Hey folks,
I am currently a PhD candidate in Germany and had the pleasure to visit the US last year (Mid July- Mid December) on a J1 - five months. I am happy to have received two more invitations from two universities to spend the next two terms (September-December and End January-May) again as a short-term visiting scholar. I read online that there is an (informal?) gap year rule that restricts scholars to get a second J1 within a 12month period.
I was curious if that is actually true and, thereby, I would not get another J1 till Mid-December 2016), which effectively would block me from accepting the first invitation.
The two-year rule (212(e)) does not apply to me, it got waived on my visa since I am financed by a foundation and not by a program of the German or US-american government.
I saw, for example, that UCLA is not accepting J1-scholars when they were J1 within the last 12 months - for longer than 6 months. However, I also have found information that short-term scholars are exempted from all sorts of gap-year restrictions.
That leaves me a little confused and uncertain, if I should pursue both invitations or if I have to turn one of them down (which, if possible, I'd like to avoid). I thought perhaps someone here might be able to help me?
thanks a lot in advance!
h
I am currently a PhD candidate in Germany and had the pleasure to visit the US last year (Mid July- Mid December) on a J1 - five months. I am happy to have received two more invitations from two universities to spend the next two terms (September-December and End January-May) again as a short-term visiting scholar. I read online that there is an (informal?) gap year rule that restricts scholars to get a second J1 within a 12month period.
I was curious if that is actually true and, thereby, I would not get another J1 till Mid-December 2016), which effectively would block me from accepting the first invitation.
The two-year rule (212(e)) does not apply to me, it got waived on my visa since I am financed by a foundation and not by a program of the German or US-american government.
I saw, for example, that UCLA is not accepting J1-scholars when they were J1 within the last 12 months - for longer than 6 months. However, I also have found information that short-term scholars are exempted from all sorts of gap-year restrictions.
That leaves me a little confused and uncertain, if I should pursue both invitations or if I have to turn one of them down (which, if possible, I'd like to avoid). I thought perhaps someone here might be able to help me?
thanks a lot in advance!
h