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J-1 Scholar: 12- and 24-Month Bars
IMPORTANT NOTICEOn September 14, 2026, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to delay the implementation of the D/S final rule. The rule will not be implemented while litigation proceeds. Consequently, current F and J regulations under the “duration of status” framework are still in place and this webpage currently reflects those regulations. Please contact ISSP at globe@wm.edu with any questions. Visit the Immigration Updates webpage for more information about the elimination of D/S final rule.
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The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program exists to promote the exchange of international scholars and students in the US. “Bars" to repeat participation exist within the regulations of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program to support the mission of the program.
The 12- and 24-month bars affect eligibility and determine when a current or previous J-1 exchange visitor is eligible for sponsorship in the J-1 Professor or Research Scholar category. If you have held J-1 status in the past, you may be subject to either a 12- or 24-month bar.
Please Note: These bars should not be mistaken for the Two-Year Home Residency Requirement.
The following chart shows how long you would have to wait (12- or 24-months) after finishing your J-1 program, before you are eligible to participate in a new J-1 Research Scholar or Professor program.
| Previous J-1 Category | Program was 6 months or less | Program was more than 6 months |
| J-1 Student Non-Degree | No bar | 12 months |
| J-1 Student Degree-Seeking | No bar | 12 months |
| J-1 Student Intern | No bar | 12 months |
|
J-1 Research Scholar/Professor for any amount of time (one day to five years) |
24 months | 24 months |
| J-1 Short-Term Scholar | No bar | N/A |
| J-1 Specialist | No bar | 12 months |
|
J-2 Dependent of Research Scholar/Professor Category for any amount of time (one day to five years) |
24 months | 24 months |
|
J-2 Dependent of any other J-1 category except Short-Term Scholar |
No bar | 12 months |