A J-2 visa is a non-immigrant
visa
Visa most commonly refers to:
*Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company
** Visa Debit card issued by the above company
** Visa Electron, a debit card
** Visa Plus, an interbank network
*Travel visa, a document that allows ...
issued by the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
for spouses and dependents of
J-1 exchange visitors.
Any J-2 visa with the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) can work for any employer in the US without sponsorship. 39.350 J-2 visas were issued in 2017.
Employment authorization
J-2 visitors may request work authorization from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by submitting form I-765. Adjudication typically takes between 3 and 5 months.
If approved, an
Employment Authorization Document
A Form I-766 employment authorization document (EAD or EAD card, known popularly as a work permit, is a document issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that provides temporary employment authorization to nonciti ...
(EAD) will be issued, authorizing the J-2 visitor for employment for a period of up to one year. Applications for additional employment authorization may be submitted annually until the end of the J-2's status.
However, some J-2 visa holders reported receiving EAD cards valid until the end of their J-2 visa.
Academic enrollment
J-2 visitors may enroll in academic programs as recreational or degree-seeking students. There are no enrollment requirements associated with J-2 status; students may enroll full- or part-time and discontinue their program at any time. J-2 visitors who have not completed their academic program by the time the principal J-1's status ends may petition for a change to
F-1 student status, provided they are not subject to the Two-Year Home Residency Requirement.
See also
*
List of United States dependent visas
A dependent United States visa is a type of visa which allows spouses and children to travel to the United States for the purpose of accompanying a family member with a corresponding visa type. While many visa classes have their own dependent vis ...
References
{{United States visas
United States visas by type