Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Home
> The Exchange Visitor
Program > Participation
Eligibility Requirements
To ensure that the program is suitable to the participant's background,
needs, and experience, sponsors screen and select their program participants
according to the eligibility criteria for each program category. Some
categories require that a personal interview be part of the screening/selection
process. Please refer to the information provided in this website on each
category and to the regulations through the established links. In addition
to program-specific criteria, all participants must satisfy English
language proficiency and Insurance
requirements. In addition, sponsors are to provide participants with pre-arrival
information prior to their departure from their home countries and
with an appropriate orientation.
Sponsors are also required to monitor
the progress and welfare of the participants in their programs.
English Language Proficiency
Participants must possess sufficient proficiency in the English language
to participate in their programs. Sponsors are required to ensure that
their participants are sufficiently proficient in the English language
to participate in their exchange programs before they enter the United
States. [22 CFR 62.10(a)(2)]
Insurance
Participants and any J-2 dependents (spouses and minor children -- children
under the age 21) accompanying them are required to carry medical insurance
at the minimum benefit
levels stated in the program regulations. Program sponsors are required
to ensure that all participants have the appropriate medical insurance.
They will verify that the participant's medical insurance meets the regulatory
requirements, and will facilitate the purchase of coverage to participants
who do not have their own insurance, or whose coverage does not meet the
requirements. Participants interested in obtaining appropriate medical
insurance should contact the responsible officer of the organization sponsoring
their program. Willful failure on the part of the participant and/or any
J-2 dependents to maintain active insurance coverage is grounds for termination
from the program. Please refer to the regulations for details. [22
CFR 62.14]
Pre-Arrival Information
Sponsors are required to provide their participants with information
about the program and related matters before they leave their
home countries for the United States. Sponsors must also provide their
participants with specific program information and any contractual obligations
relevant to their program category. For details, please refer to the regulations.
[22 CFR 62.10 (b)(1-8) and specific regulations
for categories of interest]
Orientation
Sponsors must offer appropriate orientation
for all participants, and are encouraged to offer orientation to the participant's
family (J-2 spouses and dependents), especially those expected to remain
in the United States for at least one year. For details, please refer
to the regulations. [22 CFR 62.10 (c)(1-7) and
specific regulations for categories of interest]
Orientation material should include information about the region, state,
and locale. Useful information specific to each state may be found at
that state's website. The URL for each site is <<www.state's name
spelled as one word.com>>. For example, the site providing information
for the state of Maryland is located at www.maryland.com. The site providing
information for the state of New Hampshire is located at www.newhampshire.com.
Monitoring
Sponsors are required to monitor the progress and welfare of their participants.
Sponsors are to ensure that the participants' activities are consistent
with the program category identified on the participants' Form DS-2019.
Sponsors are also to require their participants to provide current contact
(address and telephone number) information and to maintain this information
in their files.
All program categories require that sponsors provide emergency, 24-hour
contact information to their participants. Participants should not hesitate
to contact the responsible officer if they need assistance. For additional
information, please refer to the regulations. [22
CFR 62.10(e) and specific regulations for categories of interest]
Back to the top
|