J-1 Visas: Exchange Visitors

• General. The J-1 non-immigrant visa category was created to promote educational and cultural exchange activities between the United States and other countries. The J-1 exchange visitor is broadly defined by as an foreign national having a residence abroad, which he has no intention of abandoning, who is a bona fide student, scholar, trainee, teacher, professor, research assistant, specialist, or leader in a field of specialized knowledge; who is coming temporarily to the United States as a participant in a program designated by the State Department for the purpose of teaching, instructing, lecturing, studying, observing, conducting research, consulting, demonstrating special skills, or receiving training.
• Eligibility to Participate in a J-Visa Program. Exchange programs are available for the following individuals:
  • College and university students
  • Secondary school students
  • Short-term scholars
  • Trainees
  • Teachers
  • Professors and research scholars
  • Specialists
  • Foreign national physicians
  • International and government visitors
  • Camp counselors
  • Summer work/travel students
  • Au pairs
  • Special education exchange visitors
• Sponsored Program. Each exchange visitor must be sponsored. The sponsor of the J-1 visa program is a legal entity designated by the State Department to conduct an exchange visitor program.
• Two-Year Home Residency Requirement May Apply. A foreign national admitted in J-1 status may be subject to a two-year foreign (home country) residence requirement. Without a waiver of this requirement, the foreign national is not eligible to apply for a change within the U.S. to a non-immigrant visa, any change to permanent residence, or any change to an H or L non-immigrant visa. This two-year period must be spent in the foreign national's home country, or the country in which they last permanently resided before coming to the U.S. A foreign national is subject to the home residence requirement if:
  • The foreign national's participation in an exchange visitor program was financed by the government of the country of his or her last residence;
  • At the time of admission, the foreign national was a national or resident of a country which the Department of State had designated as clearly requiring the services of individuals with the foreign national's special skills or knowledge; or
  • The foreign national came to the United States to receive graduate medical education or training.