Is it Possible to Extend a J1 Visa?
J1 visas are for people who wish to travel to the United States to participate in a program of study. This type of visa usually lasts up to three years for academic students, but can be longer for camp counselors and other types of exchange visitors.
Research scholars and professors can often request an extra six months for their studies in the US, but this is not something that’s easy to get approved. This is because you need to demonstrate that the extension is necessary because of exceptional circumstances.
Duration of Program
If you are planning to stay in the United States for a long period of time, you may wonder whether it is possible to extend your J-1 visa. The answer to this question depends on the type of program you are participating in.
Research scholars, professors and exchange visitors who participate in a university-based program can remain in the US for up to five years under their J-1 status. This is a great option for individuals who want to do independent research, teach and lecture at an institution, or conduct an internship.
However, a J-1 visa must be renewed if you want to continue to live in the US for more than two years. If you are not able to renew your J-1, you will have to return to your home country.
The duration of your program can also be extended in the case of extraordinary circumstances. In these situations, the responsible officer at your sponsor organization must send a written request to the U.S. Department of State justifying the extension along with supporting documentation and a nonrefundable fee that has to be paid before the request can be considered.
In some cases, the duration of a research scholar’s or professor’s program can be extended by up to six months with the approval of their sponsor. This type of extension should be granted only if the extra time is necessary to complete a particular project or to meet a specific goal.
Those who are not able to extend their program should ensure that they do not violate the laws of their home country by leaving the country before their DS-2019s expire. This could result in a number of problems for the person, including a termination of their J-1 status and possible labor or immigration law violations.
For most researchers, professors and short-term scholars, the maximum length of their program is the same as the DS-2019 end date. Those who are not able to extend should consider spending their time during the 30-day grace period sightseeing around the United States before returning home.
Extraordinary Circumstances
Extraordinary circumstances can occur during a J-1 program that can cause a student to need more time in the United States. Students should consult with their academic advisor and sponsoring organization to determine whether they are eligible for an extension of their stay.
Extensions of J-1 status are typically granted for six months. These extensions fall within the program sponsor’s discretion and do not require US Department of State or USCIS approval.
Once an extension of stay is approved by the sponsoring university, a new DS-2019 form is issued to reflect the new duration of your stay. This document will allow you to stay in the United States until your new end date, or until you complete your program, whichever comes first.
Extending your stay beyond the maximum program duration is not a common practice, but it may be necessary in certain situations. Those situations are often related to funding or research projects that benefit a government agency.
If you are working on a project that benefits a US government agency, your work may be considered to be in the public interest, and you may be granted an extension of your stay. However, the extension will only be granted if there is a strong case for extending your visa.
The extended period of stay must be related to the original purpose and objectives of your exchange program. You should also prove that the additional time is essential to complete the purpose of your program.
In addition to this, you will need to prove that the additional time is necessary because of exceptional circumstances that are outside of your control. This can include a family emergency or a health issue that has made you unable to complete the required tasks in a timely manner.
Your J-1 Responsible Officer or Alternate Responsible Officer can review the documentation and approve the extension of your stay. Upon approval, you will receive a new DS-2019 form with your extended expiration date recorded in SEVIS. This new DS-2019 will also be issued to your spouse and dependents on your J-2 visa status, if applicable.
Change of Category
Changes of category occur during the program for a variety of reasons. The most common is an exchange visitor’s desire to remain in the United States for a longer period of time than originally planned.
For example, a student participating in the Summer Work Travel program may wish to extend their stay by applying for a J-1 visa extension. This type of extension requires the student’s sponsor to submit a Request for Change of Status to USCIS before the expiration date printed on the DS-2019 form.
If a change of category is approved, the student’s new visa stamp and new DS-2019 will be issued. However, it is important to note that an extended J-1 visa will be subject to the 24-month restriction on “repeat participation” in the same category (Research Scholar or Professor) and the two-year foreign residence requirement, if applicable.
The student should also discuss this extension with their international student adviser in OIAP to ensure that the request is consistent with their exchange visitor objective and that it will not be in jeopardy of being denied. If a change of category is not granted, the student should consider extending their stay in another nonimmigrant category, such as B-1 or B-2 status (Visitor for Business or Pleasure).
A J-1 Scholar who has been admitted to a program sponsored by a different institution may transfer his or her DS-2019 record and SEVIS record during their authorized stay with the new university. This is a complex process that requires coordination between the OIS of the current program and the OIS (or equivalent) of the new program.
Applicants should complete and submit the DS-2019 Request Form for change of category to their current university’s international office, in addition to requesting that they provide copies of their DS-2019 forms to the program sponsor and the new program. The new university’s international office must then contact Scholar Services to coordinate the transfer of their DS-2019 and SEVIS records before the end date of the authorized period of stay with the new program.
It is important to remember that the Department of State may deny a request for a change of category in any category, unless it can be demonstrated that there is a valid reason for the change. This reason should be based on exceptional circumstances.
Extension Application
If you are a J-1 student, professor, or research scholar, your program sponsor may be able to extend your visa to allow you more time to complete your project. The process is a bit more complicated than a standard six-month extension, and you must provide evidence that the circumstances warrant this request.
Applicants must also demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to cover the cost of their tuition and living expenses as well as any dependents who are on J-2 status during the extended period. They must also be able to show that they have health insurance that is valid during this extended period of time.
Students are encouraged to submit their extension application as early as possible, so they can avoid any delays and get the information that they need to make an informed decision about whether or not to extend their stay. Applications that are submitted with less than thirty days remaining before the original end date will not be considered by CICD and will be charged a late fee.
Once CICD has approved the extension, your DS-2019 form will be updated with the new date. You will then be able to travel out of the United States as long as you have a valid visa stamped in your passport.
J-1 scholars are only eligible for one DS-2019 extension per academic year. This is based on the maximum length of time allowed by the sponsoring institution for a particular J-1 category.
Extensions can be requested up to a year beyond the maximum duration of a specific program, but must be requested a minimum of two months prior to the expiration of the participant’s current DS-2019. This is to ensure that the program officer documents the need for the additional time and distributes the updated DS-2019.
If the extension is not granted, the exchange visitor must return to their home country and depart the United States within 30 days of the program completion date indicated on their DS-2019. Failure to do so will result in a violation of their J-1 status, and they may need to apply for a new DS-2019 in order to resume their stay in the U.S.