Transfer In
You are eligible to transfer your J-1 visa status to a Partners hospital if:
- You are in one of the following J-1 categories in Box #4 of your DS-2019: Research Scholar, Professor, Specialist, or Short-Term Scholar. J visa holders in the category of “Research Scholar” may extend and transfer employers via the J-1 transfer process for up to a total of 5 years.
- The research subject/field code at the bottom of Box #4 of your DS-2019 relates to the proposed research at Partners.
- If you had a two-year home residency, you cannot have received a Waiver (official release from the two-year home residency).
How to transfer to a Partners hospital:
- The new Partners hospital department will require you to submit specific information in Visa Manager, which is an online visa sponsorship system.
- After you submit your information in Visa Manager, multiple offices may need to approve the request before the request is submitted to PIPS. Your Partners hospital department can provide their internal timelines to you.
- The new Partners hospital department must submit complete transfer material to our office through Visa Manager at least 1 month before you stop working at your current position.
Next steps after your Partners hospital department submits the transfer request to PIPS:
- If you have any questions, the Partners hospital department must act as the liaison with our office about your transfer.
- Processing time to issue a Form DS-2019 is approximately 1 month after your Partners hospital department submits a complete transfer request in Visa Manager. Faster DS-2019 processing times are not possible.
- You are responsible for maintaining your J-1 visa status and position with your current sponsor until our office finalizes the transfer.
- Contact your current international office, inform them of your intent to transfer, and complete any forms they require. Your current program sponsor must “release” your J-1 visa status and our office must generate a new DS-2019 before you begin participation at the Partners hospital.
- Our office will email you with additional instructions when a J-1 transfer date has been arranged.
- If your current supervisor approves, you may travel internationally and return to the U.S. before your J-1 transfer date. Do not travel internationally after the transfer date until you receive the new DS-2019 from our office.
- If you do not currently live in the Boston area, click here to find information about moving to Boston.