The 12- and 24-month bars affect J-1 Exchange Visitors (EVs) who have previously been in the U.S. as a J-1 Exchange Visitor. The bars prohibit certain "repeat participation." Please review the information below and contact ISSS at [email protected] if you have any questions as to whether or not a potential EV would be affected by either the 12- or 24-month bar.
Potential EVs in the Professor and Research Scholar categories may be ineligible to participate in Stevens’ exchange visitor program if they spent time in the U.S. in any J status, including J-2 dependent status, during the 12 months immediately preceding the EV’s proposed program begin date. This “12-month bar” does not apply if the EV is transferring to Stevens from another program sponsor, if the EV was present in J status for less than 6 months, or if the EV was in J status as a short-term scholar.
Any individual who participates in the Exchange Visitor Program as either the Professor or Research Scholar categories becomes subject to a “24-month bar” on “repeat participation” in those categories upon completing his/her program. The EV becomes subject to this bar
regardless of whether they completed the maximum five years available per program in the Professor Research Scholar categories, or if their program was completed in less than 5 years. Participation as a short-term scholar after time spent as a research scholar/professor is not prevented by the 24-month bar, nor does it make an EV subject to the 24-month bar should they seek to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program as a research scholar/professor after time spent as a short-term scholar.