Reporting Your First Arrival (J Scholars)
Welcome to Columbia University! We're happy you arrived.
If you're a J scholar new to Columbia, you need to report your arrival to us by submitting the online SEVIS Report form. This is very important! This action will activate your Columbia SEVIS record when we update it.
You do not need to report your arrival in person.
Do not report:
If you received your DS-2019 from another J-1 Exchange Visitor program sponsor, such as IIE for Fulbright, follow their guidance for reporting your arrival to them.
Their records are automatically activated with yours. However, you should check to see that their I-94 arrival/departure record to the U.S. is accurate. They should be admitted with the notation of "J-2 until D/S". D/S refers to "duration of status".
How to Report
Complete the following steps within your first week after entering the U.S for the first time with this Columbia DS-2019.
Gather your documents and information
Log in to Compass to report your arrival
There are two ways to log in to Compass: with a UNI and without a UNI. The UNI consists of your initials plus an arbitrary number, e.g. AB123, and is part of your Columbia email address. Learn more about your UNI on the Columbia University Information Technology (CUIT) website.
How to Log in to Compass
A. Log in to Compass with your UNI and password to report your arrival
For current employees and Visiting Scholars who have an active UNI and password, use your UNI and password to login.
Please click the appropriate link below:
Not sure of your campus? Check our campus school list.
Need help using Compass? Learn more on our Compass User Guide.
If do not yet have a UNI, follow these instructions:
A. Receive your PID
Within 30 days of your DS-2019 start date, your ISSO Faculty and Scholar Services team will send you an ISSO PID. This is an internal ISSO identification number that you will use for this purpose only.
Is it within 10 days of your DS-2019 start date and you have not received your University Identification Number yet?
Contact the correct Faculty and Scholar Services Team below:
Not sure of your campus? Check our campus school list.
B. Enter Your PID in the "University Identification Number" Box
Go to the Limited Services PIN Lookup page and enter your PID in the "University Identification Number" box to request a Limited Services PIN. You will receive a confirmation on your browser screen that your request was successfully processed.
C. Receive your Limited Access PIN
Your Limited Access PIN is sent to the e-mail address you provided to your department.
Did not receive your Limited Access PIN?
If you do not receive your Limited Access PIN within a few minutes, please check your SPAM folder. If you still do not receive it, please email us and be sure to include your PID and your preferred email address in the body of the email. In the subject line write “Limited Access PIN”:
Not sure of your campus? Check our campus school list.
D. Complete and submit the SEVIS Report form
Make sure you have your PID, Date of Birth and Limited Access PIN ready.
Please click the appropriate link below:
Not sure of your campus? Check our campus school list.
Need help using Compass? Learn more on our Compass User Guide.