KEY TERMS & DEFINITIONS
THIS SECTION IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE BRIEF DEFINITIONS OF THE FOLLOWING TERMS AS THEY RELATE TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, AND RESEARCHERS WHOSE IMMIGRATION STATUS IS SPONSORED BY GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY. PLEASE SPEAK TO AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ADVISOR FOR MORE DETAIL.
DOCUMENTS
Visa stamp: The consular visa stamp represents permission to request entry to the United States in a particular status (i.e. F-1, J-1). It indicates the date until which a student or scholar may enter or re-enter the United States. It does not indicate how long the student or scholar may remain in the United States. That amount of time will be specified on the admission stamp and the Form I-20 or DS-2019. Visas may be obtained only outside the United States at a U.S. Consulate.
Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant [F-1] Student Status): issued to a student who has been admitted to a full-time program of study and has provided evidence of the ability to finance his/her education and living costs while enrolled at Georgetown.
Form DS-2019: Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) visa issued by a program sponsor. Georgetown has permission to issue the Form DS-2019 in the following categories only: Student, Scholar, and Intern.
I-94: Also called an Admission/Departure Record, the I-94 is issued to students and scholars upon their arrival in the United States by an Immigration officer. The form, which was previously a white card stapled into the passport, can now be found online at www.cbp.gov/i94, and should always indicate the immigration status (F-1 or J-1) and duration of status (D/S) or expiration date (for other statuses).
