International Student and Scholar Services

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Current International Scholars

Transfer to another program sponsor for J-1 scholar


• An exchange visitor in any category may transfer from one J-1 program sponsor to another if the purpose of the transfer is to complete the objective for which he or she was admitted to exchange visitor status and if the exchange visitor remains within the same program category. The transfer is accomplished through correspondence between the Responsible Officers (RO) of the two program sponsors and U.S. State Department notification through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

• If you are currently participating in the University of Miami’s J-1 Exchange Visitor Program and wish to transfer to another J-1 program sponsor in the United States, you must do the following prior to the expiration of your current Form DS-2019:

    • Inform your departmental sponsor at the University of Miami of your desire to transfer to another J-1 program sponsor in the United States and request his/her approval for the transfer. If your departmental sponsor does not agree to the transfer, then you cannot transfer to another program sponsor.


    • If your departmental sponsor agrees to the transfer, contact the department in charge of J-1 SEVIS records at the program sponsor you wish to transfer to and ask them to contact Claudia Zitzmann, Associate Director, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) (czitzmann@miami.edu) to request a transfer release of your SEVIS record to the new J-1 program sponsor. If your department has agreed to the transfer, and if International Student and Scholar Services determines that you are eligible for a transfer, your SEVIS record will be released to the new J-1 program sponsor at an agreed upon date. The new program sponsor will not be able to access your SEVIS record and will not be able to issue a transfer Form DS-2019 for you until this date has arrived.


    • Once your SEVIS record has been released to the new J-1 program sponsor, you must meet with a program officer of the new J-1 program sponsor to obtain your transfer Form DS-2019 and to have your SEVIS record activated by the new J-1 program sponsor.

• A transfer to new J-1 program sponsor should not be construed as the beginning of a new program of activity with a new allotment of time. You remain subject to the time limitations set for the particular category and will not be eligible for a transfer DS-2019 if the time limit has been reached.

• Please contact Claudia Zitzmann, Associate Director, ISSS, at czitzmann@miami.edu or at (305) 284-2928 if you have any questions regarding transferring from the University of Miami’s J-1 program to another J-1 program sponsor.