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First Step to Applying
Know your Immigration Documents Print
J-1 Program Information
Maintaining J-1 Status Print
International Student Health Insurance Print
J-1 Employment
How to Obtain a Social Security Card
Driver's License for Non-US Citizen Print
J1 Two Year residency Requirement or Waiver Print
First Step to Applying
If you are planning to enter SPSU on a J-1 Visa, please contact International Programs
prior to the application process. Click Here
Know you Immigration Documents
Passport
You should keep your passport validat all times. Your passport is your own government’s permit for you to leave and
re-enter your country. Most passports contain an expiration date.
Renewing your passport:
Contact your own consulate or embassy in the U.S. to renew your passport. The officials
there will tell you what forms and fees are required.
Visa
The visa stamp put in your passport by the U.S. Consulate is to enter the U.S. It
does not show how long you can stay here. It can expire while you are in the U.S.,
but must be valid to enter the U.S.
Renewing your U.S. visa for re-entry:
If your visa has expired, and you plan on traveling outside the United States, it
must be renewed in order for you to re-enter. You can do this at the U.S. embassy
in your home country. F-1/ J-1 visas cannot be renewed in the United States. The
following documents are usually requested to renew your visa:
If your F-1/J-1 visa expires while you are in the U.S., you do not need to leave the country to renew it. As long as you are here attending school you are here legally.
Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record)
The I-94 shows that you have been admitted to the U.S. The I-94 is usually stapled
across from the U.S. visa page of your passport. It has an eleven-digit identification
number (departure number) the USCIS uses to keep track of your arrival and departure
from the U.S. The USCIS sometimes refers to the “departure” number as the “admission”
number.
Expiration
There should be a date stamped on the I-94 indicating the date that you arrived in
the U.S. You should also see the “D/S” is written below the date stamp. This “D/S”
indicates “duration of status” which means that you are admitted for the length of
your program plus any period of Optional Practical Training, plus 60 days.
Form DS-2019
The Form DS-2019 or “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status”
is the basic document used in the administration of the exchange visitor program.
This form permits a prospective exchange visitor to seek an interview at a U.S. embassy
or consulate in order to obtain a J visa to enter the United States.
Responsible Officers
Sponsors appoint individuals as responsible officers and alternate responsible officers
to advise and assist exchange visitors. These officers issue the Certificates of
Eligibility (Form DS-2019, formerly IAP-66) and conduct official communications with
the Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) on your behalf.
Should you have any questions about the regulations or any aspect of your exchange
program, please contact the Coordinator of International Student Services.
Rules & Regulations
It is important that you understand and abide by the Exchange Visitor Program regulations.
U.S. laws and sponsor rules. Regular contact with your responsible officer will help
your keep current of any changes which may affect your J status. The Responsible
Officer for SPSU is Dr. Richard Bennett.
Activities and Program Provisions
You entered the United States in one program category, and are required to engage
in that category and subject/field of activity listed on your form DS-2019 (formerly
the IAP-66). You must comply with the specific program provisions of the regulations
relating to your program category.
Insurance
You are required to have medical insurance in effect for yourself and any dependents
in J-visa status for the duration of your program. Willful failure on your part to maintain the required insurance will result in the
termination of your exchange program. Please check with the International Student
Center for current insurance rates and brochures.
Maintenance of Status
You are required to have a valid and unexpired Form DS-2109 (formerly IAP-66). Sponsors
may terminate an exchange visitor’s program for violating U.S. Laws. Exchange Visitor
Program regulations or the sponsor’s rules governing their particular program.
Notification
You must inform your responsible officer if you change your address or telephone number,
or complete or withdraw from your program early. Doing so assists your sponsor in
complying with their notification and reporting requirements to the U.S. Department
of State.
Current Regulations
The Exchange Visitor Program regulations are located in the Code of Federal Regulations,
(22 CFR, Part 62-formerly Part 514). The regulations are generally available for review
at the officers, universities, law schools, or large public libraries. They are also
available on the Internet at:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1270.html
SPSU International Programs Click Here
Maintaining J-1 StatusJ-1 Status students must:
Two-Year Home Country Physical Presence Requirement 212(e)
Some Exchange Visitor Program participants and family members who were admitted to
the U.S. or who adjusted their visa status to J after admission must return home for
a minimum of two years after completing their educational or cultural exchange program
before they can change or adjust their status. This requirement applies to those whose:
1. Exchange program was financed to some extent by the U.S. Government or your home country
government;
2. Skill appears in the Exchange Visitor Skills List as identified by their home country
government; or,
3. Purpose in coming to the United States was to receive graduate medical education or
training.
This requirement is stamped on your DS-2019 during your visa interview.
