If
you are looking for a student exchange program in which to participate,
see Other Ways
to Study in the U.S.
If you are
interested in learning how you may waive
the foreign residency requirement, click here.
What
are Exchange Programs?
Exchange programs
are situations in which two or more countries have made arrangements
for their citizens to visit each other's country reciprocally for
similar purposes such as to study, make professional contacts, teach,
or conduct research. The United States operates a number of exchange
programs with other countries, and persons who are accepted into
exchange programs are issued a special class of visa that identifies
them. (For information on finding a student exchange program in
which to participate, see Other
Ways to Study in the U.S.)
What are
Exchange Visitor Visas?
These are nonimmigrant
(temporary) visas that allow foreign nationals to enter the United
States to participate in exchange programs. There are two classifications:
the "J" visa is for educational and cultural exchange
programs designated by the U.S. State Department, and the "Q"
visa is for international cultural exchange programs designated
by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
J - Visa
The "J" exchange visitor program is designed to
promote the interchange of persons, knowledge, and skills in the
fields of education, arts, and sciences. 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 fields; and 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.
Q - Visa
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.
Who is Eligible?
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 be
able to communicate effectively about the cultural attributes
of his or her country.
Medical
Education and Training
Exchange visitors coming under the "J" program
for graduate medical education or training must meet certain special
requirements. They include having passed the Foreign Medical Graduate
Examination in Medical Sciences, demonstrating competency in English,
being automatically subject to the two-year foreign residence
requirement (later), 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.
Applying
for the Visa
You
should generally apply at the U.S.
Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over your place of permanent
residence. Although you may apply at any U.S. consular office abroad,
it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside your country
of permanent residence.
Documentation
Each applicant for an exchange visitor visa must submit:
1. For
the "J" applicant, a completed Form IAP-66 Certificate
of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status prepared by a
designated sponsoring organization. For the "Q"
applicant, a notice of approval, Form I-797 (participants in the
"Q" program must first have the designated sponsoring
organization file Form
I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, with the USCIS).
2. An
application Form DS-156, completed
and signed. Forms are also available without charge at all U.S.
Consulate Offices;
3. A
nonrefundable US$45 application fee
4. A
passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity
date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in
the United States. If more than one person is included in the
passport, each person desiring a visa must make an application;
5. One
photograph 1 and 1/2 inches square (37x37mm) for each applicant,
showing full face, without head covering, against a light background;
and
Additional
Requirements
Both
"J" and "Q" applicants must demonstrate to
the consular officer that they have binding ties to 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. It is impossible to specify the exact form the evidence
should take since circumstances vary greatly.
Visa Ineligibility/Waiver
There
are categories of persons
ineligible to receive visas under U.S. law. In some instances
an applicant who is ineligible, but who is otherwise properly
classifiable as an exchange visitor, may apply for a waiver of
ineligibility and be issued a visa if the waiver is approved.
If you are found to be ineligible, the consular officer will advise
you of any waivers.
Family
Members
If
you are participating in a "J" exchange program, your
spouse and minor children may apply to accompany or join you by
presenting a copy of your Form IAP-66. They must demonstrate that
they will have sufficient financial resources to cover all expenses
while in the United States. They may also apply to the USCIS
for authorization to accept employment in the U.S. Their visas will
be dependent on your nonimmigrant status. If you change your
status, your family must change their status. If you lose your status,
your family will also lose their status. (For information on changing
status, see How to Change to
a New Nonimmigrant Status).
The "Q"
exchange program does not provide for the admission of a spouse
or child.
Admission through a U.S.
Port of Entry
You should be
aware that a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States.
A visa is issued by a Department of State Consular Office abroad,
but a separate U.S. agency, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS), has authority to deny admission at the port of
entry. Also, the period for which you are authorized to remain in
the U.S. is determined by the USCIS,
not the Department of State Consular Office. At the port of entry,
a USCIS
official must authorize your admission to the U.S. At that time,
the USCIS
official will provide you with a stamped Form I-94 (Record of Arrival-Departure),
which notes how long you are permitted to stay in the U.S. If you
wish to stay beyond the time indicated on your Form I-94, an application
must be made to the USCIS.
The decision to grant or deny a request for extension of stay is
made solely by the USCIS.
For more information, see:
Employment
Employment
while in "J" exchange visitor status depends upon the
terms of the program. Participants in programs that provide for
on-the-job training, teaching, research, or other activities that
involve paid employment may accept such employment. Participants
in programs that do not involve work may not accept outside employment.
The "Q" international cultural exchange program specifically
authorizes paid employment as part of the program.
Foreign Residency Requirement
Certain
"J" exchange visitors who participate in programs which
were financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by an
agency of the U.S. Government or by the exchange visitor's government,
or who are nationals or residents of a country that has been designated
by the State Department 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 or temporary worker visa. "Q" exchange
visitors may not participate in another "Q" program until
they have been abroad for one year. If you are participating in
the "J" Exchange Visitor Program, you may be eligible
to waive the foreign residence
requirement.
HELP!
- For assistance
in your country, contact the
nearest U.S. Consulate.
- For inquiries
on visa cases in progress overseas, contact the appropriate U.S.
Embassy or Consulate handling your case.
- In the U.S.,
questions about the "J"
programs, Form IAP-66, and the ability to change programs
or extend within a program can be made by calling 202-401-9810,
faxing 202-401-9809, or writing: U.S. State Department, Exchange
Visitor Program Services, 301 Fourth Street SW, Room 734,
Washington, D.C. 20547. You may also call the State Department's
Visa Office at 202-663-1225, or send an email to usvisa@state.gov. Be sure to indicate the general
subject of your inquiry on the subject line (e.g., exchange visitor
visa, or J visa program), and do not expect an immediate reply.
You may also send your comments on the J program by email to jcomment@usia.gov
, but they do not promise to reply to your email.
- Questions
about "Q" program application procedures, eligibility,
and conditions on employment should be made by the prospective
employer or agent in the United States to the nearest
USCIS District Office or Sub Office, or the USCIS toll-free
information service at 1-800-375-5283.
- For the U.S.
government agency responsible for exchange programs, see the Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
- For information
on finding a student exchange program in which to participate,
see Other
Ways to Study in the U.S.
- For additional
advice or guidance, see Assistance
in Your Country.
The information
provided in this website is not legal advice and should not be interpreted
as legal advice. This website is intended to provide a basic understanding
of this information in summary form. This information may not be
comprehensive, is subject to change, and may not apply to all individual
circumstances. Any information received here should be confirmed
with the appropriate government agencies or with an attorney, particularly
as it relates to your individual circumstances. Your use of this
website indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms
of Use.
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