J-1 for Academic Trainees

Purposes of J-1 Visas: The J-1 classification is for persons who have been accepted to participate in exchange visitor programs in the United States. Before you can apply for a J-1 visa, you must be accepted by a sponsoring organization designated by the U.S. Department of State. Each category has its specific own requirements and rules.

The categories of exchange visitors are:

• Au par
• Camp counselor
• Student (college or university)
• Student (secondary school)
• Government Visitor
• International Visitor (reserved for use by the Department of State)
• Physician
• Professor
• Research Scholar
• Short-term Scholar
• Specialist
• Summer student in a travel or work program
• Trainee

Applying for a J-1 Visa

Before you can apply for a J-1 exchange visitor visa, you must

• Be accepted by a sponsoring organization designated by the Department of State
• Obtain a DS 2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status from your sponsoring organization. You must take your DS 2019 with you to your J-1 visa interview at the consulate or embassy.

To be eligible to receive a J-1 visa, you must show

• You plan to remain in the United States for a temporary, specific, limited period.
• You have sufficient funds to cover your expenses in the United States.
• You are fluent in English.
• You will maintain sufficient medical insurance for accident and illness

Having an approved visa does not mean you will be allowed to enter the United States. A visa allows you to travel to a United States port of entry and request permission to enter the United States. When you arrive at a United States port of entry, an official from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will grant or deny your admission into the United States. If you are granted admission, the CBP official will stamp your Form I-94, Arrival and Departure Card, with the length of your visit.

SEVP and SEVIS

The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and State use the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to monitor visitors in the United States on F, M, and J visas. Information regarding student visa holders and exchange visitors is entered into the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS). 

The program you were accepted into will issue you a DS 2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status. You must submit your DS 2019 when you are applying for your exchange visitor visa. The consular officer will verify your DS 2019 electronically through the SEVIS system. You must pay a SEVIS I-901 fee to the Department of Homeland Security. You may pay the SEVIS fee through the SEVIS free processing web site, by Western Union, or by mail.

J-1 Foreign Residence Requirement

J-1 exchange visitors are generally