In general, the VRF process may take 120 to 150 days to complete, from initial request to final arrival. Regardless of general timelines, individual situations may vary depending on country of origin, U.S. government restrictions, seasonal workflows, and administrative processing delays (security checks).

The general process is as follows:

1. The prospective VRF. participant is responsible for identifying a faculty member and host department willing to sponsor their research project at Brown.
2. Once a department agrees to host a VRF, the department is responsible for initiating the VRF appointment process with the Graduate School, as described in the next section, and collecting other documents required for the J-1 visa process.
3. Following the Graduate School's appointment of the student as a VRF, the host department and VRF will work directly with ISSS on issuance of Form DS-2019, which is needed to apply for a J-1 visa and enter the U.S. as a VRF under the J-1 research scholar or short-term scholar category.
4. Upon arrival in the U.S., the VRF will need to complete required J-1 check-in and Orientation with ISSS.
5. The VRF is then required to depart the U.S. no later than 30 days after the program end date indicated on their Form DS-2019.

A Visiting Research Fellow must be hosted by a sponsoring Brown department. The department is responsible for initiating the process as described below.

(1) Requesting a VRF

The VRF process requires an appointment from the Graduate School as well as (for international VRFs) a J-1 visa request submitted to International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS).

To start the appointment process, submit the following to the Graduate School

• Completed Graduate School's VRF Appointment Request Form
• Completed J-1 VRF Request Form or J-1 VRF Extension Request Form
• English Language Proficiency Verification
• Letters of endorsement by the program chair/ director and the faculty member who will host the VRF
• A copy of the student’s original appointment request to the program (i.e. such as an email correspondence with the inviting faculty member)
• A copy of the student's passport biographical page.
• Letter from home institution confirming student's enrollment, field of study, degree being pursued, and anticipated date of degree completion
• Proof of financial support
• Proof of a purchased Brown University International Scholars Insurance (Inbound) coverage for the entire duration of the VRF appointment​​​ - see next tab for more information
• Export Control and Sanctions Regulations Review Form for Foreign Scholars and Visitors  - completed and signed forms must be sent to the Export Control Officer in Brown's Division of Research for review and signature. Send forms to exportcontrol@brown.edu with the following subject line: Scholar Last Name, Scholar First Name: Export Control Review. The Export Control Officer will send a signed copy back to the hosting department, as well as to Brown's Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Please visit the website of the Division of Research for more information regarding U.S. Export Control Regulations.

Once the Graduate School receives the above documentation they will issue an appointment letter to the Visiting Research Fellow and ask the VRF to accept the appointment. The Graduate School will forward the appointment confirmation and other documentation to ISSS. To help expedite this step you may wish to request a copy of the invitation letter from the Graduate School and scan/email the letter to the Visiting Research Fellow in order for them to accept the invitation more quickly)

(2) VISA PROCESSING

Once ISSS receives the packet, they will review the documentation and follow up with the sponsoring department with any questions. Please allow up to 3 weeks for the processing of the request and issuance of Form(s) DS-2019. Plan ahead and leave sufficient time for processing. Once ISSS issues a Form DS-2019, they will also provide instructions to the VRF about the visa appointment and application process.

(3) Post-Arrival Responsibilities

Late Arrival: Departments must notify ISSS if the VRF communicates that they will not be able to arrive by the anticipated start of the program. Depending on the anticipated date of arrival, ISSS may need to amend the VRF's J-1 record.

Check-in Reminder: Once the VRF arrives, departments should direct VRFs to complete a mandatory J-1 visa check-in within five business days of arrival in the U.S. VRFs should come with their passport, I-94 record, and DS-2019 form. ISSS is located in Page-Robinson Hall, 4th floor.

Unexpected Events: If the VRF communicates that they are experiencing an unexpected situation (family or personal health crisis, law enforcement issue, etc.) the department inform ISSS immediately in the event the situation has immigration implications. ISSS will also provide guidance on routine visa matters such as travel, employment, and other immigration issues.

Extensions: If the VRF is nearing the end of their current appointment and J-1 period, and wishes to extend, extension procedures should be initiated at least sixty days prior to the VRF's current expiration date. The J-1 program for a VRF may not be extended once the expiration date has been reached.

