J-1 visas allow qualifying exchange program participants to live in the United States for several years or more. The J-1 visa suits foreign students especially well, but it also provides a much broader swath of foreign citizens the chance to temporarily relocate to the US. Often the J-1 visa functions as a proverbial foot-in-the-door for hard workers and up-and-comers to eventually gain permanent residence in America.
Individuals who can apply for J-1 exchange program visas include business trainees, professors, specialists, research scholars, teachers, and students of many kinds, such as secondary school students, college students, graduate school students, aviation trainees, medical residents, and medical interns.
The J-1 visa’s primary drawback is the two-year return requirement. That is, some former J-1 visa holders are required by law to return to their home countries for a period of two years immediately after their J-1 visas expire. This two-year requirement applies to those J-1 visa holders who a) obtain their visas with financing from any national government, b) have skills deemed to be in shortage in the visa-holder’s home country, or c) are medical interns or medical residents.
Please feel free to explore this website to learn more about this topic and the many immigration and temporary visa opportunities available. Or simply contact Genesis Law Firm to speak with a knowledgeable US immigration attorney. The lawyers at Genesis enjoy top-rate credentials and generally charge less for their legal services than do the firm’s competitors. Free Mandarin Chinese interpretation available at Genesis upon request.