
Validity of J1 Visa
- Au pair, intern, international visitor, secondary school student, and specialist programs are valid for 12 months. ...
- Camp counselor and summer work travel programs are valid for 4 months.
- Short term scholar programs are valid for 6 months, and teacher programs are valid for 3 years.
What is the validity period of a J-1 visa?
Validity Period. The amount of time that you can stay in the U.S. under your J-1 visa is dependent on your specific program, though the maximum is usually seven years except under certain circumstances. Here are the validity periods for some of the programs listed above: Teachers, scholars, researchers, and professors – five years.
How long can you stay in the US on a J-1?
Validity Period. The amount of time that you can stay in the U.S. under your J-1 visa is dependent on your specific program, though the maximum is usually seven years except under certain circumstances.
How long can a professor stay on a J1 visa?
There are special extensions available for professors and research scholars who are on the J-1 visa program. After the initial three-month maximum duration period, eligible individuals can extend their stay for an added six months to complete their designated research or program.
Can a J2 visa holder stay longer than a J-1 visa holder?
However, keep in mind that, because the J-2 visa is dependent on the principle J-1 holder’s status, you cannot stay longer than the period of stay given to the J-1 primary beneficiary. If the J-1 visa expires before the completion of the study, a J-2 visa holder can switch to a student visa such as F-1 to complete their course.

What is the maximum duration of J-1 visa?
The five year maximum stay for a J-1 research scholar/professor. The five year “clock” begins with the start date on the Form DS-2019 and this status remains available until the end of five years from that date or the date the J-1 program is concluded, whichever is earlier.
Does J-1 visa expire?
Depending on the occupation your J1 Visa supports, there are different periods of validity: Teachers, scholars, researchers, and professors – 5 years. Medical grad students – 7 years. Professional trainees and government visitors – 18-24 months.
How many times can you get J-1 visa?
Can I apply for a J-1 visa twice? Yes. The J-1 visa for interns and trainees can be applied for multiple times.
Can a J-1 visa be extended?
A J-1 extension increases the time that visitors may remain in the U.S., but they must apply for the extension before their J1 visas expire. The applicant's sponsor organization is responsible for submitting the new DS-2019 before the original expires.
How can I stay in USA after J-1 visa?
Visitors can transition from the J-1 visa to permanent residence in two different ways. They can also decide whether or not they want to take advantage of consular processing and make a status adjustment. An adjustment of status requires the joint cooperation of the visitor's employer and the visitor.
Can J-1 visa be converted to green card?
Is it Possible to Transfer from J1 to Green Card Status in the U.S.? Yes, transitioning from a J1 visa to green card status is possible, but not all J1 visa holders will be eligible for a green card. There are a number of problems with attempting to transition from a J1 to a green card.
Can I get H1B after J-1?
To transfer your J1 visa to an H1B visa: You must obtain a job offer from a US employer before you can apply. You must go through the H1B visa application process.
What is the 2 year rule for J-1?
Overview. Some exchange visitors with J-1 visas are subject to a two-year home-country physical presence requirement. It requires you to return home for at least two years after your exchange visitor program. This requirement is part of U.S. law, in the Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 212(e).
Can J-1 visa buy house?
As a holder of a J1 visa, you might have your set of doubts whether you can apply for a mortgage or not. And this is for good reason. Typically, you can get a loan as a J1 visa holder. Meanwhile, buying a home can be difficult, and you might stumble across several obstacles.
How many times can I renew my J-1 visa?
After the initial three-month maximum duration period, eligible individuals can extend their stay for an added six months to complete their designated research or program. Remember the granting of this extension is completely under the discretion of the State Department.
What is J-1 visa rules?
In order to be eligible, participants must be between the ages of 15 and 18.5 by the first day of school. They must not have completed more than 11 years of primary and secondary school (excluding kindergarten), and they must not have previously participated in a secondary school exchange program in the US.
Can J-1 be extended after 5 years?
J-1 Professors and Researcher Scholars have a 5-year time limit on their stays in this immigration class. DOS does not permit extensions beyond 5 years. J-1 Short-term Scholars have a 6-month time limit on their stays in this immigration class. DOS does not permit extensions beyond 6 months.
Can J-1 visa marry US citizen?
If you're a J-1 exchange visitor who recently married a U.S. citizen or green card holder (permanent resident), you can apply for a marriage visa to live with your spouse in the United States.
Can I change my J-1 visa sponsor?
Transferring a J-1 Visa Record J-1 Exchange Visitors may transfer from one program sponsor to another if the purpose of the transfer is to complete the academic objective for which he or she was admitted.
What is a J-1 visa?
Let’s start with a brief rundown of the J-1 visa. This nonimmigrant category is for program-based immigration rather than employer-based. A government-approved sponsorship program will provide you with a completed DS-2019 form to be filed with the USCIS.
