(i) Eligibility for admission. A nonimmigrant exchange visitor and his or her accompanying spouse and minor children may be admitted into the United States in J-1 and J-2 classifications under section 101(a)(15)(J) of the Act, if the exchange visitor and his or her accompanying spouse and children each presents a SEVIS Form DS-2019 issued in his or her own name by a program approved by the Department of State for participation by J-1 exchange visitors. Prior to August 1, 2003, if exigent circumstances are demonstrated, the Service will allow the dependent of an exchange visitor possessing a SEVIS Form DS-2019 to enter the United States using a copy of the exchange visitor's SEVIS Form DS-2019. However, where the exchange visitor presents a properly completed Form DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status, which was issued to the J-1 exchange visitor by a program approved by the Department of State for participation by exchange visitors and which remains valid for the admission of the exchange visitor, the accompanying spouse and children may be admitted on the basis of the J-1's non-SEVIS Form DS-2019. (Revised effective 1/1/03; 67 FR 76256) 

(ii) Admission period. An exchange alien, and J-2 spouse and children, may be admitted for a period up to 30 days before the report date or start of the approved program listed on Form DS-2019. The initial admission of an exchange visitor, spouse and children may not exceed the period specified on Form DS-2019, plus a period of 30 days for the purposes of travel or for the period designated by the Commissioner as provided in paragraph (j)(1)(vi) of this section. Regulations of the Department of State published at 22 CFR part 62 give general limitations on the stay of the various classes of exchange visitors. A spouse or child may not be admitted for longer than the principal exchange visitor. (Revised effective 1/1/03; 67 FR 76256) (Revised 6/15/99; 64 FR 32146) 

(iii) Readmission. An exchange alien may be readmitted to the United States for the remainder of the time authorized on Form I - 94, without presenting Form IAP - 66, if the alien is returning from a visit solely to foreign contiguous territory or adjacent islands after an absence of less than 30 days and if the original Form I - 94 is presented. All other exchange aliens must present a valid Form IAP - 66. An original Form IAP - 66 or copy three (the pink copy) of a previously issued form presented by an exchange alien returning from a temporary absence shall be retained by the exchange alien for re-entries during the balance of the alien's stay. 

(iv) Extensions of Stay. If an exchange alien requires an extension beyond the initial admission period, the alien shall apply by submitting a new Form DS-2019 which indicates the date to which the alien's program is extended. The extension may not exceed the period specified on Form DS-2019, plus a period of 30 days for the purpose of travel. Extensions of stay for the alien's spouse and children require, as an attachment to Form DS-2019, Form I - 94 for each dependent, and a list containing the names of the applicants, dates and places of birth, passport numbers, issuing countries, and expiration dates. An accompanying spouse or child may not be granted an extension of stay for longer than the principal exchange alien. (Amended effective 1/1/03; 67 FR 76256) 

(v) Employment. 

(A) (A) The accompanying spouse and minor children of a J-1 exchange visitor may accept employment only with authorization by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. A request for employment authorization must be made on Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with fee, as required by the Service, to the district director having jurisdiction over the J-1 exchange visitor's temporary residence in the United States. Income from the spouse's or dependent's employment may be used to support the family's customary recreational and cultural activities and related travel, among other things. Employment will not be authorized if this income is needed to support the J-1 principal alien. (Amended 6/3/95; 60 FR 21973) 

(B) J-2 employment may be authorized for the duration of the J-1 principal alien's authorized stay as indicated on Form I-94 or a period of four years, whichever is shorter. The employment authorization is valid only if the J-1 is maintaining status. Where a J-2 spouse or dependent child has filed a timely application for extension of stay, only upon approval of the request for extension of stay may he or she apply for a renewal of the employment authorization on a Form I-765 with the required fee. 

