• Initial 30 Day Evaluation
• Midpoint Evaluation
• End-of-Program Evaluation
• Medical Insurance Requirement
• Ending Early
• End-of Stay Grace Period
• Extension Information
• J-2 Dependents and Work

Sending your “Follow-Up Information Form”
It is very important to send this form no more than 7 days after you begin your J-1 program. If we are unable to validate your program in SEVIS (Student & Exchange Visitor Information System), your record could be automatically converted to “NO SHOW” status. Please fax us this form to (202) 742-5619. Remember to send proof of insurance, a copy of the front and back of the I-94 card (the white card stapled in your passport), copy of your visa stamp and a copy of your stamped DS-2019.
Click here to download a copy.

Return to Maintaining SEVIS Status

Reporting Address Changes
We are required to report any changes in your U.S. home address in the government's Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database.  We ask that you report any residential address changes to us within 7 days of your move so that we can enter the information within the government imposed deadline. Failure to update your address could result in serious consequences to your J-1 visa status. Please remember to contact AILF if you change your U.S. address!

Return to Maintaining SEVIS Status

Traveling Outside of the U.S. during the J-1 Program
Please remember that AILF must sign the travel validation section of your DS-2019 form to indicate to the U.S. Immigration Inspector that you are still actively participating in AILF's Exchange Visitor Program.  Failure to obtain this signature could result in being denied re-entry into the United States!

Please send your DS-2019 form to AILF, along with a letter from your supervisor authorizing your time outside of the U.S., via Federal Express or certified mail as soon as you make your travel plans. Please give us at least 2 weeks' notice.  Please also send your travel itinerary.

While each authorization is valid for one year, we ask that you send AILF a letter from your supervisor and a travel itinerary each time you plan to travel outside the United States.

Return to Maintaining SEVIS Status

• Social Security Numbers and Paying U.S. Taxes
• Social Security Number Delays
• Refund of Social Security or Medicare Taxes Withheld in Error

Social Security Numbers and Paying U.S. Taxes
We receive many questions at AILF about paying U.S. taxes. Earnings from J-1 trainings are subject to federal, state and local income taxes but not Social Security and Medicare taxes. You should consult the host company accounting office for information on withholding of these taxes.  Additional information on J-1 federal income tax obligations may be found in Internal Revenue Service publications 515, Withholding on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Corporations, and 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.

Tax Back International provides tax services for J-1 visa holders so that you can have tax advice before, during and after your training in the United States. To learn more about Tax Back International, click here or call
1-(888)-203-8900.

All J-1s who have earned income from U.S. sources must file income tax forms by April 15.  Persons who earned income from a training program in the U.S. will receive a W-2 form that must be included with the tax return. Trainees should provide a forwarding address to the host company for W-2 and 1042S forms upon departure. Tax filing forms can be obtained from a U.S. Embassy abroad or downloaded from the IRS website at www.irs.gov.

In order to apply for a social security card you will need to take your original DS-2019, passport with J-1 visa stamp & I-94 card, and Form SS-5, Application for Social Security Card. To find the Social Security office nearest you and to download a copy of the SS-5 form, visit www.ssa.gov.
* Please wait at least 48 hours from sending AILF your follow-up documents to apply for your social security number (SSN) and make sure you have been in the United States for at least 10 days.
 
Return to Social Security and U.S. Taxes

Social Security Number Delays
Sometimes our trainees have experienced delays in obtaining social security numbers.  Information on putting a trainee on the payroll prior to receipt of the Social Security Number is provided by the U.S. government at www.socialsecurity.gov.

If you are experiencing delays in obtaining your social security number, please contact us at exchange@ailf.org and we will investigate the delay with the Social Security Administration.

Return to Social Security and U.S. Taxes

Refund of Social Security or Medicare Taxes Withheld in Error
If Social Security or Medicare taxes were withheld in error from your (the J-1 trainee) remuneration, contact the host company who withheld the taxes for a refund. If you are unable to get a full refund of the amount from your host company, file a claim for refund with the Internal Revenue Service on Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement. Attach the following items to Form 843:

What does It All Mean?  A Review of Non-Immigrant Travel Documents
You've arrived in the U.S. to begin your training and experience American culture. There's so much to see and do but what are all these papers about? Below is a brief description of some documents you should have and terms you should know about.

• Certificate of Eligibility (Form DS-2019): This is the form issued by AILF which gives you eligibility to receive your J-1 visa and to stay in status while in the U.S.. The DS-2019 is important and it has a bar code which can be scanned by a U.S. immigration official. Once scanned, the official can see your electronic information in SEVIS, a web-based database containing information about you and your program. Item 3 on the DS-2019 has your program dates. After the end date in Item 3 you have a 30-day grace period to prepare for departure. If you stay in the U.S. past your grace period, you may be in risk of overstaying your visa. Keep this DS-2019 form in a safe place. If it is destroyed or lost, please contact AILF so we can issue you a new one.
• I-94 Card: This is the small, white card that you received upon entry into the U.S. This card is very important and is sometimes referred to as the "true visa". There should not be an expiration date on this card. Instead, it should say "J-1 D/S", which is sometimes handwritten. "J-1" is your non-immigrant category and "D/S" means Duration of Status. Your duration of status is usually the dates listed in item 3 on your DS-2019 form but can change if your program is extended. This is why they do not write an expiration date on the I-94 card. Make sure the I-94 card is stapled on the opposite page from the visa stamp in your passport. If you lose the I-94 card you will have to apply for a new one through USCIS. When you exit the U.S. this card will be taken from you. Don't worry! You don't need it once you leave.
• Visa: This is stamped into your passport and includes your picture. You can think of this visa as a "ticket" to enter the U.S. It should have an expiration date listed on it. This is not necessarily your program end date. This expiration date means that you cannot enter or re-enter the U.S. after it expires. While you are participating in your program in the U.S. it is possible for this visa stamp to expire and for you to still be in status. Again, the I-94 card ("true visa") tells you that you are valid for the duration of your status (D/S) which are the dates on the DS-2019 form.

Return to Visa Documents

Lost or Stolen Passport
If your passport, visa and I-94 card have been lost or stolen, you must immediately notify AILF. All State Department instructions for lost or stolen J-1 travel documents are located here.

Return to Visa Documents

Lost or Stolen Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status (DS-2019)
If your DS-2019 was either lost or stolen, please contact AILF for a replacement at exchange@ailf.org.

Visit a Museum in Your State
Everyone knows about the world-class museums in the big cities of the U.S. but have you visited a museum where you live? Don't pass up this opportunity. Check out www.museumlink.com/states.htm for links to different museums around the country. Let AILF know which ones you liked best!

Return to United States Cultural Links

Information on the 50 States
Learn more about the state you live in at www.50states.com

Return to United States Cultural Links

The United States Constitution
Have you ever seen the founding document of the United States? Take a look at www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html

The United States Census
Who lives here and what are the people like? Find out at www.census.gov/.

Return to United States Cultural Links

Major U.S. Newspapers
Take a look at the United States' biggest newspapers to keep a finger on the pulse of news in the U.S. and the world.
The New York Times
The Chicago Tribune
The Los Angeles Times
The Washington Post
The Boston Globe

Return to United States Cultural Links

Small Town Newspapers in the U.S.
Want to find out what's going on in the lesser-known areas of the U.S.? Take a look at http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeo03q3/smalls.html to find out more.

Return to United States Cultural Links

U.S. National Parks
Have you had a chance to explore all of the beautiful wilderness the U.S. has to offer? Find out which national parks are near your home at www.nps.gov.

Return to United States Cultural Links