Pre-departure Information
Obtaining a United States J-1 Visa
Entering the United States
Medical Forms
Health Insurance
Orientation
Obtaining a United States J-1 Visa
To obtain a J-1 visa you will need a DS-2019 (CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR EXCHANGE VISITORS J-1 STATUS). The DS-2019 will be mailed to you with your acceptance letter. This document certifies your eligibility to obtain a J-1 visa to study at Georgia Tech as an exchange student. Before you go to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to apply for a visa, you should pay the $180 SEVIS fee on-line with a credit card at: www.fmjfee.com. You will need the SEVIS ID number in the top right corner of your DS-2019 (N000*******) and your passport to pay the fee. When you have paid the fee, print out the receipt so you can take it with you to the consulate. You must pay the fee at least three days before your visa interview. The SEVIS fee is a non-refundable application fee, meaning you must pay it before you can apply for the visa, but if you are denied a visa you will not receive the $180 back. If you are denied a visa, you do not have to pay the fee if you apply for a J-1 visa again in the next 12 months from when you paid the fee. Students who do not need a visa, for example, Canadians, should pay the fee 3 days before arriving at the port-of-entry. They should take the receipt of payment with them.
To apply for a U.S. visa, go to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and take with you the DS-2019 form, the letter of admission, a bank statement and other evidence of financial support for your time at Georgia Tech, and any other documents that the visa application requires. Check the information for your nearest embassy or consulate at www.travel.state.gov for more details. The U.S. consul must be convinced that you have adequate financial resources to support your stay in the United States and that you do not intend to become a U.S. immigrant. The intent to remain a non-immigrant is usually established by demonstrating that you have significant ties to your home country that would enhance the chances of your returning. When the U.S. consul is satisfied with your application, you will receive a visa, stamped in your passport. Please note that the Office of International Education and Georgia Tech have little or no influence on the visa-issuing decision at the U.S. embassy/consulate. If you are denied a visa, however, please tell us and we will do whatever we can to assist.
When you arrive at the port-of-entry in the United States, the immigration officer will give you a small white card called “Form I-94,” and will stamp your passport and page one of your DS-2019. The I-94 and the DS-2019 are very important documents because they establish your legitimacy in the United States as a non-immigrant student. Keep these documents together with your passport in a safe place.
There are three Student Health Services forms for all new students to Georgia Tech to complete before registration for classes at Georgia Tech. The three forms are available on the Student Health Services Web site at: http://www.health.gatech.edu/policies_procedures/docs.htm
Students should complete the Medical Entrance Form and only the top portion of the Tuberculosis Screening Form.
Your medical provider should complete the Certificate of Immunization Form and the remainder of the Tuberculosis Screening Form.
It is very important that your medical provider answer the first two questions on the Tuberculosis Screening Form. This will determine if you need further testing. If you do not need further testing, your medical provider should complete and sign the form at the bottom, and all of the forms should be returned to the Immunization Office at Georgia Institute of Technology Health Services.
If you do need further testing, this must be completed and the form signed by a medical provider. Your medical provider should follow the instructions on the form to determine which tests are necessary.
Please contact Health Services Immunization Office for any questions about the forms. The phone number and email address are at the bottom of the Medical Entrance Form and the Tuberculosis Screening Form.
These forms must be received by the Immunization Office prior to your registration. You will not be able to register until the completed forms are received.
TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING: All students must provide documentation of TB screening before registration. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL PREVENT REGISTRATION. Documentation consists of completion and signature of the Tuberculosis Screening Form by a physician. For those students who require a skin test, it must be performed in the United States, within a year before the start of classes. It must be a Mantoux test, recorded in millimeters - TINE TESTS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
If you have a medical condition or need, indicate this on your Medical Entrance Form and attach a statement from your physician or religious leader explaining the details of your condition or need before submitting your forms. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate you.
Mail the Medical Entrance Form, Certificate of Immunization, Tuberculosis Screening Form (if completed) and Physician Statement (if applicable), questions or inquiries to the address below. If the Tuberculosis Screening Form is not completed, please bring it with you.
ATTN: Medical Records, Student Health Center
740 Ferst Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0470
Phone: 404-894-1432 or 404-894-0587
Health Insurance
Health insurance is required for J-1 visa holders. The Georgia Tech health insurance policy is provided by a company called Pearce and Pearce that meets the J-1 health insurance requirements. As a J-1 visa holder, you will automatically be billed for this Pearce and Pearce health insurance plan on your Georgia Tech student account. This health insurance plan covers you while you are in the United States. If you already have insurance that meets the mandatory requirements, you may complete the online waiver request. For example, if your home country provides health insurance coverage you will be able to waive the Georgia Tech provided health insurance with proof of your home country insurance that meets the requirements.
FOR PEARCE AND PEARCE PLAN INFORMATION AND WAIVER APPLICATION:
https://www.pearceandpearce.com/PearceSite/Schools/GA/GT/
When you have settled into your housing, on or off campus, your next stop must be the Office of International Education (OIE) – Savant Building, 631 Cherry Street, Suite 211. It is very important that you report to the Office of International Education with your passport, J-1 visa, I-94, and DS-2019 as soon as possible after you arrive on campus. The staff will tell you what you need to do during your first week at Georgia Tech. You will not be able to register until you complete the check in procedure with OIE.
The Office of International Education sponsors a MANDATORY orientation program for all international students. A detailed schedule of the orientation program will be provided to you once you check-in with the Office of International Education. This orientation will provide information on immigration regulations, campus resources, and cross-cultural adjustment issues. An additional special orientation meeting for all new exchange students will be held. Date, time and location will be provided in your acceptance packet.
Undergraduate Exchange Students: We also recommend you attend the Transfer FASET (Familiarization and Adaptation to the Surroundings and Environs of Tech) orientation program, which is designed specifically for undergraduate students so that you can receive academic advising and go through registration.