Forgotten Lost or Stolen Documents
Forgotten travel signature on your DS-2019
If you try to enter the US without a travel validation signature or one that is more than one year old, you could be admitted without further question or be sent to secondary inspection. In secondary inspection a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer could issue you Form I-515A, which allows you to enter for up to 30 days in order to submit the missing documentation and request correction of status within those 30 days.
If you are issued Form I-515A, consult Immigration Services within 5 days of reentry to the US. Do not attempt to submit I-515A documents without consulting Immigration Services to confirm procedures and current mailing address.
Missing DS-2019 (J-1s and J-2 dependents)
You could be permitted by the airline to board an airplane and upon arrival to the US the inspecting officer might issue Form I-515A, which allows you to enter for up to 30 days in order to submit the missing documentation and request correction of status within those 30 days. However, there is no certainty that you would be permitted to board the airplane or enter the US without Form DS-2019.
It is recommended that you make every effort to retrieve your missing document(s). If you have forgotten any document, try contacting a friend or colleague who can send it to you by express mail or courier service. If it has been lost or stolen, contact Immigration Services to issue and send a replacement. If there is not enough time for shipping, Immigration Services may be able to scan and email a letter confirming your Salk employment or appointment and nonimmigrant status. The US Department of State prohibits J-1 sponsors from forwarding copies of Form DS-2019 electronically.
In the absence of the immigration document, gather any documentation (copy or original) that demonstrates your nonimmigrant status and your association with the Salk Institute (e.g. copy of USCIS approval notices, letters, email messages from your Salk email account, Salk ID, Salk business card, or Salk pay stubs). Contact Immigration Services for further information and assistance. Any time you present a photocopy to an immigration officer, be sure to first declare that you are presenting a photocopy (and the reason you do not have the original, for example, because it has been misplaced, lost, or stolen).
If you are issued Form I-515A, consult Immigration Services within 5 days of reentry to the US. Do not attempt to submit I-515A documents without consulting Immigration Services to confirm procedures and current mailing address.
Missing Passport or Appropriate US Visa
Photocopies of lost or stolen passports or visas are not sufficient for reentry. If your passport or visa is missing you will have to postpone travel to the US until you obtain:
- a new passport from your home country government; and,
- a new US visa from a US Consulate or Embassy for your nonimmigrant classification
