Repeat Participation Bars
IN PROGRESS - INTERNAL LINKS MAY NOT BE FUNCTIONAL
J-1 exchange visitors in the Research Scholar and Professor categories are subject to 12- and 24-month repeat participation bars, meaning they are not immediately eligible to participate in a program of the same kind after completing a program, and may not be eligible to begin a program if they were in J status recently.
Note that these bars are only relevant to those in the Research Scholar and Professor categories. Of the J-1 exchange programs sponsored by UTEP, Interns are the only other group that have any sort of regulated restriction, and repeat participation is permitted as long as the next Internship is related to a subsequent degree level.
When applying for a J-1 program at UTEP, the exchange visitor MUST disclose any time spent in J status and should submit copies of all previous J visas and DS-2019s. OIP will help to determine if any bars apply.
12-Month Bar
The 12-month bar refers to the period of time before the program start date. Prospective exchange visitors may not begin a new Professor or Research Scholar program if, at any time in the preceding 12 months, he/she was physically present in the United States in J-1 or J-2 status unless:
- The exchange visitor is transferring to a new program sponsor to continue the current program;
- Physical presence in the United States in J status was less than six months; or
- The exchange visitor was a Short-Term Scholar.
Time spent in the United States in any status other than J-1 or J-2 is not relevant to and does not trigger the bar.
If a prospective exchange visitor is subject to the 12-month bar, he/she is not ineligible to start a new Professor or Research Scholar program, but the bar must be taken into consideration when determining the start date.
24-Month Bar
The 24-month bar refers to the period of time after the program end date. Professors and Research Scholars who have participated in and completed their program are not eligible to begin a new Professor or Research scholar program for 24 months after their end date.
The 24-month bar does not require the exchange visitor to remain outside the United States during that time. In fact, he/she may remain in the United States in J or another status. However, note that if he/she chooses to remain in J-1 or J-2 status in a category other than Professor or Research Scholar, the 12-month bar may apply when attempting to start a new Professor or Research Scholar program.