After your training program is over

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allows individuals to legally remain in the United States for 30 days after the training program end date as indicated on their DS2019 form (Certificate of Eligibility).

Participants may use the additional 30 days to travel within the United States and to prepare to exit the country. Participants are not permitted to continue to train, nor can they continue to receive wages from their U.S. host employer. If a participant plans to remain in the United States for the additional 30 days, they should contact AIPT to secure an additional month of health insurance. The health insurance that is included with the program fee does NOT cover the participant for the additional 30 days. Insurance for this time period can be purchased for $50 per month.

It is very important to comply with these regulations. If a participant's training program ends before the end date indicated on the DS-2019, he/she should contact AIPT. Anyone who remains in the United States beyond their legal status, even for one day, is subject to stiff penalties if the individual ever wants to return to the United States.

The J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa which means that participants are supposed to leave the United States at the end of the program. As part of AIPT's sponsorship, the participant and host employer sign the obligations and responsibilities form confirming that the participant intends to enter the United States for practical training and does not intend to abandon his or her non-immigrant status.

Exchange visitors who have completed a J-1 training program may be eligible to participate in a second program under certain conditions. For both trainees and interns, additional training and internship programs must address the development of more advanced skills or a different field of expertise. Interns may participate in additional internship programs as long as they maintain student status or begin a new internship program within 12 months of graduation. Trainees are eligible for additional training programs after a period of at least two years residency outside the United States following their initial training program. Summer work and travel participants may take part in the program for as many summers as they like, as long as they are enrolled full-time in post-secondary education.

Participants who have successfully completed an internship program and no longer meet the eligibility requirements for an internship program must reside outside of the United States for at least two years before they can apply for a training program.

The maximum length of time allowed for the trainee category of the J-1 visa is 18 months. The maximum length of time allowed for the intern category of the J-1 visa is 12 months. All hospitality, tourism, and agricultural programs are limited to 12 months. If a program is less than the maximum length of time permitted and both the exchange visitor and host employer feel that more time would be beneficial, it may be possible to extend to the maximum length of time. AIPT charges a fee to extend a program and requires submission of a training plan for the extension period of the program. The extension approval period may take 2-3 weeks, therefore, please plan accordingly to apply for an extension in advance of the original program end date.

Please note that if an original program is three months or less, AIPT will only grant an extension to a maximum of 12 months, regardless of whether the participant is on the trainee or intern category of the J-1 visa.

For information on the J-1 exchange visitor visa or the categories that AIPT can sponsor programs under, please visit the About section.