J-1 - Exchange Visitors
For individuals traveling to the U.S. to participate in one of a wide variety of educational and cultural exchange programs, such as:

- Medical students coming to the U.S. as residents or interns

- Post-graduate students

- Foreign scholars sponsored by universities as temporary faculty

- Business and Industrial trainees

- Government visitors

- Summer camp counselors and staff

- Au-pair and nanny

- Anyone who takes part in a exchange program approved by the U.S. Department of State

The immediate family members are eligible for J-2 visas. They are not allowed to work.

Waiver J-1 Waiver
An individuals subject to two-year foreign residence may not change his/her status to that of H, L, or K, or to immigrant or legal permanent status until he/she has fulfilled the two-year foreign residence requirement by going back to his/her home country or receiving a waiver of this requirement.

A person may be may be subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement for any of the following reasons:

- The individual is an exchange visitor participating in an exchange program funded by the U.S. Government, his/her own government, or an international organization.

- The individual is an exchange visitor pursuing education, training, or a skill in an exchange program that appears on the Exchange Visitor Skills List (1997 Amendment) for his/her country.

- The individual is on a J-1 status obtained on or after January 10, 1977 , for the purpose of receiving graduate medical education or training

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