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J 1 Visa Information

J Exchange Visitor Visa Insurance Requirements

Program participants and their dependents are required to have medical insurance coverage with the following minimum benefits:

  • Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
  • Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
  • Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000
  • A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness

Sponsors must require their participants (and any dependents as J-2 visa holders) have insurance in effect for the duration of their program. An insurance policy secured to meet the requirements must be underwritten by an insurance corporation with an A.M. Best rating of A- or above, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of A-I or above, a Standard and Poor’s Claims Paying Ability rating of A- or above, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above. Alternatively, the sponsor may ascertain that the participant’s policy is backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the exchange visitor’s home country. For other options, see [22 CFR 62.14]. For further information, please visit https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/how-to-administer-a-program/.

J Exchange Visitor Visa Eligibility

An exchange visitor who is subject to the 212(e) rule must wait two years before becoming eligible to be receive another J1 visa. For more information about the two-year rule and other J visa-related inquiries, please contact the Center or visit the State Department’s website: https://j1visa.state.gov/.  

5-year limit on J-1 Research Scholar

A Research Scholar is limited to five years of program participation. For example, if a Research Scholar has been at an American university as a J-1 scholar from 1/1/2015 to 1/1/2020, this scholar has used up his or her time limit of five years and would be ineligible to come to the Center at the end of the fellowship at the university, until the two-year wait has passed.

No in-country transfers between visa categories

If a potential scholar is in the U.S. on a G (international organization such as the World Bank) or an A visa (Ambassador) for example, we cannot transfer the scholar to our J-1 visa.  The scholar must return home and come back on the J-1 visa before starting his or her fellowship at the Center.

Taxes
J1 Visa holders will be subject to U.S. taxes if applicable.