Brian D. Lerner Immigration Attorney & Deportation Lawyer Blog

Question: I have tried to come to the United States on different types of visas, but have been denied at each turn. I cannot get a Visitor Visa and do not qualify for an H-1B work visa. I have also been denied the Student Visa. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: The J Visa is very versatile. One can come in on the J Visa for many types of purposes. For example, the J Visa is available for students, professors and research scholars, short-term scholars, trainees, specialists, foreign medical graduates, international and government visitors, teachers, camp counselors and au pairs.

Question: Can you explain in some more detail what is involved with these categories?

Answer: For the students, a J is available for persons going to colleges that have been approved with a J Program. Students under certain conditions are allowed to work.

A trainee is one of the more popular uses of the J Visa. A trainee as an individual participating in a structured training program conducted by the selecting sponsor. The primary purpose of the trainee category is to enhance the exchange visitor’s skills in his or her specialty or non-specialty occupation through participation in a structured training program and to improve the participant’s knowledge of American techniques, methodologies, or expertise. The following areas are available for issuance of the J-1 Visa. Arts and culture; information media and communications; education, social sciences; library science, counseling and social services; management, business, commerce and finance; health-related occupations; aviation; the sciences, engineering, architecture, mathematics, and industrial occupations; construction and building trades; agriculture, forestry and fishing; public administration and law; and various other occupations as specified by the sponsor.

A J-1 specialist is defined as an individual who is an expert in a field of specialized knowledge or skill coming to the United States for observing, consulting, or demonstrating special skills. This category does not include professors, research scholars, short-term scholars, or foreign physicians in training programs. This type of J-1 can by used in lieu of the H-1B.

The au pair program permits foreign nationals to enter the United States for up to one year to live with a U.S. host family and participate directly in the home life of the family while providing limited child care services and attending a U.S. post-secondary educational institution.

Professors and research scholars may be sponsored as J-1 exchange visitors to engage in research, teaching, lecturing, observing, or consulting at research facilities, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited educational institutions, or similar institutions.

Foreign medical graduates sponsored by accredited academic institutions with designated exchange visitor programs may come to the United States as exchange visitors for the purposes of observation, consultation, teaching, or research.

Teachers may be sponsored as exchange visitors to teach full-time at accredited primary or secondary educational institutions.

Secondary school students may come to the United States as J exchange visitors for up to one year to study at a U.S. public or private secondary school, while living with a U.S. host family or at an accredited U.S. boarding school.150 Participants must pursue a full course of study at an accredited educational institution for at least one and not more than two academic semesters.

A camp counselor is an individual selected to be a counselor in a summer camp in the United States who imparts skills to American campers and information about his or her country or culture. Participation in camp counselor exchange programs is limited to foreign nationals who are at least 18 years old and are bona fide youth workers, students, teachers, or individuals with special skills.

The summer/student travel work program is a program that authorizes foreign university students to travel and work in the United States during their summer vacations to involve the students directly in daily life in this country through temporary employment opportunities.

As you can see, the J Visa offers many options. While there may be a two-year foreign residency requirement, many times this type of visa offers the only hope for getting into the U.S.

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