Exchange Program Visitor Visa

If you're interested in coming to the U.S. for a temporary stay to gain new skills or training, then the J-1 Exchange Program Visitor Visa might be right for you.

The J-1 exchange program visa was created by Congress under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. The purpose of the program is to provide educational and cultural exchange programs designated by the Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. You must first be accepted into a program category by a sponsoring organization before you can apply for the visa.

Programs are organized into two divisions: private sector, which includes categories such as au pair, summer work/travel, and training exchange visitor; and academic and government, which includes student programs from high school, college and university and government visitors.

When the visa expires, the participant must return home. Certain visitors are held to a two-year foreign residency requirement, meaning they cannot apply for another visa until two years have passed. This applies to visitors whose programs were financed by the U.S. government, the visitor's government, or if the visitor's country determines that the training they received is specialized. The purpose of this is to give the participants time to share their new knowledge with their resident country.

The good news is, there is no cap to the J-1 visa and sponsors may allow a spouse or children to accompany participants to the United States for the duration of the program.

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