§ 62.41 Change of category.
(a) The Department of State may, in
its discretion, permit an exchange visitor
to change his or her category of
exchange participation. Any change in
category must be clearly consistent
with and closely related to the participant’s
original exchange objective and
necessary due to unusual or exceptional
circumstances.
(b) A request for change of category
along with supporting justification
must be submitted to the Department
of State by the participant’s sponsor.
Upon Department of State approval the
sponsor shall issue to the exchange visitor
a duly executed Form DS–2019 reflecting
such change of category and
provide a notification copy of such
form to the Department of State.
(c) Requests for change of category
from research scholar to student will
be evaluated recognizing the fact that,
in some cases, research skills can be
substantially enhanced by doctoral
study.
(d) An exchange visitor who applies
for a change of category pursuant to
these regulations is considered to be
maintaining lawful status during the
pendency of the application.
(e) An exchange visitor who applies
for a change of category and who subsequently
receives notice from the Department
of State that the request has
been denied is considered to be maintaining
lawful status for an additional
period of thirty days from the day of
such notice, during which time the exchange
visitor is expected to depart the
country, or for a period of thirty days
from expiration of the exchange visitors’
Form DS–2019, whichever is later
