J-2 Dependents

(Please note: The information in the following sections is intended for dependents of both J-1 students and all other J-1 exchange visitors.)

J-1 exchange visitors are permitted to be accompanied by a legal spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21, known as J-2 dependents. Each dependent will need a J-2 visa and will be issued their own DS-2019 and SEVIS number. Like the J-1, all J-2 dependents are required to maintain qualifying health insurance coverage for the duration of their visit.

The dependent’s status is totally dependent on the exchange visitor’s status. Each J-2 will have the same participation end date as the J-1, and will receive the same extension(s) if applicable. When the J-1 completes the program and leaves the United States, the J-2 is also required to leave. If the J-1 is subject to a participation bar or the 212(e) home residency requirement, the J-2 is as well.

OIP should be notified, and evidence of the event may be required, if a J-2 dependent:

• Changes status or departs the United States before the program end date and does not intend to return during the program;
• Spouse becomes legally divorced from the J-1 spouse;
• Dies; or
• Wants to terminate his/her SEVIS record for any reason.

J-2 dependents MUST:

• Maintain an unexpired passport that is valid for at least 6 months into the future;
• Enter the United States up to 30 days before the program start date or at any time before the program end date, as long as the J-1 has already entered and is participating in the program as required;
• Immediately report arrival to OIP and attend an orientation meeting with an Advisor;
• Live with the J-1 exchange visitor for the duration of the visit;
• Report a new local U.S. address within 10 days of moving to OIP;
• Report changes in legal name or other contact information (foreign home address, phone number, personal email address) to OIP;
• Only work with authorization from USCIS;
• Leave the United States if the J-1 will be absent for an extended period;
• Leave the United States, transfer to another program, or request a change of status at the end of the program;
• Maintain qualifying health insurance for the duration of your program (see Health Insurance);
• Remain legally married to the J-1 (spouse dependents); and
• Remain unmarried and be under the age of 21 (child dependents).

If a J-1 falls out of status, the J-2 is also out of status, even if the J-2 did not commit a status violation.

A J-2 dependent should be prepared to provide copies of the J-1 exchange visitor’s biographical and program documents at the visa interview if it is at a different time than the J-1’s. If the J-1 and all J-2 dependents will not initially enter the United States at the same time, the J-1 MUST enter before any J-2 dependents may be admitted.

If arriving for the first time after the J-1, the J-2 dependents should present copies of the J-1’s passport biographical page, DS-2019, visa, and passport entry stamp as evidence that he/she has already arrived. After initial entry, J-2 dependents may travel independently of the J-1 or remain in the United States while the J-1 travels as long as J-1’s absence is brief and temporary, and everyone is maintaining status.

Because a J-2’s status is dependent on the J-1’s status, it is against regulations for a J-2 to remain in the United States while the J-1 is absent for a significant period of time. If the J-1 will be absent from the United States for more than 30 days, he/she should complete and submit an Extended Absence Request on our Forms page, and we advise that the J-2 should depart the United States at the same time. It is not necessary for the J-2 to travel with the J-1 while outside the United States.

One of the most desirable advantages of being a J-2 dependent is the ability to apply for work authorization from USCIS and obtain a social security number. The J-2 must demonstrate in the application that the income generated will not be used to support the J-1.

For more information, visit J-2 Employment.

Another desirable advantage of being a J-2 dependent is the ability to study while in the United States, without restirction to type of program or level of study, as long as the study is incidental to the primary purpose of the visit.

Because they are required to live with the exchange visitor for the duration of the program, dependents should not attend a school that would require him/her to relocate, unless attending via distance learning/online. J-2 dependents may apply for their own student visa (F-1, M-1, or J-1) to attend a non-local school in-person.

In order to remain an eligible dependent, children must be unmarried and under the age of 21. If a J-2 dependent child plans to get married or will soon be turning 21, he/she must either depart the United States or apply to change status before the event. Many dependents who are about to “age out” (turn 21) apply for a student visa (F-1, M-1, or J-1) to begin or continue college.

If dependents will only be making brief trips to the United States to visit the exchange visitor, they may choose to do so with a B tourist visa or on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) instead of obtaining a J-2 visa. The best option will depend on the situation and the true nature of the visit(s)—whether the dependents intend to reside with the exchange visitor or just make brief trips.

Advantages of a J-2 visa include the ability to apply for work authorization and study, while disadvantages include the requirements to maintain health insurance and show proof of funding for all J-2 dependents during the visit. J-2 dependents are also subject to participation bars and the 212(e) home residency requirement if the J-1 is subject.

For countries where obtaining a B visa is difficult, a J-2 may be a better option. And any family members who choose to enter on a B visa or through the VWP must prove that they intend to depart the United States within the allotted time period, which can be more difficult to show if an immediately family member is in the United States.