Regulations Restricting Repeat J-1 Participation

24-Month Bar

All J-1 Exchange Visitors in the professor or research scholar category (Box 4 of your Form DS-2019) are subject to a "24-Month Bar" on "repeat participation" in those categories. This 24-Month Bar will be in effect regardless of the duration of the program: whenever an Exchange Program in either of these two categories ends and the SEVIS record becomes "inactive," the five-year window is "closed" and the scholar must wait 24 months before beginning a new program as a J Professor or Research Scholar.  Unused time from the five-year window may not be saved for use later.

This bar may have serious consequences for professors and researchers who plan to return to the U.S. in J-1 status for subsequent teaching or research appointments, whether at UC San Diego or any other institution.

We request that you notify IFSO when a researcher or professor in J-1 status is close to completing their stay with your department and they express to you that they intend to return to the U.S.as a J-1 Research Scholar or Professor.

12-Month Bar

If an individual is present in the U.S. in a J status (e.g., J-2 dependent, J-1 student intern) for more than six months, then they will be subject to a 12-month bar prohibiting them from beginning a new program in the Research Scholar or Professor categories.  After 12 months have passed with them not being in a J status they will be eligible for a new program in either category.

Exceptions to this rule exist for Exchange Visitors who are transferring programs or who have been present in J status in the Short Term Scholar category.