Two-Year Home Residence Requirement | International Student and Scholar Services

J-1 and J-2 Exchange Visitors may be subject to the Two-Year Home Residence Requirement if:

The country of legal permanent residence (noted in item one on the Form DS-2019) is on the skills list.
Direct or indirect government funding is received, either from the U.S. government or funding from the home country.

Exchange Visitors subject to this requirement are not eligible to change to any other immigration status within the United States and are not eligible to change status to H, K, L, or adjust to permanent residence until the requirement is fulfilled or a waiver is obtained.

Exchange Visitors may apply for other non-immigrant visas such as: B, F, J, or O visa without fulfilling the 212(e) residence requirement or obtaining a waiver.

Further details about the J-1 Exchange Visitor program and the two-year home country residence requirement may be found at Department of State’s website.

Note: Scholars who have applied for and received a recommendation for a waiver of the Two-Year Home Residence Requirement from the U.S. Department of State are not eligible for extension of J-1 status.