J-1 Visa — US Exchange Visitor

Academic exchanges, research programmes, internships, and cultural exchanges in the United States.

The J-1 Exchange Visitor visa covers a wide range of educational and cultural exchange programmes: students, research scholars, professors, physicians, trainees, au pairs, and camp counsellors. J-1 holders must be sponsored by a US government-designated programme sponsor, which issues a DS-2019. Many J-1 holders — particularly those in government-funded programmes — are subject to a 2-year home country residency requirement after completing their programme.