J-1 EV Scholar Transfers
If you are in the Research Scholar/Professor or Short-term Scholar category, you may be eligible to transfer your J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. When transferring, general program limits apply and your program start date noted in box 4 of your Form DS-2019 will remain the same. Please note that a transfer from one program to another must always be continuous.
For information about transferring your J-1 Exchange Visitor Program into UIC, please see getting started with the visa process.
General considerations Heading link
- Exchange Visitor Program maximum limits. Research Scholar/Professors are limited to five years and Short-Term Scholars are limited to six months.
- International travel. You must be in the U.S. to transfer your J-1 EV Scholar Program. Do not make plans to travel internationally during a transfer request as it may make the transfer impossible or difficult to coordinate
- Two-Year Home Residency Requirement. If you have filed for, or received, a waiver of the 212(e) Two-Year Home Residency Requirement, you may be ineligible to transfer.
Transferring within UIC Heading link
To transfer your current, active J-1 Exchange Visitor Program from one UIC department to another, work with both departments to submit the J-1 UIC Internal Transfer E-Form in myOIS. Please allow at least three weeks to process this request. You may only begin the position in the new department after OIS has issued your updated Form DS-2019.
If you simultaneously need to extend your current J-1 Exchange Visitor Program at the time of the internal transfer, your future UIC academic department will also need to submit a DS-2019 extension request with the internal transfer. In this case, OIS will process both requests concurrently, resulting in an updated DS-2019 reflecting both the new program and end date.
Transferring out of UIC Heading link
To transfer your current, active J-1 Exchange Visitor Program out of UIC to a different U.S. academic institution, submit the J-1 Transfer Out E-Form in myOIS.
Important reminders when transferring out of UIC:
- Your last day at UIC and the start date at your new institution must be consecutive. There can be no gap in days. For example, if your last day at UIC is Nov. 18, the start date at your new institution must be Nov. 19.
- If you have already filed for, or received, a waiver of the 212(e) Two Year Home Residency Requirement, you may not be eligible to transfer your J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. In this case, please contact OIS for case-specific guidance.
- Please submit your transfer request to OIS as soon as you know you will be transferring, ideally, four weeks in advance. OIS cannot guarantee how quickly your new institution can communicate with our office to coordinate your transfer.