212(e) Waiver

If you are subject to the 2-Year Return Residency Requirement and wish to apply for a waiver, you may be eligible. Complete instructions can be found on the Department of State website, though we have provided general information here. 

First, you must complete an online J Visa Waiver Recommendation application that will need to be physically mailed, with supporting documents and a $120 fee, to the Dept. of State J Waiver team. Depending on the basis for which you are applying for a waiver, required supporting documents may vary. 

The basis for your waiver request will dictate the expected processing time for your request. These requests can take as long as 12 to 16 weeks for a waiver based on a “No Objection Statement”, a common basis for a waiver request, or as long as 36 to 52 weeks for a waiver based on “Exceptional Hardship”. 

Once the Department of State’s Waiver Review Division has made its recommendation, it will forward the recommendation to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)