How to Prepare for Departure

We hope you have a productive and enjoyable experience at UC Davis.  When a J-1 scholar finishes his or her time at UC Davis, the scholar should do the following things:

• Complete and submit a J-1 scholar departure eForm found in iGlobal.  Email this form to SISS or drop it off. If the J-1 scholar has J-2 dependents, this will serve as their departure form as well.  No other form is needed for J-2 dependents.
• If the J-1 scholar has also been a UC Davis employee, be sure to give a change of address to the department and the accounting office, so that any tax forms will be mailed in the following year.
• International scholars may want to set up “mail forwarding” at the US post office so that mail is forwarded to the next address.
• It is best to give a change of address directly to a credit card company, bank, phone company, etc. to make sure all final bills are received.
• If scholars have dental or medical records, it can be helpful to get copies of those records to show the next medical professionals at the next destination.

J-1/J-2 Scholars in Research Scholar Category 

If you completed your program as a J-1 research scholar (see box 4. on your DS-2019 document), the 24-month (two-year) bar on repeat participation applies to you and your J-2 dependents. This means you and your J-2 dependents will not be able to return to the US as a J-1 research scholar during the next 2 years. 

The 24-month bar on repeat participation for J-1 research scholars does not prohibit J-1 research scholars from returning to the US in any other non-immigrant status, such as tourist, student, J-1 short-term scholar, or H-1B employee.   If you have concerns, please contact your SISS scholar advisor before you leave.

J-1 Transfer Out Information

If you are a J-1 scholar and you are planning to depart UC Davis in order to continue your research and/or teaching activities at another U.S. institution, you must request a J-1 transfer of your SEVIS record.

To request a transfer, you must meet certain eligibility criteria:

1. You must currently be in valid J-1 status.
2. You must have time remaining within your maximum duration of eligibility. For example, J-1 research scholars have up to five years of J-1 research scholar eligibility. If you have reached the end of your five years, you are not eligible to transfer to another J-1 research scholar program.
3. You must be transferring with the intention of continuing the same or similar academic objectives at your new program. For example, a research scholar in computer science may not be eligible to transfer if their new program will be in a different field such as sociology. Continuity of research objectives must be reviewed and approved by both the transfer-out school (UC Davis) and the transfer-in school (your new institution).

To request a transfer, send an email at least one month in advance, or as soon as possible after you have made a final decision, to sissscholar@ucdavis.edu with the following information:

• Your name and TEMP ID
• A written statement indicating that you are requesting that SISS transfer your J-1 SEVIS record out to your new institution, and the date that the transfer would take place (see below).
• Your new institution’s J-1 program name and program number (obtain this from your new institution)
• The contact information for an international scholar advisor at your new institution
• A copy of the appointment, offer, or invitation letter from your new institution
• J-1 transfer form (if requested by your new institution)

J-1 Transfer-Out Date: you must specify a J-1 transfer-out date when submitting your request. Ordinarily, this date would be the day after you have completed your employment or activities at UC Davis. For example, if your final day of employment at UC Davis is July 31, you can request August 1 as your transfer-out date. Please note that any UC Davis program activities, especially paid employment, must cease by the transfer out date and may not continue once the transfer date has been reached.

You may cancel or amend the transfer date before any previously approved transfer date.

J-2 Dependents: if you are currently accompanied by J-2 dependents, their records would be automatically transferred along with yours, once your transfer-out date has been reached.

J-2 Early Final Departure

If a J-2 dependent has been accompanying a J-1 scholar and decides to leave the U.S. permanently significantly before the J-1 scholar’s final departure, the J-2 dependent should submit their own “J-2 Dependent Early Departure” eForm in iGlobal. The link to the iGlobal portal can also be found in the “J-1 Scholars and J-2 Dependents” section of scholar forms under Resources and Forms. 

Reminder for J-1/J-2 Visa Holders in ALL J Categories

Remember that any J-1 scholar in any category is prohibited from returning to the U.S. in H-1B, L-1, or permanent resident status if subject to the two-year home residence requirement (“212(e) requirement”).  If subject, a J-1 visa holder must return home for two years before he or she can obtain H-1B, L-1, or permanent resident status in the US. This applies equally to all J-2 dependents.  To determine if you are “subject to 212e,” check your visa stamp and/or the lower left corner of your DS-2019. If you have concerns, please contact your SISS scholar advisor before you leave.