DS-2019 Requests for J-1 Scholars

J-1 exchange visitors are eligible to transfer their SEVIS record to USC from another institution in the United States. When exchange visitors transfer to USC, their length of stay does not restart. The time spent at a previous institution will be included in the total allotted program duration.

In addition, the following criteria must be met:

• J-1 exchange visitors who wish to transfer to USC must speak with their USC academic department, a J-1 advisor at OIS and an international advisor at their current institution. All three parties must agree on the transfer release date in SEVIS.
• The J-1 category and research subject field indicated on the previous DS-2019 must remain the same when transferring to USC. The transfer is a continuation of their original objective.
• The academic department will submit a DS-2019 Initial/Transfer Request (see instructions below) to OIS that indicates transfer to USC.

When choosing a SEVIS release date, please consider the following guidelines:

• The release date selected should be the first day of the appointment at USC.
• Please do not select a SEVIS release date when USC is closed (e.g., on weekends or during holiday closures).
• There should be minimal interruption between the former institution and USC.
• The exchange visitor is not permitted to take a vacation in between the transfer dates. During this period, travel outside of the United States is not permitted.
• The exchange visitor cannot be paid by USC until the release date/USC start date. At the same time, once the transfer has been processed, the J-1 is no longer eligible to receive funding from the previous institution.
• To finalize the transfer, the exchange visitor is required to submit their Immigration Status Verification (ISV) documents, which allow OIS to validate their SEVIS record and provide a copy of the USC DS-2019.

The exchange visitor will be emailed a digitally signed DS-2019, also known as the “Certificate of Eligibility.” Please note that exchange visitors are not permitted to digitally sign their DS-2019.

Initial DS-2019 Request Deadline

OIS must receive the application at least two months before the application start date for initial DS-2019 requests. Departments should begin the first step three to four months after the application start date.

Transfer DS-2019 Request Deadline

OIS must receive the application at least one month prior to the application start date for transfer DS-2019 requests. Departments should begin the first step two to four months after the application start date.

Please note the deadlines above. This timeline allows sufficient processing time across all stages: obtaining NetID, USC ID and ISD number (two to three weeks), OIS review (two to three weeks), U.S. embassy processing (three to five weeks) and the scholar’s relocation to Los Angeles.

The maximum duration allotted for an initial or transfer DS-2019 application is two years. Extensions are granted based on the exchange visitor’s category and may be submitted up to one year, or up to three months, prior to the DS-2019 end date.

Initial DS-2019 Request Timeline

For initial DS-2019 requests, the timeline for each step of the process is as follows:

• Three to four months before the application start date:

• • • Department administrator follows instructions to access Trojan International, USC’s immigration services portal.
    • Department administrator follows steps 2 and 3 to obtain NetID, 10-digit USC ID and ISD number required for DS-2019 submission.

• Two to four months before the application start date:

• • • Department administrator initiates the DS-2019 request.
    • Applicant completes their section of the form.
    • Host faculty completes their section of the form.
    • Department chair/center director completes their section of the form.
    • Department administrator reviews, edits and submits the request to OIS. The processing window begins on the business day following final submission to OIS.
    • Department administrator and the applicant receive a confirmation email from OIS.

• Within 10 business days of request submission:

• • If the request is incomplete, OIS emails feedback to the department administrator and the applicant. Incomplete applications with missing items can take up to one month to process.
  • If the request is complete, OIS emails the initial DS-2019 to the applicant and the department administrator.

Transfer DS-2019 Request Timeline

For transfer DS-2019 requests, the timeline for each step of the process is as follows:

• Two to four months before the application start date:

• • • Department administrator follows instructions to access Trojan International, USC’s immigration services portal.
    • Department administrator follows steps 2 and 3 to obtain NetID, 10-digit USC ID and ISD number required for DS-2019 submission.

• One month prior to the application start date:

• • • Department administrator initiates the DS-2019 request.
    • Applicant completes their section of the form.
    • Host faculty complete their section of the form.
    • Department chair or center director completes their section of the form.
    • Department administrator reviews, edits and submits the request to OIS. The processing window begins on the business day following final submission to OIS.
    • Department administrator and the applicant receive a confirmation email from OIS.

• Within 10 business days of request submission:

• • If the request is incomplete, OIS emails feedback to the department administrator and the applicant regarding the request. Incomplete applications with missing items can take up to one month.
  • If the request is complete, OIS emails the initial DS-2019 to the applicant and the department administrator.

