Non-Immigrant Visas
Exchange Visitor Visas
Persons wishing to participate in exchange visitor programs in the United States need to apply for an exchange visitor visa. There are two types of exchange visas:
- The "J" visa is for educational and cultural exchange programs designated by the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (formerly known as USIA). The "J" exchange visitor program is designed to promote the interchange of persons, knowledge, and skills in the field of education, arts, and sciences. A J-1 visa is also needed by students wishing to do an internship, practical training, or a "stage" in the United States or who want to work as an au pair.
Participants include:
- students at all academic levels;
- trainees obtaining on-the-job training with firms, institutions, and agencies;
- teachers of primary, secondary and specialized schools;
- professors coming to teach or do research at institutions of higher learning;
- research scholars;
- professional trainees in the medical and allied field,
- international visitors coming for the purpose of travel, observation, consultation, research, training, sharing, or demonstrating specialized knowledge or skills, or participating in organized people-to-people programs.
- The "Q" visa is for international cultural exchange programs designated by the Attorney General. The "Q" international cultural exchange program is for the purpose of providing practical training, employment, and the sharing of the history, culture and traditions of the participant's home country in the United States.
Exchange Visitor visas (J-1, J-2) can be issued at any time before the start of the program at any time before the start of the program (date mentioned in point 3 of your DS-2019 form), as long as your form DS-2019 remains valid.
In addition, please note that holders of Exchange Visitor visas (J-1, J-2) will not be admitted to the United States until a date 30 days or less prior to the beginning of your program date. An immigration inspector may deny your entry into the United States if you use this visa earlier than this thirty day period. Please consider that date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States. However, applicants continuing on an exchange visitors program are not subject to this restriction.
In order to qualify for an exchange visitor visa, an alien must meet the following requirements:
Fees
Persons applying for J1 visas must pay the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee in addition to the visa application fee. The SEVIS fee for J1 applicants is 180 USD. Certain exchange visitors (au pairs, summer work/travel and camp counselors) pay a reduced fee, 35 USD . Persons participating in a program sponsored by the Federal Government whose program number prefix begins with "G-1," "G-2" or "G-3" do not pay the fee.
The SEVIS fee must be paid at least 3 business days before the scheduled visa application interview at the U.S. consulate. The SEVIS fee can be paid by completing form I-901 electronically and paying with a credit card through Internet on http://www.fmjfee.com/ . Please print an electronic receipt immediately at the time of payment. The payment receipt must be shown to the Consul during the visa application interview.
Spouses and dependent children (J2) do not pay this fee. The SEVIS fee is not a visa application fee; it is used to operate and maintain the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. The SEVIS fee is non-refundable, even if the visa application is denied.
- For detailed information regarding the SEVIS fee, please here
- For payment of the SEVIS fee via Internet, click here
Documentation
FIRST, Participants in the "J" program must click on the following link and follow the instructions regarding the required basic documents to be submitted by all visa applicants : read more.
IN ADDITION, participants in the "J" program must ALSO present the following :
- a properly completed and signed original DS-2019 form ("Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status") (all three pages; not a copy or fax) which you can obtain from the exchange organization. If the DS-2019 form specifies a requirement for personal funds, please be ready to present such original proof from your bank, stating the amount required and confirming that this amount is available to you.
- the receipt of the SEVIS fee payment: please bring the print-out of the electronic receipt of the payment at http://www.fmjfee.com/
- a properly completed and signed original DS-158 form ("Contact Information and Work History for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant"). You can download the form here as a PDF file in Acrobat: English | Dutch | French
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ONLY for TRAINEES and INTERNS : IF your DS-2019 form was issued AFTER JULY 18, 2007, you must ALSO present form DS-7002, the Training/Internship Placement Plan (T/IPP), issued by the exchange organization.
Participants in the "Q" program must be the beneficiary of a Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Financial Resources
Participants in the "J" exchange visitor program must have sufficient funds to cover all expenses, or funds must be provided by the sponsoring organization in the form of a scholarship or other stipend.
"Q" exchange visitors will be paid by their employing sponsor at the same rate paid to local domestic workers similarly employed.
Scholastic Preparation
"J" exchange visitors must have sufficient scholastic preparation to participate in the designated program, including knowledge of the English language, or the exchange program must be designed to accommodate non-English speaking participants.
The "Q" exchange visitor must be 18 years old and have the ability to communicate effectively about the cultural attributes of his or her country.
Residence Abroad
Both "J" and "Q" applicants must demonstrate to the consular officer that they have a residence in a foreign country which they have no intention of abandoning, and that they are coming to the United States for a temporary period.
Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act requires that certain "J" exchange visitors who participate in programs which were financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by an agency of the United States Government or by the exchange visitor's government, or who are nationals or residents of a country which have been designated by the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (formerly known as USIA) as requiring the skills of the exchange visitor, must return to their country of nationality or last residence after completing their program in the United States, and reside there physically for two years before they may become eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, or any category of temporary worker nonimmigrant visa.
"Q" exchange visitors may not participate in another "Q" program until after they have resided abroad for one year.
Family Members
Dependents of J-1 visa holders need to apply for J-2 visas. If you wish to apply for your spouse and children, you must also submit valid proof of the relationship (marriage booklet, marriage certificate, birth certificate). They must demonstrate that they will have sufficient financial resources to cover all expenses while in the United States. Dependents may in some circumstances apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for authorization to accept employment in the United States. If the principal applicant and the dependent(s) are traveling separately an additional DS-2019 form is required.
The "Q" exchange program does not provide for the admission of the spouse or children of a participant in a derivative status.
Employment
Employment while in "J" exchange visitor status depends upon the terms of the program. Participants in programs which provide for on-the job training, teaching, research, or other activities which involve paid employment may accept such employment. Participants in programs which do not involve work may not accept outside employment.
The "Q" international cultural exchange program specifically authorizes paid employment as part of the program.
Dependents may in some circumstances apply to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for authorization to accept employment in the United States.
Medical Education and Training
Exchange visitors coming under the "J" program for graduate medical education or training must meet certain special requirements of Section 212(j)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. They include having passed the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination on Medical Sciences, demonstrating competency in English, being automatically subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement of Section 212(e)(below), and being subject to time limits on the duration of their program.
Physicians coming to the United States on exchange visitor programs for the purpose of observation, consultation, teaching, or research in which there is little or no patient care are not subject to the above requirements.
