NONIMMIGRANT VISA UNIT
EXCHANGE VISITORS
The Exchange Visitor Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. American universities, summer camps, hospitals, and private foundations sponsor exchange visitor programs. These programs are designed to facilitate cultural and educational exchanges between the United States and other countries.
In order to obtain an Exchange Visitor (J-1) Visa, a visa applicant must first be accepted by a program that is authorized by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program. The organization must issue a DS-2019 form to the applicant.
Exchange Program Sponsors
Visiting Scholars:
The university that you are visiting should provide you with your DS-2019 form.
High School Student Exchange:
AFS Interkulturell Utbildning
Youth For Understanding Sweden (YFU)
Stiftelsen Rotarys Ungdomsutbyte
Practical Training:
American Scandinavian Foundation
Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America
AF Utland/The International Employment Office
(IASTE/AIPT) Internationella programkontoret
webpages: www.iaeste.se and www.iaeste.org
ASSE Aspect Språkresor
Visiting International Faculty Program
(For teachers interested in teaching in the U.S.)
Center for International Studies
Information about schools, Education, help with applications, Language tests, CSN, Accommodations, Insurance, Trip, Visas
Agricultural and Horse Training:
Au Pair and study abroad Programs:
ASSE Aspect Språkresor
Au Pair in America
Cultural Care Au Pair
Strandvägen 13
GoAUPAIR
Scandinavian Institute, SIIS
STS Au Pair
How to Apply for a J-1 Exchange Visitor's Visa
Applicants for nonimmigrant visas must be interviewed in person. In order to receive an appointment, please click here to Book an Appointment.
Please be aware that United States Department of Homeland Security regulations state that holders of F, M and J Nonimmigrant visas will not be admitted to the United States until a date 30 days or less prior to the beginning of your program date, or start date, as given on your form I-20 (for F or M visas) or DS-2019 (for J visas). Please consider that date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States.
IMPORTANT: Applicants for J-1 visas who are not resident in Sweden, or who may shortly cease residing in Sweden (e.g., a non-Swedish graduate student who will shortly complete his or her course of study at a Swedish university), and who have no definite plans to return to Sweden after the conclusion of their J-1 program should consider applying for their J-1 visa in their home country or in a country to which they have strong and permanent ties. Such applicants will have difficulty in demonstrating to the U.S. consular officer in Sweden that they have strong ties and long-term commitments outside the U.S. to which they will return.
Two-Year Foreign Residence Requirement
A person subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement is not eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, or for permanent residence, or for an H or L Temporary Employment nonimmigrant visa until it is established that such person has resided and been physically present in the country of his nationality or his last residence for an aggregate of a least two years following departure from the United States.
Exchange visitors who are subject to, but do not wish to comply with, the two-year home country residence requirement, may apply for a waiver of that requirement under any one of the five applicable grounds provided by the United States immigration law. Please click here for more information on how to apply for a J1 waiver.
