Traveling to the US on the VWP before entering with a J1 visa

Traveling to the US on the VWP before entering with a J1 visa - Brown Mountains

I am an international student studying in Canada, and have an EU citizenship, which makes me eligible to enter the US via the visa waiver program (VWP). In the fall I will be a research fellow in an American institute, to which end I will apply for a J-1 exchange visitor visa.

Prior to that, I am planning to attend a conference in the US, after which I will return back to Canada before entering the US again as an exchange visitor.

Will I be able to enter the US on the visa waiver program after starting the J-1 application process but prior to my program start date?

Regarding the J-1 visa, it is clearly stated on official websites that one is not allowed to enter the US more than 30 days prior to the program start date. However, my conference is more than two months prior to that date.






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Can you enter the US before your J-1 visa starts?

The holder of a J or F visa may enter the United States up to 30 days before the start of the program as indicated on the DS-2019 or I-20A-B/M-N.

Can I enter the US with less than 6 months on my visa?

Q. 1 How long does my passport have to be valid in order to apply for a U. S. visa? You must possess a passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions).

Can I travel to the US with an O 1 visa?

You are required to have a valid O-1 visa in your passport to return to the U.S. from all countries except for brief trips (less than 30 days) to Canada & Mexico (see below).

Do you need an ESTA if you have a J-1 visa?

J-1 visas and ESTAGeneral travel to the U.S. such as travel on organized tours requires application for ESTA, not for a visa. Even those passing through the U.S. in transit, regardless of age, must obtain ESTA.



About Visa Waiver Program | How to travel in US without a visa | Visa Waiver Program USA 2021 | DHS




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Roberto Nickson, Alex Azabache, Ken Cheung, Enric Cruz López