J1 Request Process

Department administrators requesting J-1 immigration sponsorship on behalf of the visiting student must ensure that the student has been admitted as a non-degree student to the correct program in SIS. The non-degree student record must feed into iHopkins from SIS before the department administrator can initiate the J-1 Visiting Student-Initial Request.  

Once the student record is in iHopkins, follow the steps below: 

1. Log into iHopkins 
2. Access the Departmental Services Menu 
3. Open the “Visiting Student J-1 Initial Request” eForm group

For students coming from abroad: 

The J-1 Initial Request Process timeline for visiting students describes the steps and parties involved. *Note that the J-1 Initial requests should be fully submitted at least 2-3 months in advance of student’s intended start date and department should be prepared to exercise flexibility around start dates due to potential visa processing or travel delays* 

Resources and training materials are available on the OIS SharePoint site for assistance with this process. 

For students already in the U.S.: 

If the student already holds an active J-1 status under the sponsorship of another U.S. institution or if the student is in the U.S. and holds an immigration status other than J-1, department should consult OIS first to determine student’s eligibility for a visiting student program at JHU.

Considerations for submitting a J-1 request for visiting student: 

• Maximum duration for J-1 student non-degree category is two years 
• Per the JHU visitors’ policy, the visiting student must be enrolled in a degree program at an institution of higher education abroad as long as they remain a visiting student at JHU 
• Request a reasonable start date by submitting the J-1 request in iHopkins at least 2-3 months in advance of the visiting student’s intended program start date  
• Remember, program start and end date must fall within an established school semester/term in accordance with the appropriate academic calendar: https://registrar.jhu.edu/academic-calendar/

There are many variables that can influence visiting student’s ability to arrive to the U.S. in timely manner and begin their program on a specific date. The J-1 visiting student initial visa timeline  provides a helpful overview. If the student is not able to arrive by the start date listed on their DS-2019 for a reason such as, visa delays or family matters, and would like to delay their program start date, the department may request a start date by submitting the Initial Program Date Change Request eForm, through iHopkins. (no less than 10 days in advance of the proposed new start date and prior to the J-1’s arrival to the U.S.) 

*If the new start date falls into a new semester/term, then the admission record must be updated in SIS to reflect the new semester/term before submitting the eForm request through iHopkins. 

To submit Initial Program Date Change Request eForm 

1. Log in to iHopkins
2. Access the Departmental Services menu
3. Click on “J-1 Exchange Visitor-Initial Program Date Change Request” under tasks
   1. You may need to upload revised funding documents 

Alternatively, click “My Current Cases” under Lists. Click J-1 visiting student’s name and then click to access the “J-1 Exchange Visitor- Initial Program Date Change Request” eForm. 

Department Administrators must request program extensions or changes/amendments on behalf of J-1 visiting students who are already under JHU’s J-1 sponsorship. *The maximum duration of participation in J-1 Non-Degree status is up to two years.*

To submit requests for J-1 Extensions/Amendments, follow the steps below:

1. Log into iHopkins 
2. Access the Departmental Services Menu 
3. Open the “Visiting Student J-1 Extension/Amendment Request ” eForm group

J-1 Extensions:

• J-1 visiting student may be eligible to extend their J-1 immigration status if:
  • They will remain enrolled in their degree program abroad and the JHU department has extended their visiting student program at JHU
  • They will continue to enroll in the required JHU course(s) during the extension period
  • They will continue to participate in JHU activities within the U.S., in-person, and on a full-time basis
  • They have sufficient funding for the period of extension
  • There is time remaining on their J-1 immigration status
  • They have maintained J-1 status and are otherwise eligible for an extension
• Department administrators completing the J-1 Extension/Amendment eForm should select the purpose of the form as “Extension” and follow the eForm prompts
• Note that a visiting student’s requested extension end date must fall within an established academic term/semester

J-1 Amendments:

• For changes to the conditions of a J-1 visiting student’s program, a request for J-1 Amendment must be submitted. This may include changes in funding, hosting faculty sponsor, site of activity, or other changes in the conditions of their program
• Department administrators completing the J-1 Extension/Amendment eForm should select the purpose of the form as “Amendment” and follow the eForm prompts

J-1 Extension & Amendment:

• Department administrators are given the option to both extend and amend a J-1 record simultaneously. This allows for changes to the visiting student’s program, if eligible, at the same time as extension
• In this case, the Department administrator should select the purpose of the form as “Extension and Amendment” and follow the eForm prompts

Requests for J-1 Extensions and Amendments must be submitted at least 1-2 months in advance. For extensions, a J-1 cannot be extended after their program end date as their J-1 immigration record will have already expired. For Amendments, OIS cannot process any retroactive changes to a J-1 record so the requested change must be submitted for a future date.

When a J-1 program is nearing expiration, there are a number of responsibilities placed on the department administrator as well as the visiting student. If the department does not intend to extend the student’s program they should consider the following scenarios: 

Program Ends On-Time: 

If the visiting student will end their JHU program and/or depart the U.S. as planned on their original program end date, they should follow the instructions in the expiration notice emails to complete the End of Program Departure Information eForm in iHopkins. The student will begin receiving expiration emails prior to their end date (on which the department administrator is copied). 

Program Ends/Terminates Early: 

If the visiting student will end their program, depart the U.S., change to a different immigration status (at least 15 days earlier than their original J-1 program end date),  or the department decides to terminate their program for any reason, the department administrator must inform OIS in writing, email notification will suffice, of the change in end date and ask the visiting student to complete the End of Program Departure Information eForm in iHopkins. 

J-1 Transfer Out 

If the visiting student has been admitted to another U.S. institution and is eligible to transfer their J-1 immigration status they should review the instructions for J-1 Transfer Out on the OIS website. 

• For J-1 Transfer Out, the current hosting department at Johns Hopkins must complete their portion (section 2) of the J-1 Student Transfer Out Clearance Form and return it to the visiting student.