International Student Check-in Form for J-1 Students

*** This web page is for J-1 students ONLY. If you are an F-1 student, please click here to access the International Student Check-in Form for F-1 Students ***

All incoming international students in J-1 status are required to check-in online. Not doing so could cause problems with a variety of administrative requirements.  Once your check-in has been completed, the J-1 advisor will change your SEVIS status from "pending" to "active."

• Incoming J-1 students can check-in online starting December 11, 2023
• The final date to check in online is Friday, January 12, 2024.

Carefully review the instructions.  After the instructions, you will see two green buttons.  Click on the button "International Student Check-in Form for J-1 Students" to start your check-in.  

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE THE FORM?

On average it takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the International Student Check-in.  You cannot save your work until you have uploaded all of the required documents. You will have to complete the check-in form in one session (after 45 minutes you will be logged out of the system). We recommend you gather the required documents before you get started.

WHO MUST CHECK-IN?

• All new international students in J-1 status
• All new international students in J-1 status who transferred from another school in the US and will begin a program at Mason

WHEN CAN I CHECK-IN? 

• You must be present in the U.S. AND have a DS-2019 form from George Mason University BEFORE you can begin the check-in process.
• You must have activated your Patriot Pass in order to access the form

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR CHECK-IN

For All Students:

• DS-2019 from George Mason University. Make certain that you sign and date the bottom of the first page and upload the current DS-2019 that was signed/stamped by the consulate.  
• Passport (biographical page), J-1 Visa, and U.S. Entry Stamp (Except for Canadian Citizens). NOTE: Not all airports provide entry stamps. Only provide if received.  
• I-94 Arrival Record* (Go to https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/homeand select "Get Most Recent I-94") 

* By completing this form, I also give my permission to J Advisor to access my I-94 arrival record at www.cpb.gov/i94, if necessary. 

In addition, you may also need to submit the following:

For Students with an On-Campus Job (GTA, GRA, Bookstore, etc.):

• Job Offer Letter

For Students with Dependents (A dependent can be a spouse or child in J-2 status):

• DS-2019 for Dependents 
• Passport for Dependents 
• J-2 Visa and U.S. Entry Stamp for Dependents. NOTE: Not all airports provide entry stamps. Only provide if received. 
• I-94 Arrival Record for dependents* (Go to https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/homeand select "Get Most Recent I-94") 

DEVICES

You can use a computer or a mobile device (tablet or smartphone) to complete the Online Check-In Form.  If you do not have access to a computer and/or internet, you can use one of the Mason computers in the computer labs or libraries.  For more information about Mason Wi-Fi, click here.

ACCEPTED FILE UPLOAD FORMATS

Accepted File Upload Formats are pdf, jpeg, png, and word doc. We cannot accept tiff or heic files. Submissions with one or more tiff or heic attachments will be rejected and returned for correction. We accept documents as scans, screenshots, and photos. If the quality of the document is not good (illegible or the entire image wasn't scanned) your check-in request will be rejected and you will need to upload new versions of your documents. 

PROBLEMS WITH YOUR ONLINE CHECK-IN?

If you experience any problems with your online check-in, please complete the New International Student Check-in Troubleshooting form or send a chat message (scroll down to find the chat icon). An OIPS staff member will contact you within 1-2 business days. Click here to access the New International Student Check-in Troubleshooting form.