Research Scholar Program With J1 Visa

The J1 visa exchange visitor program is great for visiting scholars from foreign countries as it promotes exchange of ideas and research between academic institutions in the US and other countries. It is a temporary exchange program that permits research scholars to conduct research or consult with a research project at an academic institution or a research facility in the US. There are certain visa requirements to fulfill to qualify as a research scholar in the US.

First, the applicant must be accepted in a certified scholar exchange program in the US. The applicant must be a research scholar in a foreign country, be engaged in a specific area of research that meets the sponsoring organization’s requirements. However, the applicant must not have completed a research scholar exchange program in the 24 months preceding the start of the exchange program. Also, applicants who had a J1 visa during the 12month period preceding the exchange program are also not eligible. For a J1 visa to be issued, applicants should provide proof that they will return to their home country upon completion of their exchange program. Participants in the research scholar program are required to meet certain health and character requirements. They will need to be covered my medical insurance as specified by the exchange program regulations. Research scholars must have enough funding to live on during their stay in the US, as immigration documents cannot be issued to scholars with inadequate funding.

A J1 visa for a research scholar exchange program is granted for a maximum of 5 years but extensions may be given to complete a research activity. The exchange visitor program allows the spouse and unmarried children below 21 years to join their spouse or parent in the US by applying for a J2 visa. They can either study in the US or take up employment with an approved authorisation.