Travel/Re-entry info for postdocs under Stanford's J sponsorship

(sent to som_postdocs; stanford_postdocs 11/10/10)

Attention: J1 Post-docs who hold DS-2019s issued by Stanford

If you plan to travel out of the U.S. during the Thanksgiving Holiday or Winter Break, and re-enter the U.S. to continue your J1 program, remember that you must have a valid Travel Validation signature from one of the international scholar advisors at Bechtel in the Travel Validation section in the bottom right side of your DS-2019 for re-entry. The travel validation signature is also required on DS-2019s issued for J2 dependents. The signature is valid for multiple entries for up to one year from the date of the signature. If your DS-2019 has not been signed in that section or if it was signed more than a year ago, you will need to request a Travel Validation signature at Bechtel. To request the signature, bring the DS-2019 to the upstairs front desk at Bechtel International Center during business hours of 10am to 5pm Monday through Friday.

(If both signature spaces in the Travel Validation section have been filled and it was most recently signed more than a year ago, you'll need to request a new DS-2019 to allow a new travel signature to be provided.)

A valid visa in your passport is also required for re-entry, so if the visa in your passport has expired, you will most likely need to apply for a new one at the U.S. Consulate in your home country before you can re-enter the U.S. (The exception is if you travel to Canada or Mexico for less than 30 days and retain your I-94 card. In this case, re-entry is permitted with an expired visa and valid, signed-for-travel DS-2019.) DO NOT RE-ENTER ON A VISA-WAIVER OR A B1/B2 VISA IF THE J VISA IN YOUR PASSPORT HAS EXPIRED!

Keep in mind that Bechtel International Center, along with most other University offices, will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov 25 and 26) and during the Winter Break, so plan ahead. For the Winter Break Bechtel I-Center will close at 5pm on Friday, December 17 and will re-open on Monday, January 3.