J-1 Eligible Academic Titles
J-1 visa sponsorship is generally limited to full-time appointments in the faculty and academic staff titles listed below:
- Acting Instructor
- Artist in Residence
- Postdoctoral Scholar
- Visiting Assistant Professor
- Visiting Associate Professor
- Visiting Lecturer
- Visiting Professor
- Visiting Scholar
- Visiting Scientist
J-1 VISIT/ VISER
AST’s Foreign National Services team (FNS) collaborates with Visiting International Student Internship & Training (VISIT) staff in the International & English Language Programs office to circulate the application for completion and collecting supporting documentation from the prospective student intern. FNS will submit the completed application and other documentation to the VISIT office for their approval and issue the DS-2019.
On this Page...
- Resources
- J-1 Scholar/ J-1 VISIT/VISER Checklist
- Workflows
- J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa Estimated Processing Times and Workflow
- J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa in the VISIT/ VISER Program Estimated Processing Times and Workflow
- Frequently Asked Questions: J-1
- What is the difference between the J-1 Scholar and J-1 VISIT programs?
- Must a J-1 Scholar have an academic appointment at UW?
- May a J-1 Scholar be an instructor of record?
- May a J-1 VISIT student enroll in classes?
- What is the process for filing a J-1 incident report?
- What happens if there is a mistake on a DS-2019?
- Who on campus receives the DS-2019? Who mails it to the visa recipient?
- How do you document English language proficiency for a J-1 VISIT/VISER?
- Frequently Asked Questions: Other Visa Questions
- Where can our department find more information on what payments and reimbursements can be processed for foreign nationals?
- Does AST's FNS team process F-1 visas?
- Can an F-1 visa holder work more than 20 hours/week?
- Does the FNS team process other visa types?
- May a J-2 visa holder work at the UW?
- Where do I find more information regarding UW’s visa policies and procedures?
- How much do the latest visa processing fees cost?
Resources
Back to TopJ-1 Scholar/ J-1 VISIT/VISER Form Checklist
Requesting or renewing a J-1 Scholar or J-1 VISIT/VISER? Ensure the following documents are ready:
For all titles:
- The offer, invitation, or reappointment letter describing the terms of the appointment, including start and end dates, and any applicable funding information.
For postdoctoral titles:
- Postdoctoral data sheet
- Most recent CV (+ documentation that the degree requirements have been met if in the Scholar-Fellow or Conditional titles)
Workflows
Back to TopJ-1 Visitor Exchange Visa Estimated Processing Times and Workflow
The turnaround time for processing the hiring/hosting foreign nationals on a J-1 exchange visitor/ Scholar visa is approximately 3 months. The timeline is critically dependent on responses and information from the sponsoring unit and the prospective J-1 scholar. Where applicable, the overall timeline will also be affected by processing times at the US Consulate/Embassy abroad issuing the visa. Ample lead time is crucial to securing a visa in time for the desired start date.
The image below links to a PDF where you can scale to your liking. This workflow is also available in a Word document.
J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa in the VISIT/ VISER Program Estimated Processing Times and Workflow
The turnaround time for processing the hiring/hosting foreign nationals on a J-1 visa in the VISIT/VISER program is approximately 5 months. The timeline is critically dependent on responses and information from the sponsoring unit and the prospective student intern. The overall timeline will also be affected by processing times at the US Consulate/Embassy abroad issuing the visa. Ample lead time is crucial to securing a visa in time for the desired start date.
The image below links to a PDF where you can scale to your liking. This workflow is also available in a Word document.
Frequently Asked Questions: J-1
Back to TopJ-1 Scholars generally have a terminal degree and appointment at a higher education institution. J-1 VISIT recipients are students at their home institutions; they may not be registered students at the UW.
Yes. The J-1 scholar must at least have a courtesy appointment.
It depends; please contact our FNS team at teamcas@uw.edu to discuss.
No. J-1 VISIT recipients are considered interns; they do not pay tuition hence they may not enroll or audit classes.
UW units should report any known serious incidents or controversies involving a J-1 exchange visitor to ISO as soon as possible so that we can meet our legal obligation to report them to the Department of State.
DS-2019’s with incorrect information must be amended and reissued.
If the person will be a J-1 Scholar, the final DS-2019 comes to our FNS team. We then send it via email to the scholar. If the person is coming through the VISIT program, the VISIT program will send out the DS-2019 via email.
There are two options for an applicant’s proof of English language proficiency:
- A TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo test taken within the last two years, with test score reports submitted as PDF attachments. Please review the following minimum required score of each respective test:
- TOEFL iBT score of at least 80
- IELTS academic test score of at least 6.5
- Duolingo English Test score of at least 110 (Please note that in alignment with the Graduate School Policy 3.2, the Duolingo English Test score minimum will be increasing to 110 for all applications submitted on or after January 6, 2025.)
- The UW faculty supervisor may conduct an interview in-person or by video conference with the intern applicant to determine whether the applicant has sufficient proficiency in the English language to participate successfully in the research program and to function on a day-to-day basis.
- The UW faculty supervisor must complete the updated UW VISIT/VISER English Language Proficiency Interview Form (available on the VISIT or VISER Canvas site – enroll for VISIT or VISER if you do not already have access) and provide it to the department contact (AST) for the department contact to submit with the online application.
Frequently Asked Questions: Other Visa Questions
Back to TopThe Foreign National Payment & Reimbursement Reference Guide is designed as a quick guide AST created to help units determine what payments and reimbursements can be processed for foreign nationals. This reference addresses students, scholars, and employees on UW-sponsored visas, as well as those at other US institutions or visiting the US on other visas types.
Please note that our team does not process F-1 visa applications, so students should review all information provided by International Student Services (ISS) under On-Campus Employment for F-1 Students and consult ISS if there are any concerns or questions. General information, including contact details visit ISS.
Only during class breaks and only in one quarter out of four, during the annual vacation quarter. This is usually—but not always—over the summer quarter. Students should review all information provided by International Student Services (ISS) under On-Campus Employment for F-1 Students and consult ISS if you have any concerns or questions.
The AST’s FNS processes J-1 Scholar, J-2 Dependents, J-1 VISIT/VISER, E-3 (Australian nationals), TN (Canadian and Mexican nationals), and H-1B visas, as well as permanent residency applications.
No.
Visit the Visa page of ISO, there you can find hiring policies and procedures and Visa Guidance for Unit Administrators.
Our colleagues in ISO have published a new FAQ page to help international scholars navigate the ever-changing policy landscape. Topics covered here include international travel concerns, visa status & policy changes, security and immigration enforcement, legal advice on immigration matters, and department & institutional guidance.
The office of Academic Personnel and Faculty (APF) charges a fee, payable by cost transfer invoice (CTI), for each visa request. Visit the APF Visa Fees page for the current fee structure.
For Further Support
Back to TopReach out and we will route your questions, comments, and/or ideas to the appropriate subject matter experts on our team and keep an eye out for monthly updates via AST's Newsletter.
Last Updated: Thursday, May 01, 2025