Entering the United States

On Arrival : The non-immigrant visa stamp in your passport allows you to enter the United States in a specific immigration category (status). Your J-1 visa stamp notifies the Officials at the airport at which you arrive in the U.S. that you wish to enter the U.S. in the J-1 Student category. If granted permission to come into the U.S. for the purpose of being a student, your DS-2019 will be stamped and returned to you.

I-94 Form: In addition, on the plane to the U.S. you will have filled out a small white form known as the Arrival-Departure Document, Form I-94. On the I-94, is an 11-digit number. This is your non-immigrant number and will remain with you as long as you remain in J-1 student status. It will be stamped indicating the date you enter the U.S., the port of entry, the category (J), and indicate how long you may remain in the U.S. When you leave the country and return home, they will take the I-94. When you re-enter the U.S., you will receive a new I-94. However, the 11-digit number will always remain the same. The I-94 should be stapled in your passport, opposite your visa stamp page.

Duration of Status: On the I-94, you will notice the red stamp shows date and place you entered the U.S., and a notation which reads "D/S". This stands for Duration of Status. This means that as long as you follow the rules established for the J-1 student, you may remain in the U.S. legally.

Travel to CWU: For information on planning travel for when you arrive in the United States, please see our Travel and Area Information Page.