(vi) Extension of duration of status. The Commissioner may, by notice in the Federal Register, at any time she determines that the H-1B numerical limitation as described in section 214(g)(1)(A) of the Act will likely be reached prior to the end of a current fiscal year, extend for such a period of time as the Commissioner deems necessary to complete the adjudication of the H-1B application, the duration of status of any J-1 alien on behalf of whom an employer has timely filed an application for change of status to H-1B. The alien, in accordance with 8 CFR part 248, must not have violated the terms of his or her nonimmigrant stay and is not subject to the 2-year foreign residence requirement at 212(e) of the Act. Any J-1 student whose duration of status has been extended shall be considered to be maintaining lawful nonimmigrant status for all purposes under the Act, provided that the alien does not violate the terms and conditions of his or her J nonimmigrant stay. An extension made under this paragraph also applies to the J-2 dependent aliens. (Added 6/15/99; 64 FR 32146) (Corrected 6/22/99; 64 FR 33346) 

(vii) Use of SEVIS. At a date to be established by the Department of State, the use of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) will become mandatory for designated program sponsors. After that date, which will be announced by publication in the Federal Register, all designated program sponsors must begin issuance of the SEVIS Form DS-2019. (Added effective 1/1/03; 67 FR 76256) 

(viii) Current name and address. A J-1 exchange visitor must inform the Service and the responsible officer of the exchange visitor program of any legal changes to his or her name or of any change of address, within 10 days of the change, in a manner prescribed by the program sponsor. A J-1 exchange visitor enrolled in a SEVIS program can satisfy the requirement in 8 CFR 265.1 of notifying the Service by providing a notice of a change of address within 10 days to the responsible officer, who in turn shall enter the information in SEVIS within 21 days of notification by the exchange visitor. A J-1 exchange visitor enrolled at a non-SEVIS program must submit a change of address to the Service, as provided in 8 CFR 265.1, within 10 days of the change. Except in the case of an exchange visitor who cannot receive mail where he or she resides, the address provided by the exchange visitor must be the actual physical location where the exchange visitor resides rather than a mailing address. In cases where an exchange visitor provides a mailing address, the exchange visitor program must maintain a record of, and must provide upon request from the Service, the actual physical location where the exchange visitor resides. (Added effective 1/1/03; 67 FR 76256) 

(2) Special reporting requirement. Each exchange alien participating in a program of graduate medical education or training shall file Form I - 644 (Supplementary Statement for Graduate Medical Trainees) annually with the Service attesting to the conditions as specified on the form. The exchange alien shall also submit Form I - 644 as an attachment to a completed Form DS-2019 when applying for an extension of stay. (Amended effective 1/1/03; 67 FR 76256) 

(3) Alien in cancelled programs. When the approval of an exchange visitor program is withdrawn by the Director of the United States Information Agency, the district director shall send a notice of the withdrawal to each participant in the program and a copy of each such notice shall be sent to the program sponsor. If the exchange visitor is currently engaged in activities authorized by the cancelled program, the participant is authorized to remain in the United States to engage in those activities until expiration of the period of stay previously authorized. The district director shall notify participants in cancelled programs that permission to remain in the United States as an exchange visitor, or extension of stay may be obtained if the participant is accepted in another approved program and a Form DS-2019, executed by the new program sponsor, is submitted. In this case, a release from the sponsor of the cancelled program will not be required. (Amended effective 1/1/03; 67 FR 76256) 

(4) Eligibility requirements for section 101(a)(15)(J) classification for aliens desiring to participate in programs under which they will receive graduate medical education or training --  

(i) Requirements. Any alien coming to the United States as an exchange visitor to participate in a program under which the alien will receive graduate medical education or training, or any alien seeking to change nonimmigrant status to that of an exchange visitor on Form I - 506 for that purpose, must have passed parts of I and II of the National Board of Medical Examiners Examination (or an equivalent examination as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services), and must be competent in oral and written English, and shall submit a completely executed and valid Form DS-2019. (Amended effective 1/1/03; 67 FR 76256)  

(ii) Exemptions. From January 10, 1978 until December 31, 1983, any alien who has come to or seeks to come to the United States as an exchange visitor to participate in an accredited program of graduate medical education or training, or any alien who seeks to change nonimmigrant status for that purpose, may be admitted to participate in such program without regard to the requirements stated in subparagraphs (A) and (B)(ii)(I) of section 212(j)(1) of the Act if a substantial disruption in the health services provided by such program would result from not permitting the alien to participate in the program: Provided that the exemption will not increase the total number of aliens then participating in such programs to a level greater than that participating on January 10, 1978.