DS-2019 requests are submitted through Trojan International, USC’s immigration services portal. For step-by-step guidelines for submitting applications via Trojan International, please review the Trojan International Training for USC Department Administrators.

Step 1: Request Departmental Authorization Access for Trojan International

The processing time for this step is two business days.

Before submitting a request, each department administrator using Trojan International must obtain individual departmental authorization access. Once granted access, you will be notified via email within two business days. Access to Trojan International is granted only once per departmental user.

If you are an ISI/ICT department administrator, please select UPC as your campus; do not select the “off-campus” option.

Step 2: Obtain USC NetID and 10-Digit USC ID Number for J-1 Scholar

Department administrators must obtain a USC NetID and a 10-digit USC ID number for their J-1 visiting scholar so the scholar can log in to Trojan International and submit the DS-2019 application.

Please follow the instructions on our Early Access NetID for J-1 Exchange Visitors page to complete this step.

Step 3: Submit the $250 Application Fee for Internal Service Delivery (ISD)

Before completing the steps to submit a DS-2019 request, the department administrator must pay the $250 Internal Service Delivery (ISD) fee through Workday. Individual ISD numbers are required for each applicant, as Trojan International does not offer group processing.

When submitting the ISD, include the Internal Service Provider (ISP) name for OIS: ISP-SP-059 – Office of International Services. Additionally, indicate the exchange visitor’s name and request type (Initial Scholar or Transfer Scholar) in the ISD memo.

Learn more about ISD best practices through Workday. For specific guidance on ISD protocols, please review the Internal Service Delivery Overview page on the USC Workday Finance System website.

The CHLA ISD contacts are Jesse Castro at jcastro@chla.usc.edu or Karina Cortez at kacortez@chla.usc.edu.

Step 4: Grant Exchange Visitor Access to Trojan International

Once departmental services access is granted, the department administrator should log in to Trojan International, select “Add New Person” and input the applicant’s USC NetID and 10-digit ID number.

Please provide the following information in the respective fields:

• Last Name: This must match the surname on the applicant’s passport.
• First Name: This must match the first name on the applicant’s passport.
• Middle Name: Only fill this field if a middle name is indicated on the applicant’s passport.
• Date of Birth: The date of birth must match the one on the applicant’s passport. Confirm the date of birth with the applicant, as many countries reverse the month and day order. 
• Gender: The gender must match the one indicated on the applicant’s passport.
• Email Address: Enter the applicant’s personal email address.
• Campus: Enter the campus.
• Requested Immigration Status: Enter “J-1.”
• Do you have an institutional university ID for this new profile? Select “yes.”
• University ID Number: Enter the 10-digit USC ID.
• Do you have a network for this new profile? Select “yes.”
• Network ID: After the NetID, include @usc.edu.

Failure to enter the correct information will result in the applicant not having access to Trojan International. If the applicant is missing a first or last name on their passport, contact OIS for guidance.

Step 5: Complete the Application

Next, the department administrator should submit the DS-2019 Request.

The following documents are required as part of the DS-2019 Request:

• Copy of passport(s) for exchange visitor and dependent(s)
• Copy of signed invitation letter on USC or CHLA letterhead, including the following elements. If the offer letter does not indicate the information listed above, please include a secondary letter:
  • HR title (if paid by USC).
  • J-1 category title (for example, research scholar, short-term scholar or professor).
  • Job description as it relates to and supports the USC objective. Please provide two to three sentences explaining the research/teaching the exchange visitor will conduct; general job descriptions are not accepted.
  • Start and end dates.
  • USC salary. If a USC salary is not provided, do not mention non-USC funding sources.
  • USC site of activity address. This is where the exchange visitor reports to work for their program. The complete address must be stated within the body of the letter.
  • USC host faculty’s name (i.e., supervisor or PI).
• Proof of funding for exchange visitor and dependent(s)
• Proof of English language proficiency. This is required for all applicants, including native English speakers. J-1 scholars may meet English language proficiency requirements by participating in a documented interview with the USC host faculty. A 15- to 30-minute interview is expected. Please document the date of the interview to confirm that the applicant speaks and comprehends conversational English. Indicate whether the interview was conducted by phone, Zoom or in person. The interview date may be no older than six months.
• Copy of DS-2019 from the current institution for exchange visitor and their dependents (transfers only).

Forms will unlock one at a time, in order, after the previous form is submitted.

Department administrators may check the case status in Trojan International. Be mindful of processing delays caused by pending approval signatures.

The exchange visitor and department administrator will be emailed an electronically signed Form DS-2019, also known as the “Certificate of Eligibility.” 