How to request a J-1 visa waiver?
To request a J-1 visa waiver, you will need to file a DS-3035. The form must be completed with relevant information, which includes your SEVIS number, the date you entered the U.S. under J-1 status, and information about your J-2 dependents (if any). You will also need every DS-2019/IAP-66 ever issued to you as well as supporting evidence to prove that you meet the requirements for the waiver. The J-1 visa waiver filing fee is $120.
What to do if you are seeking a change of category related to your J-1 visa extension?
If you are seeking a change of category related to your J-1 visa extension then you must clearly demonstrate that it is closely related to your original exchange objectives and necessary as the result of extraordinary circumstances.
What is the grace period for J-1?
J-1 Traveling Grace Period. There is a travel grace period which may be important for you to understand. As indicated on DS-2019, there is a grace period that USCIS allows for individuals completing the United States to depart the country.
Can a research scholar stay beyond the validity period?
Compared with various categories of J-1 visa beneficiaries, research scholars have an extension process that is different. Because the J-1 visa covers a wide range of professions, the validity period differs among applicants. While a government visitor, an au pair, or a camp counselor may not stay beyond the validity period for his or her category, a research scholar may do so.
When to extend DS 2019?
Minor rules include the requirements to: Extend your program before the end date stated on your DS-2019 if you need to stay longer than the earlier issued date. Process your program transfer before the end date on your DS-2019. Get the required approval before accepting an honorarium or any other type of payment.
Does DS 2019 expire?
The newly issued DS-2019 will have a new end date and SEVIS will also record the new expiration date. If you have dependents (spouse and/or children) on a J-2 visa, each of your dependents must be issued their own DS-2019.
What is a J-1 visa?
The J-1 visa is a non-immigrant document. This means you would not apply for it if you were already in the U.S. as a citizen, lawful permanent resident, or green card holder.
How long does a training program last?
Trainee programs may last up to 18 months and include a minimum of two distinct phases. Though each specific situation is different, a single phase should not exceed four months.
Can you have more than one exchange visitor program?
For example, it is possible to complete more than one Exchange Visitor Program.
Is knowing the time frame of a program reassuring?
Depending on the type of person you are, knowing there is a defined program time frame may feel reassuring. Or, it might feel restricting.
Is it difficult to get a J-1 visa?
Securing visas to travel to the U.S. is notoriously difficult . There are many documents involved. These J-1 visa documents include:
What are the requirements for a J1 visa?
J1 visa eligibility and requirements vary depending on the exchange visitor program, but some of the general J1 visa requirements may include: 1 English language proficiency 2 Medical insurance
How to get a J1 visa?
To obtain a J1 visa, foreign nationals must apply for and be approved to participate in a J1 visa USA exchange visitor program. There are 14 individual J1 programs within the J1 exchange visitor visa category pertaining to various occupations and functions. This article provides a J1 visa overview of all of the qualifying J1 programs.
How long is a college degree valid?
College and university student programs are valid for 18 months for Bachelor/Master degree, 36 months for Post-Doctoral degree, and 24 months for non-degree.
How long is an Au pair program valid?
(Au pair program may be extended for an additional 6, 9, or 12 months). Camp counselor and summer work travel programs are valid for 4 months.
Can a J1 exchange travel to the US?
Eligible immediate family members may accompany J1 exchange visitors during their stay in the US by obtaining a J-2 visa.
Do you have to be a J1 resident to get a J1 visa?
Some J1 visa USA programs are subject to a home residency requirement, a 2-year home country physical presence. J1 visa participants of the following J1 exchange visitor programs are required to return to their home country at the end of their exchange visitor program under the home residency requirement.
What is the Validity Period for My J-1 Visa?
Your J-1 visa’s validity period is entirely dependent on the program that is sponsoring you. However, there are very few cases in which a J-1 visa holder can stay longer than 7 years. Here are some generalized validity periods based on the more popular programs:
What is the J-1 Visa?
The J-1 visa for exchange visitors is a nonimmigrant visa that is designed around the use of sanctioned programs that act as sponsors instead of employers. Here is a quick list of some programs you can apply for under the J-1:
What is the J-1 Visa Processing Time?
Now that we know what the steps are, we can get a better understanding of what the J-1 visa processing time will be. The DS-2019 can take between 2 and 3 weeks to be processed by the OIS. Making an appointment with the U.S. Consulate or Embassy can have you waiting 2 weeks to over a month depending on how busy the establishment is. If the interview goes favorably, then it will take about 1 week for them to add it to your passport.
What Could Delay My Visa?
