Elsa Gontrum Spring, 2013Elsa Gontrum Spring, 2013

BECHTEL INTERNATIONAL BECHTEL INTERNATIONAL CENTERCENTER

Beyond the Initial Request:

Best Practices for J

Keeping tabs on your J Scholar

Arrival Amend Cancel Shorten Extension Moving to another department Changes in funding/payment Transferring to another institution Transfer To Stanford Replacing a DS-2019

Preparing for arrival of scholar

Make copy of Ds-2019 after picking up from Bechtel

You will need the SEVIS number on the Ds-2019 for any subsequent workflow requests.

Maintain a calendar/list of scholars’ start dates

E-mail scholar verifying actual arrival date to Stanford

Inform scholar that J visa health insurance is required to begin upon actual entry to the US for scholar and dependents

ARRIVAL

Program start date on Ds-2019 should correspond to actual start date of program at Stanford.

Immigration regulations allow scholar to arrive 30 days BEFORE the Ds-2019 start date.

If the scholar is not present on campus by the program start date, contact the scholar and find out why and when he/she will arrive and keep tabs until arrival has been confirmed.

If the arrival of the scholar will be delayed more than 25 days beyond the start date of the Ds-2019, submit a request in workflow to “amend” the Ds-2019 with a later start date.

Make copy of amended DS-2019 and send original to scholar. Keep copy of amended Ds-2019 along with originally-issued DS-2019.

If your scholar cancels…

Obtain an e-mail confirmation if your scholar wishes to cancel program. If cancellation is at the request of the department, notify scholar that the Ds-2019 has been cancelled and is not valid for entry.

Submit a “Cancel” request in workflow using the scholar’s current SEVIS number on the Ds-2019

Request that scholar return the Ds-2019 to you and bring it back to Bechtel

Ending early

Two scenarios:1. Scholar has left without your knowledge

As soon as you find out, submit a “shorten program” request to shorten to the day following submission of the request. When revised DS-2019 is issued, before sending it to scholar, make copy and retain copy in your file

2. Foreknowledge of Scholar’s early departure: Submit in a timely way, make copy for your file and give new revised original to scholar.

Extensions

Keep calendar of scholar’s end dates and three months ahead of the end date, initiate conversation about extending.

Make sure scholar is in appropriate J category to allow for extension (i.e. Short-Terms are limited to 6 months, Research Scholar to 5 years)

Submit request for extension well ahead of Ds-2019 end date.

Moving to another department

The department to which the scholar is moving is responsible for this update

However, sometimes the current department may need to send a reminder to the new department

New department should submit a “Change Site of Activity” request in workflow

Changes in funding/payment

All changes in the scholar’s funding should be submitted in workflow BEFORE the changes actually occur.

All changes must be calculated as total program for the period of the extension, not annual

All changes to funding without an extension must be calculated from the date of the submission of the request to the end date of the current Ds-2019.

--Evidence of all sources of funding need to be kept as hard copies for 3 years

--Stanford salary changes should also be submitted in total program costs

FEI a.k.a. “Frequently Encountered Issues” regarding payment

Visiting Scholar’s department wants to pay him/her

--VS by definition is “unpaid”

Post-doc needs to work part-time in another department in addition to his/her own full-time position

--activities should be consistent with program objective as stated on Ds-2019

TRANSFERS

What does this mean? Transfer OUT: J sponsorship moving to a new institution Transfer IN: Stanford assuming J sponsorship of scholar

TRANSFER OUT:What do you do if the scholar tells you he/she is

transferring?

① Ask when and determine if that is convenient for your department. If not establish a “last day” that is good for all concerned.

② Send Bechtel an e-mail stating that you are aware the scholar is transferring out and that the last day is agreeable to all.

③ Advise scholar to inform scholar advisor at the new institution to send an e-mail request to Bechtel for this transfer out.

TRANSFERS

Transfer IN:

More complicated: Scholar already in J status coming to Stanford

Get scanned copies of prospective scholar’s Ds-2019(s), including those of any J2 dependents, and send set to Bechtel.

Work with scholar and department to arrange a reasonable start date and tell scholar firmly what this date will be.

Inform scholar that there can be no gap between current program and start of program at Stanford.

Submit a “Transfer to Stanford” request in workflow. When filling out the form, make sure biographic data matches data on current DS-2019s.

Inform scholar that he/she must be present in the US during the SEVIS transfer.

Replacing a DS-2019

Misc Best Practices

Keep all financial/funding records for scholars for 3 years

Never scan and send a DS-2019 by e-mail

Make sure your scholars attend our J-1 Scholar Orientation: 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month

Work only from passports (machine-readable strip) when entering biographical information in workflow

Stay in e-mail contact with your scholar, prior to arrival and during the entire duration of the J program

Whenever sending inquiries to internationalscholars@stanford.edu include the name and SEVIS number and/or Emplid.

Q & A