If an Exchange Visitor subject to 212(e) does not wish to fulfill the residence requirement, he or she may be able to obtain a waiver of the home residence requirement. All waivers are initiated by filing an application for a waiver with the Waiver Review Division of the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Department of State. Please click the following link for more information on waivers:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1296.html
Medical insurance: SPSU requires international students on J-1 visas to purchase the endorsed SPSU International Student Insurance policy. Payment of this fee is mandatory and should be paid directly to the Office of Business and Finance along with payment of tuition and miscellaneous fees. Purchase of this insurance policy is mandatory each semester.
International Student Health Insurance
All International Students are required to have health insurance. Your student account
will reflect a charge for student health insurance. The provider of the student health
insurance is Pearce & Pearce Inc. Brochures are available in both The ATTIC and The
Business Office.
You must enroll for the insurance at http://www.studentinsurance.com/.
If you have your own insurance, you must apply for a waiver before the wavier period ends.
Instructions on how to apply for an insurance waiver
After your waiver submission is completed you are given a confirmation number. You will receive three emails during this process. The first email will let you know that your waiver is in pending status. The second email will let you know that your information has been verified. The third email will state if your wavier has been approved or denied. If a waiver is denied, a reason and instructions about submitting additional information will be given.
For Questions or Customer Service: call 1-888-722-1668 or email spsu@studentinsurance.com
J-1 EmploymentEach type of employment has its own specific criteria and limitations.
On Campus Employment* Note: A student may not begin to work without a social security card. Please see the Coordinator of International Student Services for more information.
Off Campus Employment Due to Severe Economic Hardship
Eligibility
A J-1 student is eligible to engage in off-campus employment as long as she/he meets
the following conditions:
For more information, contact the Coordinator of International Student Services
How to Obtain a Social Security Card
RequirementsSteps to Follow:
1. Bring your letter of employment to The ATTIC.
2. Request a Social Security referral letter from The ATTIC.
3. If you live outside of Cobb County then please visit your local Social Security office.
Please visit www.ssa.gov for more information.
Documents needed to apply for a Social Security Card:
1. Job letter
2. SSN referral letter
3. Passport/Visa
4. I-94 card
5. DS-2019
WHERE TO GO:
For Cobb County, you must go to:
Social Security Administration
1415 Franklin RD S.E.
Marietta, GA 30067
800-772-1213
You should receive your card within 8-10 business days after the date of filing. If you have not received your card within this time frame, you should contact the Social Security office where you filed your application. Your SSN card will be mailed to your home address.
REMEMBER
If you work on campus, a copy of your Social Security Card must be given to the Coordinator
of International Student Services and Human Resources.
For more information, please visit www.ssa.gov or See the Coordinator of International Student Services.
Driver’s License for Non U.S. Citizens
To obtain a Georgia driver's license, identification card, or any other service provided
by Georgia Department of Driver Services, a non US citizen must comply with the following eligibility requirements:
Previous Licenses or Instructional Permits: You should present your Out of Country/International License or Identification card to receive a Georgia license or Identification card. Out of country licenses/permits/ID cards are returned to non US citizens with the following exceptions: Commercial licenses and permits.
Social Security Number Requirements: An applicant must provide either a Social Security number or a letter of ineligibility for a Social Security number (Form SSAL 676).
Federal law requires that states collect social security numbers (SSN) from driver’s license applicants under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
Legal Presence Requirements: Present one of the following immigration documents in person at a Customer Service Center to prove legal presence in the US (only originals or certified copies accepted):
Note: Original immigration documentation must be submitted each time service is requested pertaining to a driver's license or identification card.
Proof of Residency: Must provide one document from Proof of Residency document list. Click here for standard list of residency documents.
Refugees only: May present Form DS-20, Refugee Address Verification Affidavit in place of standard Proof of Residency document.
Effective January 1, 2008, Georgia law requires DDS to verify all immigration documents presented by non-citizens through the United States Custom and Immigration Service (USCIS) via a program known as SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement.) In most cases, the verification can be completed immediately during the customer’s driver’s license or identification card transaction. In some cases verification may take several days or several weeks. Until the documentation is verified by USCIS, DDS is unable to issue a driver’s license or identification card. If the verification is unsuccessful, the customer will be given a form with instructions and time frames to contact USCIS or return to the Customer Service Center at a later date.
Once immigration documentation is verified with USCIS, a Georgia driver's license or identification card may be issued with an expiration date that matches the immigration documentation expiration date, but no longer than 3 years. If there is no expiration date on the immigration documentation, a license/identification card can only be issued for a period of 1 year. The cost of the license/ID is $20.
Name and Address Change on License or ID:
Current DDS procedures for citizens and non citizens allow for one free address/name change per license term and $5 fee for a license replacement as long as the expiration date does not change from the original license/ID. When a replacement license/ID is issued with an expiration date different than the original, the system considers it a renewal and full fees apply.
The nearest office to the school:
Marietta Customer Service Center #56
Address: 1605 County Services Pkwy, Marietta GA 30008
Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday 7:30 a.m.-12 noon
This information was taken from the Georgia Department of Driver Services. For more
information please visit: http://www.dds.ga.gov/