Program Extensions

End Date of Program Activities

A J-1 exchange visitor is permitted by law to engage in their program activities during the program dates in SEVIS. The Form DS-2019 document reflects the details of the J-1 program in SEVIS. Box 3 of the most recent DS-2019 issued to the J-1 visa holder lists the date their J-1 program began, and lists the date on which the program activities (research or teaching, for example) must end. 

Extension of J-1 Program

If a J-1 visa holder wants to engage in activities beyond the date that currently is listed in Box 3 of their DS-2019, then an extension of their J-1 program is required. This can be done only if the J-1 visa holder has not yet reached the maximum duration for their J-1 program category. 

J-1 program extensions must be submitted to PISA by either the host faculty/hiring manager, or the Department Contact, depending on how the College has structured their PISA processes. Please see our pages on "Working With PISA" for more information.  

We generally recommend that departments begin the process of requesting a J-1 program extension no sooner than 90 days before the program end date as listed in Box 3 of the DS-2019. The latest it may be requested is the actual end date shown in Box 3 of the DS-2019. If there are questions or concerns about the extension, please email intlscholars@purdue.edu. 

When the department submits the completed, signed Intake to PISA, both the J-1 scholar's supervisor and the J-1 scholar themselves will receive electronic forms to complete. As part of this, the scholar must upload the following documents-

  • Proof of current health insurance, in English 
  • Proof of funding, and more specifically, any non-Purdue financial support for the time period requested for the extension. (The department will provide proof of any Purdue financial support proof.)
    • This proof must be less than one year old at the time of the request.
    • The Financial Info eform will provide additional guidance based on the type of financial support 
  • If there are new or different immigration or travel documents (passport, visa, etc) since the last DS-2019 issued, these must be uploaded during eform completion 
  • Current Form I-94 record, obtained at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/i94

In certain circumstances, a screening by the Office of Research Security must be completed and approved. Once that is complete, there is a second set of eforms for the host and scholar to submit, after which International Scholar Services will process the program extension request. Once complete, a new DS-2019 will be issued. We will email the scholar to advise when it is ready to pickup. 

Caution: While the process of requesting an extenstion of J-1 program at Purdue is the department's responsibility (through either the host or the Department Contact), the scholar bears responsibility for complying with the terms and conditions of their stay in the USA. The scholar must collaborate with their department to ensure that a program extension, if mutually wanted, is timely pursued. 

Without program extension, the J-1 scholar must

  • cease their J-1 program activities (resarch, teaching, etc.) on the end date of the J program as listed in Box 3 of the DS-2019, and
  • by no later than the end of their grace period (which lasts 30 days beginning on the day after their program end date) either depart the US or otherwise extend their stay.