Resources for Research Scholars & Professors

J-1 Visiting Scholars

Longwood University welcomes visiting scholars to engage in research projects, consultation, and teaching.  There are several J-1 visa scholar categories, including professor, research scholar, and short-term scholar.  The length of stay can vary from a few weeks to five years.   J-1 scholars must maintain good legal status during their stay and may also be subject to home country residence requirement. Relevant information is provided below.

Two-Year Home Country Requirement

It is important to understand that J-1 visiting scholars who have received funding from their home country's government, or whose subject/field appears on their home country's skills list, may be subject to the Two-Year Home Country Residence Requirement.  If you are subject to this requirement, then you will be required to return to your home country for two full years after completion of the J-1 program.

Maintaining Legal Status

The J-1 scholar must take care during his/her stay in the US to maintain lawful J-1 status, as failure to do so can have serious short-term and long-term consequences.

Fortunately, there are some simple steps the J-1 scholar can take to ensure that the stay in the US remains valid:

• Follow all travel regulations.
• Do not accept unauthorized employment. The only activity the J-1 scholar is permitted to do is the one described in section 4 of the DS-2019 form at the pre-determined site of activity. You must consult the Center for Global Engagement in advance if you wish to take up any other work during the stay. See the section on occasional lectures and consultations below for more information.
• Maintain a health insurance policy and complete a certificate of immunization.

Occasional Lectures and Consultations

Professors and Research Scholars may give occasional lectures and short-term consultations incidental to their primary activities, if approved by the Center for Global Engagement.  If you are offered the opportunity for a lecture or consultation, please contact the Center for Global Engagement to discuss further.