DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status

The document that makes a J-1 exchange visitor visa possible. It is generated in SEVIS by a designated exchange programme sponsor, not by the applicant, and it names the programme, the dates, the category, and the funding. The applicant cannot download or complete it themselves.

StateEdition unverified - the DS-2019 is generated by SEVIS and State publishes no edition date for itPaper only

Fee: $0 for the form itself. The exchange visitor pays the $185 nonimmigrant visa application fee unless the programme is U.S. government-sponsored, plus a SEVIS I-901 fee to DHS.
Fee waiver: Not available
Who files: The designated exchange visitor programme sponsor issues it; the exchange visitor and J-2 dependants carry it.
Where to file: Issued by the programme sponsor through SEVIS; presented at the visa interview and at the port of entry.

Usually filed with

Part of these processes

What changed in 2025 and 2026

Many J-1 categories carry the two-year home-country physical presence requirement under INA 212(e), which then needs a DS-3035 waiver or a Form I-612 before the person can get an H, L, or K visa or a green card.

Official page. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/exchange.html. Download the form there, never from a third-party site; check the edition date and fee before filing.