Arriving in San Antonio

Documents to Bring with You during the Trip

You will need to travel with: a valid passport with your J-1 visa and Form DS-2019. (Visitors who are Canadian citizens do not need a visa stamp.)  In addition you may have the following: airline tickets, traveler’s checks or cash. Keep all of these important items on you at all times—do not pack them in your baggage.

Just in case, make copies of your passport (the inside page with your photo and information), visa and Form DS-2019. Keep these copies in a place separate from the originals in the event you lose the originals. Also, it might be helpful for you to make a list of document numbers and expiration dates.

Have a list of phone numbers that you may need while you travel: contact information for family/friends, UT Health San Antonio department contact information, phone number of OIS and any other contact information that you feel may be necessary.

Port of Entry: Arrival in the U.S.

I-94 Arrival/Departure Form and Customs Form

This document is also called your Arrival/Departure Record and permits you to remain in the U.S. It is valid for “D/S” (Duration of Status) until the end date noted on the DS-2019 form or the end of your program, whichever is first, as long as you follow the regulations. You should print a copy of your your records. We recommend you affix the document to your passport.  You will receive a new I-94 whenever you re-enter the U.S., so please print your new I-94 online and bring a copy to the Office of International Services for your file if and when you return to the U.S. after a trip.

Port of Entry

The first stop you make in the United States is called your Port of Entry. There, you will go through the following process: disembark the plane, go through U.S. immigration, collect your baggage, and go through U.S. Customs. If you have continuing flights, see “Connecting Flights” below.

Immigration

It is important that you cooperate fully with the Immigration Officer. Answer all questions clearly and respectfully. The officer may ask you for some general details about your visit. You will need to show the following documents to the Immigration Officer: Passport, J-1 visa in your passport, Form DS-2019, and if asked any other J-1 supporting documents, such as a copy of your offer letter from the University of Texas Health Science Center as San Antonio.

When you present your documents, the officer will stamp your passport and return your Form DS-2019 to you. Please keep this with your passport at all times.

Please ensure that when the officer stamps your passport, that you are admitted in the right status (J-1) for D/S (Duration of Status). Make sure that the Form DS-2019 is returned to you. If you are traveling with dependents also make sure that they have the right documents with the correct information.

As part of the US-VISIT program, Immigration Officers are required to obtain a scan of your two index fingerprints and a digital photograph. This is a procedure for all nonimmigrant visitors holding visas.