Exchange Visitors and Exchange Visitor Programs

This May 24, 2007 letter and accompanying table from DOS to NAFSA communicated definitions of "program completion," for purposes of the 5-year eligibility and 2-year bar on repeat participation rules in the Professor or Research Scholar category.

On May 21, 2012, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange Robin Lerner sent a communication to J-1 exchange visitor programs, to apprise sponsors of her office’s “re-evaluation of our overall mission and the objectives we are pursuing through private sector exchanges.”

DOS sets forth guidelines regarding the hosting of Confucius Institutes at college and universities, in the context of the college or university’s J-1 exchange visitor program. As amended by DOS on May 25, 2012.

Summary of NAFSA's February 9, 2005 liaison call with SEVP.

This DOS cable advises consular posts of the 2009 Exchange Visitor Skills List, which became effective on June 28, 2009.

USCIS Consolidated Guidance On Unlawful Presence. Neufeld, D. May 6, 2009 memorandum.

1993 correspondence between USIA and NAFSA regarding the date by which J-1 students must commence postcompletion academic training.

USIA Letter To NAFSA Interpreting 12 Month Bar. Letter of Les Jin, USIA General Counsel, to NAFSA, July 3, 1996.

The 1997 Exchange Visitor Skills governs J exchange visitors who acquired J status from March 17, 1997 - June 27, 2009. The 2009 Exchange Visitor Skills List governs J exchange visitors who acquired J status on and after June 28, 2009.

USIA policy statement on 212(e) skills list for EVs from Hong Kong1997 USIA policy statement on applicability of the exchange visitor 212(e) skills list to exchange visitors who use passports from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.