Your Certificate of Eligibility—Form DS-2019 for J-1 students— is an important document that you will use to apply for your visa, enter the U.S., remain in status during your studies. This section will familiarize you with how to read your initial DS-2019.  

You must have one to apply for a DS-2019 visa, and must bring it with you when entering the U.S. 

Let your ISSS Advisor know if your DS-2019 has any errors or if something changes. 

• A: Your SEVIS ID number is the 9-digit number beginning with “N,” in the upper right-hand corner of the form. Use this number to pay your I-901 fee and apply for your visa  
• B: The name of your program sponsor  
• C: Your program number  
• D: Your Category of Program 
• E: Financial support information. This portion is primarily used to show that you will have sufficient funding during your visa interview. The amounts listed will always equal the estimated expenses for the entire length of your program, even if you show additional funding. Please note that the funds on the DS-2019 are not binding, therefore updates are not always necessary if the source changes 
• F: This portion will contain a signature from the A/RO that created your DS-2019. Please feel free to reach out to them with any questions that you may have! 
• G: This section will only be filled out if you are a transfer J-1 student, otherwise, it will remain blank. 

• H: This portion will be completed by the visa officer during your interview.  
• I: The travel endorsement is required for students that are already in the U.S. and wish to travel abroad. This is not necessary for incoming initial students until they enter the U.S. on their J-1 visas.  
• J: Please sign, date, and put the city and country where you signed the DS-2019 in this section with blue ink.  

Purpose of J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

The objective of J-1 exchange visitor program is "to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchanges." [Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (Fulbright-Hayes Act) of 1961]. The J-1 exchange visitor program was created and is administered by the US Department of State.

Please review the following information as you prepare to travel to the US for your exchange program.

J-1 Student Pre-Arrival Checklist

Exchange Visitor Program Welcome Brochure

Know Your Rights: Wilberforce pamphlet

To download and print a PDF with hyperlinks, click here.

Students can apply for their visa after paying the SEVIS I-901 Fee. With limited exceptions, all international students applying for admission to the United States need an entry visa.

Review the State Department's website and contact the nearest US embassy or consulate for details on how to obtain an J-1 visa. In Taiwan, please contact the American Institute. Application instructions may vary by location, so it is important to review the specific instructions provided by your embassy or consulate.

We encourage you to schedule an appointment as soon as you receive your documents from Emory, since there could be long wait times.

To schedule your appointment, first complete the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160.

• Print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
• You will be asked to provide a point of contact in the U.S. and an address where you will be staying. If you don’t have a US-based contact, please use the name of the ARO who issued your DS-2019. If you don’t know your US address yet, you can use ISSS's office address (1784 North Decatur Road, Suite 130, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322).
• You will be asked to submit a photo along with your application. Please refer to the official photo guidelines here.
• For additional assistance on completing the form, please refer to their FAQ.

You may be eligible for an expedited interview appointment based on your DS-2019 start date.

• The process to request an expedited nonimmigrant visa interview varies by location.
• You should refer to the instructions on the website of the Embassy or Consulate Visa Section where you will interview, or on their online appointment scheduling site. 

To download and print a PDF with hyperlinks, click here.