Exchange Visitors and Exchange Visitor Programs

Exchange Visitor Program Guidance Directive 2020-01 - Confucius Institutes

On November 18, 2020, the Department of State's (DOS) Exchange Visitor Program (BridgeUSA) issued Guidance Directive 2020-01, Exchange Visitor Program - Confucius Institutes, which provides guidance on the relationship of college and university J-1 exchange programs to Confucius Institutes and

Proclamation Suspending Entry of Certain H, J, and L Nonimmigrants

Proclamation 10052 of June 22, 2020, Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: This proclamation expired on March 31, 2021. As of April 1, 2021, President Biden had not renewed or replaced it. DOS confirmed this in

ECA Pauses ECA-Funded Exchange Visitor Programs

On May 12, 2020 the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, "all ECA-funded in-person exchange programs will remain paused until further notice." This extends indefinitely for now the 60-day temporary pause that ECA had put into place

DOS Implements Automatic J-1 Program Extensions for Some in Response to COVID-19

April 2, 2020

On April 2, 2020, the Department of State (DOS) emailed exchange visitor program sponsors to inform them that DOS "will now push a two-month extension to program end dates in SEVIS on active records with a program end date between April 1 – May 31, 2020 in order to provide exchange visitors the

EVP Sponsor Call QA - March 27, 2020

On March 27, 2020, the Department of State hosted a teleconference for J-1 exchange program sponsors. Reproduced below for convenience are the questions and answers arising out of that call, which are now posted on the Exchange Vistior Program's COVID-19 page. DOS divided the Q and A into five

COVID-19 Guidance from DOS ECA for J-1 Exchange Program Sponsors

July 10, 2023

ECA Guidance Directive 2023-01 (June 8, 2023) ends ECA's temporary COVID-19 flexibilities for J-1 exchange visitors and programs effective July 1, 2023, but introduces new interpretations on hybrid or virtual work and learning. Guidance Directive 2023-01 will supersede the ECA's prior COVID-19

Advisory on Online and Distance Education Strategies in the Context of COVID-19

"The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in most schools using on-line or distance education modalities as part of their strategy to mitigate interruptions to coursework. This has both academic implications, which apply to domestic and international students alike, and immigration questions, because of the

DOS Guidance Directive 2019-03 - College and University Student Category: Screening and Monitoring

On August 5, 2019, the Department of State (DOS) issued Guidance Directive 2019-03 - College and University Student Category: Screening and Monitoring. Download Guidance Directive 2019-03 The guidance stems from DOS's review of the J-1 exchange visitor College and University Student category, and to

DOS OPA-AG Serious Problem or Controversy Reporting Rubric

22 CFR 62.13(d) requires an exchange visitor program to notify the Department of State of: any investigations of an exchange visitor's site of activity, or any serious problem or controversy that may bring the Department of State or the sponsor's exchange visitor program into "notoriety or disrepute

J Subpart A Rule Resource Page

Stay tuned to this page for updates on the J Subpart A rule. The rule was published on October 6, 2014, and became effective on January 5, 2015, except for the new insurance levels, which became effective on May 15, 2015.