J1 visa second time change to F1 - 2 year home residency requirement is subjected?

[Chanhpham]

Hi everyone,
I was in US for the first internship program under J1 visa in 2016, then I headed back home for 2 years home residency requirement. Now I'm staying in US for the second time under J1 visa too. So is that possible for me to transfer my visa from J1 to F1 without going back to my country or I have to go back my country and waiting for 2 years before I apply for any university in US?
Thank you!

 

[Veggie3]

The rule regarding the 2 years home residency requirement is that you are ineligible for H-1B (temporary employment), L-1 (intra-company transfer), K (fiancee visa) or Green Card (Permanent Residence) status before physically residing 730 days in their home country, OR obtaining a waiver of that requirement. There's no such condition for COS to F-1 visa. So you can go ahead and apply for a transfer.

The 2YHRR remains, but the good news is that you can travel to your home country while on F-1 status (semester breaks, vacations, etc.), and every day you're in your home country will be calculated toward the fulfillment of the 2YHRR.