12 & 24-Month Bar

Per Department of State regulations, Exchange Visitors are not eligible for the J-1 Professor or Research Scholar categories if they were physically present in the U.S. in any J status for any part of the 12 months preceding the proposed program start date for the J-1 Professor or Research Scholar category.

This 12-month bar does not apply to J-1 and/or J-2 participants whose previous presence in J status was less than 6 months, or whose previous presence in J status was as a Short-Term Scholar.

Example: a J-1 student is here for 2 years, August 1, 2014, to July 31, 2016. She then went home on July 21, 2016, ending her J-1 student program. If later on she would like to start a J-1 program in the Professor or Research Scholar categories, the earliest date she would be able to do so is August 1, 2017, 12 months after she leaves the United States.

On January 11, 2007, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) published a final rule announcing that, effective November 18, 2006, an individual who participates in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program in the Professor or Research Scholar category becomes subject to a 24-month bar on "repeat participation" in those categories after completing his or her program. (Your J-1 category can be found in section 4 of the Form DS-2019.)

1. Participation:

Scholars subject to the bar may not return to the U.S. on "repeat participation" as a J-1 in the Professor or Research Scholar category for the 24 months.

The maximum period of participation for the J Professor and Research Scholar categories is 5 years. The 24-month bar will be in effect regardless of whether the status in the program is a few days/weeks in duration or the full five years allowed. Whenever an exchange program ends, and the SEVIS record becomes "inactive", the five-year window is "closed," and the individual must wait 24 months before beginning a new program as a J Professor or Research Scholar. To take advantage of the full five years of the J Professor or Research Scholar Category, a scholar would need to have an appointment of five continuous years to keep his/her SEVIS record active. Unused time from the five-year window may not be saved for use later.

Example: a J Research Scholar comes for a single academic year (August 1, 2013, to July 31, 2014), then goes home without having her SEVIS record kept open and active in her absence. She would not be able to access the remainder of the five-year period of eligibility. She would be subject to the 24-month bar and would not be eligible to return to the United States as a J-1 Professor or Research Scholar at any institution until 24-months (two years) after the last program ended, which would be August 1, 2016.

2. Am I Subject to the 24-Month Bar?

Any J Exchange Visitor in the Professor or Research Scholar category (and their J-2 dependents) whose J-1 program ends on or after November 18, 2006, is subject to the 24-month bar. The J-1 program end date can be found in section 3 of your Form DS-2019. The J-1 category can be found in section 4.

J Exchange Visitors in the Short-Term Scholar, Specialist, or Student categories are not subject to the 24-month bar. The J category can be found in section 4 of your Form DS-2019.

3. Your Future Options

If you are subject to the 24-month bar, you will not be able to return to the U.S. as a J-1 scholar in the Professor or Research Scholar category for two years. However, you may be able to return in a different J category or with a different type of visa. You may also consider extending your current J-1 status for a longer period, if possible. You must consult with the Ivanhoe International Center or other institutions if you have plans to return to the U.S. in the future for research or teaching.