Two-year home country residence requirement
In some cases, this visa carries with it a “two-year home country residence requirement,” which obliges Exchange Visitors to return to their home countries for two years before being eligible to apply for an immigrant visa or a non-immigrant H or L visa. The requirement also makes Exchange Visitors ineligible to change to a different visa status within the United States if they are subject to it. This restriction applies to those financially supported by the U.S. government or their home governments (including travel grants) during part or all of their stay in the United States. In addition, the two-year home country residence requirement is imposed on those whose skills are needed in the home countries, as registered on the Exchange Visitor Skills List. This requirement also applies to exchange visitors who are graduates of foreign medical schools participating in internships, residencies, or clinical training programs in the United States sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). For more information on the two-year home country residence requirement, consult a U.S. embassy or consulate.