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J1 Students - Maintaining Status

Benefits of F1 or J1 Status:

Your benefits include the ability to:

• Change to another immigration status;
• Change degree level;
• Change program of study;
• Transfer to another College or University;
• Extend your duration of stay, if more time is needed to complete your degree;
• Request dependents to join or accompany you;
• Obtain employment (under restricted conditions, and only with specific approval);
• Travel outside the U.S. and reenter to continue study.

Eligibility for Benefits:

In order to be eligible for the benefits of your status, you must remain in good legal standing in the United States. To remain legally in the US, you must:

Maintain Key Documents: Always make sure your documents are in order and accurate, especially prior to travel outside the US, and maintain the validity of your passport. If you need assistance in extending your passport, International Student and Scholar Services can give you the address and phone number of your nearest consulate.

Obey DHS Regulations: Always follow the Immigration rules and regulations that apply to your status. For example: you must have the appropriate authorization for any work (paid or unpaid) that you do, and you must not be employed for more than 20 hours a week while classes are in session.

Report Changes: Always update ISSS about changes in your official papers, address, phone number, program of study, admission to another degree program or change of degree level, financial support, health insurance, or marital status.

Maintain Student Status: Your eligibility for opportunities such as employment, transfer from one university to another, and changes in your academic program depend upon maintaining lawful status. When you enter the United States, an immigration inspector asks you to read and sign the statement on the Form I-20 (for F-1 students) or Form DS-2019 (for J-1 students). Signature on either document signifies your agreement to abide by the conditions of F-1 or J-1 status while in the United States.

Note: A new immigration law enacted in 1996 creates new penalties for failure to maintain student status. These new penalties make it more important than ever for students to be careful to maintain their F-1 or J-1 status while they are studying in the United States. Since the new rules are so strict (some involve three-year or ten-year ban on entry into the United States), you must stay in close contact with International Student and Scholar Services so that you don't run into problems.

Employment: You may not work on or off campus unless you have specific permission from the DHS or ISSS. There are several types of employment that may be available to you as a benefit of your status. Please refer to Immigration Issues and Employment Regulations for more information. However, please be sure to check with ISSS before considering employment of any kind.

Note: DHS regulations do not necessarily distinguish between paid employment and volunteer work.

Extension of Stay

J-1 students are admitted to the U.S. for a period of stay noted as duration of status or D/S on the I-94 card. Duration of status is defined as the period during which you, as a student, are pursuing a full course of study in any educational program and any periods of authorized practical training, plus 30 days within which to depart from the United States.

J-1 students: For those students with J-1 visa status, a new DS-2019 form must be obtained from your sponsor before your current one has expired. If your program sponsor is Portland State University, you need to establish that you are maintaining full-time student status at Portland State University and that you have sufficient funds for the extended period. This will need to be verified before a new DS-2019 form is issued. Your program sponsor will then send a copy of the new DS-2019 form to the United States Department of State for notification of your extension.