stanford issues. You’ll find that the machine-readable spelling is not always consistent with the way the visitor has provided name information.

4) VISITOR'S FUNDING

• Funding Attestations Form:

REQUIRED for submission of ALL DS-2019 Request Forms, including Extensions

This form must be completed and signed by the Stanford department:

Funding Attestation Form (MS Word) | Funding Attestation Form (PDF)

FAX the completed and signed Funding Attestation Form to 650-618-0330 either BEFORE or AFTER submission of the DS-2019 Application. (Be sure to dial '9' before dialing the number).

The Funding Attestation Form must be submitted before processing of the DS-2019 application can begin.

NOTE about FAXES:

You must dial '9' from an on-campus fax machine, ie. 9-618-0330

Please do NOT use the I-Center's general FAX 725-0886

Please do NOT send forms for multiple visitors in one fax. Each form must be faxed separately.

Please do NOT use a cover sheet or FAX additional funding documents with Funding Form. Fax only the completed and signed form.

• Funding Requirements

DS-2019 Request Forms showing insufficient funding cannot be processed

5) IF PERIOD OF STAY IS 6 MONTHS OR LESS

Read the information about the *24 Month Bar on Repeat Participation as a Research Scholar or Professor.

Decide which SEVIS category should be used:

Short-Term Scholar:

Maximum length of stay is strictly limited to six months

Not subject to the 24 Month Bar

Research Scholar:

May extend their stay up to five years

Subject to the 24 Month Bar, no matter how short or long their stay in J status.

Indicate this preference in the Comments section of the DS-2019 Request Form.

*Note that the '24 Month Bar' is NOT the same as the 'Two Year Home Residence Requirement'

6) STANFORD FEE & PROCESSING TIMES

• Billing Information for $125 fee:

This is a ONE-TIME fee and will only be assessed for "INITIAL" and "TRANSFER" submissions.

"EXTENSION" submissions are not billed.

Please be sure to include the appropriate PTA number. Failure to do so will result in delay of visa document processing.

• Processing Times:

Postdoctoral Scholars Request Forms are routed to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs for approval, while Medical School Visiting Scholars/Faculty Request Forms are routed to the Medical School Dean’s Office for approval.

Approval times can sometimes be lengthy. The I-Center does NOT receive (or have any knowledge of) these DS-2019 Request Forms until AFTER they are approved and forwarded to us by the appropriate office.

All other Request Forms are routed directly to the I-Center.

Allow at least one week for issuance of the DS-2019 AFTER the completed and approved form is received by the I-Center.

Please factor-in approval and processing times when filling in the arrival date (Section 5 'Dates of Validity' on the on-line form). This date will be used as the starting date of the Visitor's stay/program in the U.S. DO NOT USE A STARTING DATE THAT IS UNREALISTIC!

Keep in mind that although the visitor can enter up to 30 days prior to the program start date you note on the DS-2019 Request Form, the I-Center must validate the record by the 30th day after the program start date. To do this, the I-Center must receive the visitor's arrival confirmation at least a few business days before the 30th day.

There is also a 30-day grace period AFTER the expiration date of the DS-2019 during which the visitor may vacation, pack, settle accounts, etc, but may not continue their J program activities.

Click on the appropriate link below to access the Request Form.

Do not use INTERNET EXPLORER 7 -or- NETSCAPE to fill out the DS-2019 Request Form.

Do not send us a printed version of this form.

Incomplete forms will be returned to the originator.

Medical School Visiting Scholars & Visiting Faculty to be approved by the Medical School Dean's Office
Postdoctoral Scholars

Visiting Researchers or Knight Fellows

(For more information on inviting Visiting Researchers, go to the Registrar's website.)

Once the Registrar has APPROVED the Visiting Researcher or Knight Fellow and assigned an EMPLID (or approved an extension of the Visiting Researcher's or Knight Fellow's stay) you may proceed to the Request Form HERE.

All other University classifications

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