To avoid having an unnecessarily long J-1 processing time, there are some things that you should adhere to. For one, you should have an immigration attorney look over the DS-2019 sent by your program in order to ensure that all of the information is complete, correct, and accurate. A failure to do so could result in a petition rejection or even a denial.
What does it mean when a J-1 visa is denied?
If you receive a rejection, that means that there is likely only a simple error or omission that needs to be fixed before refiling the petition. However, if your petition is denied, the USCIS officer did not deem your case worthy of a J-1 visa and you may have to find other means of working in the U.S.
What happens if you overstay your visa?
If you overstay, then you might find yourself “out of status”, which could have serious repercussions on your attempts to get a visa or green card in the future.
How long does it take for a green card to be processed?
Unfortunately, the premium processing service, which would shorten your processing time to just 15 calendar days, is only available for certain visas and green cards that use the I-129 and I-140 forms. Because the J-1 visa requires the DS-2019, it is not eligible for premium processing.
What is the expiration date of a US visa?
A US visa is solely for entry. The visa's expiration date is simply the last day you can use the visa to enter the US; it has nothing to do with how long you can stay in the US. So for example, you can enter on the day the visa expires, and stay for potentially years, if you remain in a valid J-1 program that whole time ...
How many days are counted from the end of the program?
The thirty days are counted from the end of the program. The expiration date of the visa is (as with allUS visas) completely unrelated to the date by which the bearer must leave the US. -1.
Can I work in the US with a J1 visa?
If your J1 is expiring you don't to worry much you can still work in US on sponsored E2 non investor visa. I know ALTEN Calsoft Labs offer E2 visa for French nationals
How long is a US J1 visa valid?
Whenever a visa expires, people cannot stay in the US for longer. When the US J1 visa expires, the US government gives the visa holder 30 days to return home. If people want to return to the US under this visa, they must stay in their home country for at least two years and then apply again. This is a Two-Year Home Residency.
How can the USA J1 visa be extended?
Holders of a US J1 visa can extend their stay in the US. Sponsors decide whether the applicant can stay longer than the allowable date for the category. Participants can also request for more than the allowed period for their category. The sponsor must apply to the US Department of State and pay $ 367. This fee is non-refundable. This fee is non-refundable. The sponsor must explain why the participant wants to extend their stay in the US.
What are the documents and conditions to obtain this visa?
Applicants will need a sponsor in the J1 visa application process. Sponsors select eligible participants for each category based on the program-specific criteria. Additionally, applicants must be fluent in English and have insurance. Program information is provided to participants by sponsors. Sponsors will also assess participants’ progress during the program.
How to apply for this visa?
Applicants for this visa need a sponsor. If you want to participate in J-1 visa programs, you must first contact a designated sponsor. On the official website of the US Department of State, you can find the sponsors’ addresses and locations. Sponsors have various tasks. In the following, we will explain their responsibilities in different categories.
What are the US J1 visa interview questions?
As part of the pre-visa process, applicants must attend an interview at the US Consulate or Embassy in their home country. The waiting time for the interview is different for each applicant. Therefore, an early visa application is strongly encouraged.
How much does it cost to obtain a USA J1 visa?
The application fee for a US J1 visa, like other non-US immigrant visas, is $ 160. If your sponsor is a US government agency, you will be exempt from paying this fee. When you are selected in the exchange visitor program, the sponsor will issue a DS-2019 form. In that case, you must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee to the Department of Homeland Security. Your sponsor can provide you with details on all payments. You must bring all the payment receipts with you on the day of the interview.
How long does it take to assess documents and issue a US J1 visa?
The waiting time of the interview and processing time for an Exchange Visitor Visa visa varies depending on the country of applicants and the individual circumstances. Therefore, it is recommended that you take action as soon as possible to prevent problems.
What is a J visa?
Exchange visitor (J) visas are nonimmigrant visas for individuals approved to participate in exchange visitor programs in the United States.
How long does a passport need to be valid for a visa interview?
Gather and prepare the following required documents before your visa interview: Passport valid for travel to the United States - Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements ).
How long do you have to be in the US to get a visitor visa?
If you want to enter earlier than 30 days, you must separately apply and qualify for a visitor (B) visa. After you are admitted to the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials in visitor (B) visa status, you must separately apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ...
Where to schedule a visa interview?
You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.
How long do you have to stay in your home country for an exchange visitor?
When you agree to participate in an Exchange Visitor Program and your program falls under the conditions below, you will be subject to the two-year home-country physical presence (foreign residence) requirement. This means you will be required to return to your home country for two years at the end of your exchange visitor program. This requirement under immigration law is based on Section 212 (e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Is a visa in an expired passport still valid?
Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, a valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport.
Do you need an interview for a visa?
Interviews are generally required for visa applicants with certain limited exceptions below. Consular officers may require an interview of any visa applicant.
