J-1 visa holders subject to the INA 212(e) two-year foreign residence requirement can apply for a waiver. The waiver can be requested based on one of the following grounds:
Eligibility Requirements:
No Objection Statement (NOS):The home country government provides a statement indicating no objection to the waiver.
Request by an Interested Government Agency (IGA):A U.S. government agency requests the waiver on your behalf.
Persecution: You face persecution in your home country based on race, religion, or political opinion.
Exceptional Hardship:You or your U.S. citizen (or legal permanent resident) spouse or child would experience exceptional hardship if you were required to return to your home country.
CONRAD 30 Program:A designated State Department of Public Health or its equivalent requests the waiver as part of the Conrad 30 program.
