Travel within the United States
Travel within the United States is not restricted to J-1 exchange visitors and no special documents are required. However, you must inform the Center for Global Health every time you travel within the United States during the standard work week (Monday through Friday) when you are expected to be at your J-1 location. When traveling overland, you use your Terra Dotta Scholars Portal. Once you are signed into Terra Dotta, navigate to the Inquiries tab, click J-1 In Country Travel Form and fill in the required information.
Travel outside of the United States
You can travel outside of the United States during your J-1 program. However, if you travel outside of the United States, you do so at your own risk. You are not guaranteed re-entry into the US and many factors or situations can prevent you from re-entering the US as planned. Below we have provided you with some basic information to help you prepare for your trip and re-entry into the USA. You can also contact the MUSC Center for Global Health (CGH) directly with any questions about your particular situation and travel plans.
Travel time
In order to maintain J-1 status, you must be continuously involved in the activities of the J-1 program throughout the duration of the program and cannot take a leave of absence from the program for more than 30 days. This means that trips abroad for personal reasons may not exceed 30 consecutive days.
If you are a research fellow or professor and need to participate in J-1 program activities for an extended period of time in a location outside of the United States, you can apply for pre-approval to participate in an overseas program. CGH must approve this application in advance and create a foreign entry in the SEVIS system. Approval applications for participation outside the country must be made through Terra Dotta. be submitted at least 4 weeks in advance the expected departure date and must provide a detailed Support letter from the faculty (Doc). Refer to J-1 program participation outside the country (PDF) for a full list of requirements.
Please note that approval to participate in programs outside of the country is granted at the sole discretion of CGH and is not guaranteed. Physical presence in the United States to participate in specific program activities and cultural exchanges is critical to the purpose of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. Therefore, participation in a program outside of the country will only be approved if compelling circumstances require you to be outside the United States and participate in program activities for more than 30 days.
Request for trips abroad
You must submit the J-1 international travel application EVERY TIME you plan to travel outside the United States during your J-1 program through your Terra Dotta scholarship portal. The application must be made at least 3 weeks in advance the expected departure date. However, we recommend submitting the form earlier if you need a DS-2019 travel signature. This form is also required if you do not need a new travel signature on your DS-2019 for this trip.
Once you get to your. have registered Terra Dotta Scholars Portal, navigate to the Inquiries tab and click J-1 International Travel Form. Read the instructions carefully. Provide the required information and upload the required supporting documents. You need to upload that J-1 Verification of the travel agent for overseas travel signed by your sponsoring MUSC department.
Travel signature on Form DS-2019
You must have a valid travel signature on your current Form DS-2019. The signature for the travel confirmation can be found in the lower right part of the DS-2019 form. The DS-2019 travel signature form can only be provided by a responsible officer or a deputy responsible officer in CGH. Each travel signature is valid for one year.
If you require a travel signature, you must first submit the International Travel Form through Terra Dotta. Once this application has been approved, you must then Make an appointment with a CGH employee to get the travel signature on your DS-2019 form. Please note that we only work for travel signatures by appointment and cannot accept unscheduled meetings.
J-2 dependents
The U.S. Department of State recommends J-2 spouses and children accompany the primary J-1 exchange visitor when possible when traveling abroad. CGH is responsible for overseeing J-1 and J-2 trips. If your J-2 trailers are traveling outside of the US but you are staying in the US, you will still need to notify our office of your J-2 trailer travel plans. Each J-2 follower must also have a valid DS-2019 Form with a valid travel signature.
Travel documents
You must have the following documents with you when you re-enter the USA (not in your luggage):
- Valid passport
- Valid J-1 visa *
- Form DS-2019 issued by MUSC with valid travel signature
* Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa requirement.
Applying for a new J-1 visa
The J-1 visa on your passport is a travel document that you can use to apply for entry into the United States from abroad. If your J-1 visa has expired (or if you don’t have a J-1 visa on your passport), you will need to apply for a new J-1 visa at a U.S. consulate outside of the United States prior to your return. It is not possible to obtain a new J-1 visa within the US.
The time involved in applying for a visa should be taken into account when planning your trip. The visa application process often takes longer than expected, so planning ahead is essential. Because each US consulate handles visa issuance differently, you will need to go to the website of the consulate you are applying for your visa at for more information on visa application procedures and requirements. You can also get an idea of the estimated waiting times for Visa interview appointments and applications (see the Resources section). Note, however, that these are estimates and not guaranteed turnaround times.
Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which will take additional time after the visa applicant has spoken with a consular officer. Most administrative processes are completed within 60 days of the visa interview. If administrative processing is required, the timing will vary depending on the individual circumstances of the case. MUSC cannot intervene in the visa application process at the consulates to expedite the processing of your application.
If your visa application is selected for administrative processing, you must notify CGH immediately (by email) so that we are aware of your situation. You will also need to include the date of your visa interview, the location of the consulate and your application number.
It is recommended to apply for a visa in the home country of citizenship. Applying for a visa at a consulate in another country is considered an application in a “third country”. Visa processing at a consulate in a third country can take longer and is somewhat more complex. If you would like to apply for a visa in a country other than your home country, you must check with the consulate to which you would like to apply to see if an application from a “third country national” will be accepted. In addition, you should allow plenty of time to process your J-1 visa application abroad, as the application can take longer than normal if you are in a country other than your home country. You must also take all measures necessary to obtain an entry visa or a travel permit to enter the third country.
Automatic visa renewal
If your J-1 passport visa has expired and you are traveling to Canada or Mexico for less than 30 days, you may be eligible for automatic visa validation. This means that you may be able to apply for re-entry into the US with an expired visa, as long as your trip meets certain criteria and as long as you have a valid passport, a valid DS-2019 form, and a valid I-94 record. See the Resources section for more information.
Communication with CGH
You are required to keep in touch with the Center for Global Health if your travel plans change. You must contact CGH via email immediately if your return to the US is delayed for any reason, so that we are aware of your situation. Even if you cannot access your MUSC email account while traveling abroad, you are expected to use your personal email account to contact CGH.
Return to the United States
When returning to the US, you must provide CGH with:
You must have these documents about your Terra Dotta Scholars Portal. Once you have logged into Terra Dotta, navigate to the Inquiries tab, click Send Arrival Documentation and proceed with uploading the documents and providing the required information.
You must complete the Terra Dotta Arrival Document Submission Request every time you enter the United States after traveling abroad during your J-1 program.
Resources for Travel Outside the United States
Please note that government web addresses change frequently. If the links below don’t work, then you should try a general web search using your keywords, or just go to the main US Department of State or Customs and Border Protection main page and use the search feature provided.
