J-2 visa

Non-immigrant visa issued by the United States for spouses and dependents of J-1 exchange visitors.

A J-2 visa is a non-immigrant visa issued by the United States for spouses and dependents of J-1 exchange visitors.^[1] Any J-2 visa with the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) can work for any employer in the US without sponsorship. 39.350 J-2 visas were issued in 2017.^[2]

Employment authorization

J-2 visitors may request work authorization from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by submitting form I-765. Adjudication typically takes between 3 and 5 months.

If approved, an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) will be issued, authorizing the J-2 visitor for employment for a period of up to one year. Applications for additional employment authorization may be submitted annually until the end of the J-2's status.^[3] However, some J-2 visa holders reported receiving EAD cards valid until the end of their J-2 visa.^[4]

Academic enrollment

J-2 visitors may enroll in academic programs as recreational or degree-seeking students. There are no enrollment requirements associated with J-2 status; students may enroll full- or part-time and discontinue their program at any time. J-2 visitors who have not completed their academic program by the time the principal J-1's status ends may petition for a change to F-1 student status, provided they are not subject to the Two-Year Home Residency Requirement.

References

^ United States Department of State. "Exchange Visitor (J) Visas". Archived from the original on March 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
^ "Nonimmigrant Visas Issued by Classification Fiscal Years 2013-2017" (PDF). United States Department of State. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
^ University of California at Berkeley. "J-2 Work Authorization". Retrieved 2009-10-22.
^ J-2 Community. "J-2 Work Authorization Validity Period". Facebook. Retrieved 2015-10-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)