In order to ensure compliance with mandatory J-1 health insurance requirements upon arrival in the U.S., Visiting Research Fellows are required to purchase the Brown University International Scholars Insurance (Inbound) coverage for the duration of their time in the United States. Purchase must be made prior to coming to the U.S., and proof of purchase must be provided to the Graduate School when requesting a VRF appointment for the student. There are no exceptions to this policy.

The Brown University International Scholars Insurance plan is the only insurance accepted at Brown University for VRF appointments. Please follow the link for information regarding the Brown University International Scholars Insurance (Inbound) and enter the Group Access Code provided:

Acceptable documents for demonstrating health insurance coverage include:

• A health insurance card issued by Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Solutions with the Visiting Research Fellow’s name on it;
• A signed letter on letterhead from Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Solutions stating coverage; or
• Proof of payment.

The Brown University Graduate School will provide confirmation to ISSS that the Brown University International Scholars Insurance is in effect. An international Visiting Research Fellow who does not provide proof of this health insurance will not have their appointment activated and will not receive a Brown ID card. No other health insurance will be accepted by ISSS for purposes of issuing a J-1 DS-2019 needed for the J-1 visa application or entry into the U.S. as a J-1 visitor.

In the event the VRF is unable to come to the U.S. as planned, a refund request may be submitted to GeoBlue.

Effective 9/1/2026: any VRF requests submitted to ISSS on or after that date will be assessed a VRF Administrative Fee of $225 (for appointments up to six months, non-extendable) or $375 (for appointments longer than six months). The Administrative Maintenance Fee may be paid by the VRF directly, and proof of payment must be included along with other materials collected by the department for submission to ISSS.

In addition to visa fees, the VRF may need to pay certain fees to utilize on-campus services such as the Recreation Center (see below).

• Pursue research objectives on a consistent basis
• Complete the mandatory check-in and orientation with ISSS upon arrival
• Purchase your GeoBlue health insurance coverage prior to starting the visa process
• If extending your VRF program, allow sufficient time (usually 90 days) so that your Form DS-2019 can be extended before the program expiration date
• Report any interruptions or situations that may interfere with your ability to participate in the program to your host department and ISSS
• Depart the U.S. within 30 days after your program completion date, as indicating on your Form DS-2019
• Comply with all other J-1 visa rules and regulations, and contact ISSS if there are any questions

Your host department is able to request a Sponsored ID at Brown that will provide you with a Brown Card, which will offer access to the designated buildings and the library.

Please note that the Brown Card for VRFs does not provide free RIPTA (Rhode Island Transportation Authority) access; VRFs must pay the standard fee for public transportation. 

No. Brown requires all VRFs to be enrolled in the University approved plan as described above. We recognize that this requirement may result in some VRFs being “double insured” with plans from abroad. However, there are no exceptions. 

Public and School Transportation: Only degree-seeking students and staff have RIPTA bus passes through their Brown ID cards. You can ride the RIPTA but you will need to create an account to pay for each ride. The Brown University Shuttle (B.U.S.) is free by showing your Brown ID card.

Gym / Recreational Center: As a Sponsored ID holder, you can purchase a monthly or semester-based membership at Brown Recreation. 

No, Form DS-7002 is used for visitors coming to Brown under the J-1 student intern program. At Brown, this category is only used for undergraduate students coming to do research internships or related projects.

Graduate students in the VRF program will come to the U.S. as J-1 research scholars or J-1 short-term scholars. Neither of these categories requires Form DS-7002.

VRFs who are applying for a J-1 visa may be issued documents under either the J-1 research scholar category or J-1 short-term scholar category. The category is indicated on Form DS-2019.

J-1 short-term scholars are permitted to do research. Their programs cannot exceed six months, and extensions beyond six months are not permitted. After the end of the six months, an additional ‘grace period’ of 30 days is permitted to allow the visa holder time to prepare for departure. If you have received a Form DS-2019 for the J-1 short-term scholar category, but plan to stay longer than six months, contact ISSS BEFORE you apply for your visa, as the category cannot be changed after you arrive in the U.S.

J-1 research scholars are researchers whose programs must be a minimum of 3 weeks to the VRF maximum of two years. This category will be used if the VRF's program will exceed six months. The J-1 research scholar category, however, does come with the 24 month bar, which means that the VRF may not return to the U.S. to start a new J-1 research scholar program (whether at Brown or elsewhere in the U.S.) until at least 24 months have passed since the end of their existing J-1 research scholar program.