The exchange visitor must print the document and sign page 1. Exchange visitors are not permitted to electronically sign the DS-2019. 

OIS will include a handout called “Information for J-1 Students/Scholars” with the DS-2019.

The exchange visitor can reference the SEVIS ID number on the DS-2019 to schedule a visa appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The SEVIS ID number is located in the top-right corner of the DS-2019 and will start with N00.

Extension durations are based on the maximum participation period for the exchange visitor’s category. This includes time spent at previous institutions.

Exchange visitors who have applied for a 212(e) waiver to remove the J-1 bar are not eligible for an extension. Please inquire with your exchange visitor directly to determine if they are subject to the bar (see J-1 visa) and have applied for the 212(e) waiver.

The Two-Year Home-Country Physical Presence Requirement, also known as 212(e), stipulates that a J-1 exchange visitor who is subject to this bar must return to their home country and physically remain there for an aggregate of two years before being eligible to return to the United States as a permanent resident, H-1B temporary worker or dependent, or L-1 intracompany transferee or dependent.

OIS must receive the extension request at least one month before the DS-2019 end date. Please factor in extra time for the initial steps listed below, which must be completed before submitting the request. Extension requests may be submitted as early as one year before the DS-2019 end date.

The maximum time period granted per extension is two years. Additional extension requests may be submitted if time remains. OIS cannot extend a SEVIS record if the DS-2019 end date has already passed.

The simplified workflow for a DS-2019 extension request is as follows:

1. 1. One year to one month prior to DS-2019 end date:
      1. Department administrator initiates the DS-2019 request.
      2. Applicant completes their section of the form.
      3. Host faculty completes their section of the form.
      4. Department chair/center director completes their section of the form.
      5. Department administrator reviews, edits and submits the request to OIS. The processing window begins on the business day following final submission to OIS.

• Within 10 business days of request submission:

1. 1. If the request is incomplete, OIS emails feedback to the department administrator and the applicant. Incomplete applications with missing items can take up to one month.
   2. If the request is complete, OIS emails the extended DS-2019 to the applicant and the department administrator.

DS-2019 extension requests are submitted through Trojan International, USC’s immigration services portal. For a step-by-step guide to submitting applications via Trojan International, please review the Trojan International Training for USC Department Administrators.

Step 1: Request Departmental Authorization Access for Trojan International

The processing time for this step is two business days.

Before submitting a request, each department administrator using Trojan International must obtain individual departmental authorization access. Once granted access, you will be notified via email within two business days. Access to Trojan International is granted only once per departmental user.

If you are a CHLA department administrator, please select HSC as your campus. Prior to submitting the Departmental Authorization request, the CHLA department administrator must also obtain a USC NetID via iVIP to access the Trojan International portal. This process only occurs once per departmental user.

If you are an ISI/ICT department administrator, please select UPC as your campus; do not select the “off-campus” option.

Step 2: Submit the $150 Application Fee for Internal Service Delivery (ISD)

Before completing the steps to submit a DS-2019 Extension Request, the department administrator must pay the $150 Internal Service Delivery (ISD) fee through Workday. Individual ISD numbers are required for each applicant, as Trojan International does not offer group processing.

When submitting the ISD, include the Internal Service Provider (ISP) name for OIS: ISP-SP-059 – Office of International Services. Additionally, indicate the exchange visitor’s name and request type (Extension Scholar) in the ISD memo.

Learn more about ISD best practices through Workday. For specific guidance on ISD protocols, please review the Internal Service Delivery Overview page on the USC Workday Finance System website.

The CHLA ISD contacts are Jesse Castro at jcastro@chla.usc.edu or Karina Cortez at kacortez@chla.usc.edu.

Step 3: Submit DS-2019 Extension Request and Required Documents

The department administrator should submit the DS-2019 Extension Request in Trojan International.

The following documents are required as part of the DS-2019 Extension Request:

• Copy of the signed extension letter on USC letterhead with:
  • New end date
  • USC salary (if applicable)
• Proof of funding for exchange visitor and dependent(s).

After submitting the DS-2019 Extension Request, department administrators may check the case status in Trojan International. Be mindful of processing delays caused by pending approval signatures.

Forms will unlock one at a time, in order, after the previous form is submitted.

The exchange visitor and department administrator will be emailed an electronically signed Form DS-2019, also known as the “Certificate of Eligibility.” 

The exchange visitor must print the document and sign page 1. Exchange visitors are not permitted to electronically sign the DS-2019.

As a courtesy, all extended DS-2019s (including dependent DS-2019s) are endorsed for travel.