J-1 Student and Trainee Visa

The J-1 visa program was created for individuals who wish to participate in work and study-based exchange and visitor programs in the United States. J-1 exchange participants come to the United States for a variety of reasons, including teaching, studying, completing internships, or receiving training. Specifically, J-1 visas are available for the following categories: Au pairs, camp counselors, physicians, professors and research scholars, short-term scholars, specialists, interns, trainees, and teachers.

The requirements for the J-1 visa depend on the specific J-1 program. For more information about the specific requirements of a particular J-1 category (such as trainee, intern, etc.), please contact our office for a consultation.

Yes, J-1 applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old.

The requirements for applying for a J-1 visa are not onerous, but the application process is complex. To apply for a J-1 visa, the applicant must have a U.S. employer as a sponsor and work with a U.S. sponsoring agency, which will ultimately issue the necessary documentation to apply for the J-1 visa at the consulate. The various parties involved and the different steps can make the J-1 application process more complex than other visa options.

This depends on the specific J-1 program. The maximum validity period for each J-1 visa is determined by the specific category (such as trainee, intern, teacher, etc.) of the visa.

e.g. the following J-1 visa types are limited to these validity periods:

Au pairs - 12 months (with the possibility of extension)

Interns - 12 months

Trainee - 18 months

Professor - 24 months (with a maximum validity period of 5 years)

In addition to your J-1 employer, applicants must also work with a J-1 sponsoring organization designated by the U.S. Department of State in order for the J-1 visa to be issued.

Different sponsors work with different types of J-1 applicants. To find a suitable J-1 sponsor for your application, please see the organizations listed at this link: https://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/sponsor-search/

Yes, J-1 visa holders may work in the U.S. as part of a work and study program where they receive U.S. training and cultural education.

Some J-1 visa holders are subject to a two-year home country rule, which requires you to return to your home country for at least two years after completing your exchange program. This restriction generally only applies to J-1 visas issued under government-funded programs such as the Fulbright exchange program for the United States.

If you are subject to the two-year home country rule but wish to have it waived, you may file an application for an exemption from this rule with the U.S. Department of State. To qualify, your waiver request must be based on one of the five applicable bases in U.S. immigration law. These are:

• Declaration without objection
• Request from an interested US federal agency
• Fear of persecution in the home country
• Exceptional hardship for a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (spouse or child of an exchange participant)
• Application by a designated government health authority or its equivalent

Yes, the spouses and children of J-1 visa holders can apply for J-2 visas, which will allow them to accompany you to the US. J-2 visa holders can also apply for a work permit so that they can be employed in the US.