Two-Year Home Residency Requirement 212(e) for Some in J Status

About 212(e)  

In certain instances, visitors in J status are required to return and live in their home country for two-years before they change to H status or get a green card.  People are subject to 212(e) if they come to the United States to do a medical residency OR if they have received government funds for the purposes of international exchange OR if the home country has decided that it would like people in particular fields of study to return home.  Please note that receiving a salary that is funded out of a government grant that is given for the purposes of conducting research does not make the recipient subject to this provision.  Most Caltech research salaries are funded by grants from the U.S. government. This money is given to Caltech to do research. This funding does not make the person subject to 212(e). 

Exchange visitors who are subject to this two-year home residency requirement may apply for a waiver if they meet certain conditions. International Scholar Services can provide you with more information.  The Department of State also has an informative website on 212(e) waivers.

Check the Status of Your Application

If you have filed an application for a 212(e) waiver application, you can check the status of your application at: