Office of International Programs

Departments who wish to host a J-1 Exchange Visitor must fully complete and submit the appropriate request form AND all required supporting documents at least three months in advance of the Exchange Visitor’s proposed start date at Appalachian.

1. Contact the Director of International Student and Scholar Services and Outreach (ISSSO) to discuss the nature of your proposed Exchange Visitor’s visit as far in advance as possible. He/she will determine if the international scholar is eligible to participate in Appalachian’s Exchange Visitor Program and under which category. ISSSO will provide you with the necessary documents to complete the next steps.
2. Submit the following documents to ISSSO:

• Letter of Invitation – You will be provided with a template to complete and return on departmental letterhead signed by you, your department chair, and the prospective Exchange Visitor
• Completed copy of the host responsibilities form signed by you and your department chair
• A copy of the prospective Exchange Visitor’s CV or resume in English
• Proof of English language proficiency. Federal regulations 22 CFR 62.10(a)(2) require that all J-1 Exchange Visitors possess  “to function on a day-to-day basis” outside of the direct activity of the exchange (e.g., outside the lab). The new Supbart A also requires sponsors to make their determinations regarding English proficiency using an “objective measurement of English language proficiency,” by means of one of the following three methods:
  • “A recognized English language test,” or
  • “Signed documentation from an academic institution or English language school,” or
  • “A documented interview conducted by the sponsor either in-person or by videoconferencing, or by telephone if videoconferencing is not a viable option” If you choose this route, please complete and return our Evidence of English Language Proficiency form here.
  • Sponsors must also “retain evidence of how they measured applicants’ English language proficiency so that it may be made available to the Department of State upon request.” [79 FR 60294, 60301]
  • Whichever option you choose you will be required to provide ISSSO with documentation before issuing a Form DS-2019 to your potential visitor.

Once ISSSO has all of the required documents from the potential hosting faculty member or department, ISSSO will contact the potential visitor to collect further information required. The potential Exchange Visitor must submit:

• DS-2019 Application (provided to the Exchange Visitor by ISSSO)
• Copy of the biographical page of his or her passport and all accompanying dependents
• Financial documents to cover all of the visitor’s expenses during his or her time here. A total estimate will be provided to the potential Exchange Visitor by ISSSO
  • Acceptable Financial Documents: 
    • Bank statements in your name showing balance of account
    • Private sponsors (must include both of the following):
      • Letter(s) that shows the relationship between you and the sponsor(s), the amount of support and the length of support
      • The sponsor's bank or other financial statements showing balance of account
    • Other institutional award/scholarship letters or letter from current employer
    • Letter from institution on official letterhead showing amount and length of support in U.S. dollar amounts.
    • Letter from employer on official business letterhead showing position with the company, salary earned monthly in U.S. dollars, and that you will continue to receive the salary while in the U.S.
    • Loan certificates/letters which indicate your name and the amount of approved loan
  • All supporting funding documents must:
    • be dated within the past 3 months
    • be translated into English
    • clearly show the type of currency and their US dollar (USD) equivalents
    • not be salary statements or tax documents

Once all required documents are collected ISSSO will issue the Form DS-2019 required to apply for a J-1 visa and mail via FedEx to the visitor along with instructions on how to apply for a visa and what to expect when entering the U.S. More information about the next steps the Exchange Visitor will need to take can be found on the International Scholar portion of our website.