American J-1 / J-2 Visa Insurance FAQs and Answers

A J-1 visa is a stamp in a person's passport, required (except in the case of Canadians) for people who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents to enter the United States. TheA DS-2019 is a U.S. government form that a person in another country uses to apply for a J-1 visa to come to the United States as a visiting scholar. The Office of International Student in the sponsoring educational or research institution typically issues DS-2019s on behalf of the university.

You do not have to send documents. They will ask for your passport number, date of birth, and they may want your visa number and institution name.

The Department of State has established the following requirements for the type and amounts of coverage required to maintain J-1 or J-2 status:

If you wish to transfer from one J-1 sponsor to another, you must seek clearance from the original program sponsor. Once your program sponsor has approved or signed your new DS-2019 and returned it to the new sponsor, you are then considered under the sponsorship of the new program. The scholar may not take up employment with the new program until the transfer process has been successfully completed. The transfer of J-1 program sponsor must be completed prior to the individual's termination from the previous J-1 program and before the current DS-2019 form expires. Time spent in a previous program(s) prior to the transfer will be counted toward the three-year maximum.

Yes, a visiting scholar can come with what is called a B-1 "visitor for business" visa. Under certain limitations, a person in B-1 status is permitted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) regulations to be reimbursed for expenses, and, under the amended law, can be paid an honorarium in any amount. Visiting scholars who are going to meet all of their own expenses can also come in B-1 status. Acquiring a B-1 visa does not entail any formal immigration document from the University. To obtain a B-1 visa, a prospective scholar ought to have an invitation letter from the department with which the scholar will be affiliated, detailing the dates and activities of the contemplated visit, and stating what if anything is to be provided in the way of reimbursements and honoraria.

Yes, if the scholar is in J-1 status. Scholars in J-1 status can be paid by an academic department for whatever work they do in that department. The income is taxable, unless the scholar comes from a country with which the United States has a tax treaty that exempts the scholar's pay from income taxation. It is also possible for visiting scholars in J-1 status to receive honoraria for lectures or consultations carried out elsewhere than the University, as long as they go through the appropriate procedures. For information about those procedures, contact an adviser in ISSS. Scholars in J-1 status are not permitted to work outside the department with which they are affiliated, or even in areas within that department not directly related to the purpose for which they came to the University.

Most J-1 programs require a minimum stay of three weeks and allow a maximum stay of three years. One six-month extension can be given by the "sponsor" if the additional time is needed for the scholar to complete the purpose for which he or she originally came to the United States. In unusual circumstances and only if certain time-consuming procedures have been started well in advance, the U.S. Department of State, which administers the J-1 or "Exchange Visitor Program," can authorize an extension of more than six months. If a J-1 scholar's initial permission to remain in the United States is valid for less than three years (as it will be if the scholar application materials indicate a shorter period than three years), then an "extension of stay" for any period up to the three-year limit can be granted. This procedure requires the department to send the ISSS a completed Form for J-1 Extension of Stay.

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Yes. Study USA will provide coverage worldwide outside the home country. For each 3 months of coverage, the insured is eligible for 15 days of coverage inside their home country.

Most policies for the foreign scholar requires the J1 visa holder be the primary on the policy. Furthermore, the J2 or spouse often has reduced benefits AND higher cost of the plan. There is one policy, however which can be purchased by the J2 dependent as long as the J1 scholar is being covered by their institution. That policy is called Patriot Exchange and is offered by International Medical Group (IMG). The Patriot Exchange is a very economical policy with many excellent benefits.

One advantage of the policy is that if the insured has access to a health center, they only pay a $5 copay (instead of the usual $100 deductible). As a copay, this is payable at EACH visit, however, even several visits will be cheaper than the $100 deductible. A disadvantage to the policy is that there is no maternity coverage and no coverage for pre-existing conditions. For more details on Patriot Exchange, including brochure and pricing, please check these links:

Global plans from IMG are suitable for your situation.

No, Patriot Exchange from IMG is suitable for this kind of situation:

We have several plans for J1 and J2 Visa holders. Some of the plans need the J1 Visa holder to be the primary for the J2 to be covered. In case J2 alone needs a plan we have one popular plan known as Patriot Exchange from insurer IMG . Please find the details here:

The J2 requirements are dependent on the J1 holder exchange program requirements.

If the primary purpose of the J2 Visa holder is just to accompany their partner on J1 then they are eligible to purchase any visitor health insurance plan. If they have other intentions to study or to work it is better to choose the suitable plan for them according to their needs.

We cannot say that they do not cover J2 Visa holders but they might not meet their specific health insurance requirements. J2 eligibility and coverage is dependent on the J1 exchange program.