Information for WHOI Sponsors

Additional J-1 Issues Sponsors Should be Aware of:

• Exchange visitors are required to check-in with the Foreign National Advisor within 3 days of arrival. We are required to report that an exchange visitor has begun his/her program participation as scheduled within 30 days from the program start date on the Form DS-2019. An exchange visitor who fails to check in with the Foreign National Advisor shall be terminated from the Exchange Visitor Program and their Form DS-2019 will automatically be invalidated. If the exchange visitor's plans or program dates change, please notify the Foreign National Advisor immediately.
  
  
• If the Form DS-2019 is not used, it must be returned to the Foreign National Office immediately.
  
  
• The request for a program extension must be requested, and if approved, issued prior to the expiration date on the current Form DS-2019. Failure to extend visa documents before the expiration date is a serious offense and cannot be easily corrected.
  
  
• The Foreign National Advisor must be notified if an exchange visitor's program participation will end prior to the program end date on the Form DS-2019. Department of State regulations mandate notification, through SEVIS, when an exchange visitor has withdrawn from or completed a program thirty or more days prior to the ending date on his/her Form DS-2019.
  
  
• Exchange visitors (J-1 and J-2 visa holders) must contact the Foreign National Advisor within 10 days when they have a change of address, telephone number, name, etc. Such changes are required to be entered into SEVIS.
  
  
• All exchange visitors, including dependents, are required to have health insurance and medical evacuation and repatriation insurance in effect for the duration of their program. Failure to maintain the required insurance is a violation of the Exchange Visitor Program regulations and may lead to termination from the Exchange Visitor Program.
  
  
• Employment is only permitted as described on the Form DS-2019. Research scholars may participate in occasional lectures and short-term consultation if approved in advance by the Responsible/Alternate Responsible Officer.
  
  
• New sources or amounts of funding is a reportable event in SEVIS and must be reported to the Foreign National Advisor.
  
  
• An exchange visitor may transfer to a different program within the same category if the program objective remains the same.