On September 14, 2026, a U.S. District Court Judge issued a preliminary injunction on the published rule Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for F and J students. This order temporarily pauses the implementation of the rule until the court issues a further decision. The visa status of F&J visa-holders remains unchanged. ISS is closely monitoring this situation and will provide more information and guidance as it becomes available.
Every J-1 Non-Degree Student must meet with an International Student Advisor within 30 days of arrival to complete the check-in process, which includes an overview of immigration requirements.
ISS must register your arrival in SEVIS within 30 days of the start date on your DS-2019 in order for you to remain legally in the United States. You must attend the J-1 orientation to be registered. You must also attend the orientation prior to any international travel.
If you arrive later than expected, please notify ISS.
Prior to your arrival, you will receive an email from International Student Services providing you with the date and time of your orientation. Orientations are held virtually via Zoom. We will ask that you provide us with the following documents (via email) prior to your orientation:
Topics covered in the orientation include:
During orientation, we will answer any questions you have. If question arise before your orientation, please email us at iss@buffalo.edu.