Office of International Services (OIS) Procedures

Sponsor a J-1 Exchange Visitor

Human Resources, Office of International Services  |  Approved October 31, 2018

Purpose

Sponsor a J-1 exchange visitor.

Applicability

University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) departments interested in inviting international researchers, faculty, or students who will be conducting research. These individuals may be funded either by UMB or by non-UMB sources. J-1 visa sponsorship is available for individuals who will be coming to UMB as:

• Scholar fellows (Postdoctoral Fellow or Research Fellow)
• Non-tenure track faculty
• Undergraduate students who will be conducting research with a UMB faculty member

For additional information and restrictions, please see the Office of International Services (OIS) website on J-1 Sponsorship.

Instructions

1. Make sure you or someone in your department has access to Sunapsis, the online system for submitting visa sponsorship requests. Learn how to Become a Sunapsis User.
2. Seek an academic appointment from the appropriate office in your school or department (scholar fellows or non-tenure track faculty).
3. Log into Sunapsis and follow the instructions to Add a New Person.
4. Complete the J-1 Scholar Initial Request e-form group in Sunapsis.
   1. If a department is sponsoring a visiting student who has not yet earned an undergraduate degree, then complete the J-1 Student Intern Request e-form group in Sunapsis.
5. After all four required e-forms in the group are submitted, OIS will issue new DS-2019s (“Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status”) for the incoming J-1 and any accompanying dependents within ten (10) business days.
   1. If application is incomplete or unclear, OIS will reach out to the department or scholar as needed.
   2. If a J-1 will be unable to arrive to UMB by the start date on the DS-2019, contact OIS as soon as possible and OIS can amend the incoming J-1's start date to ensure the SEVIS record will remain in good standing.
6. After a J-1 exchange visitor arrives on campus:
   1. All new J-1s at UMB must check-in online with the OIS upon their arrival to UMB; scholars receive automated, weekly e-mails with check-in instructions starting 30 days before their program start date.
      1. If the J-1 fails to check-in with the OIS, they risk automatic inactivation of the J-1 SEVIS record.
   2. Enroll in the J-1 orientation offered monthly by OIS to assist all new J-I researchers and professors with community resources. Exchange visitors will receive an email invitation from the OIS.
7. If a J-1 scholar is joining a department, but will not be employed by UMB, the department will need to enter the scholar in the Community System in order for the individual to get a One Card on campus. The OIS is not responsible for completing this process.