Passport validity requirement for J1 visa in the USA

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In practice, what the rule means is that the CBP officer at entry will put a date on your I-94 that is no later than 6 months before your passport expires (for passports not on the 6-month club) or no later than when your passport expires (for passports on the 6-month club). In case your I-94 has a date that is limited by passport expiration, you can still renew your passport while in the US, but then you will need to either apply for Extension of Status to extend the I-94 without leaving the US, or leave and re-enter the US with the new passport to get a longer period of admission that is no longer limited by passport expiration.

However, almost all J1 are admitted for "D/S" (duration of status) instead of a date on their I-94. In this case, the rule has no effect, as long as at the time of entry the passport has at least 6 months of validity left (for passports not on the 6-month club) or any length of validity left (for passports on the 6-month club). People with "D/S" do no need to apply for Extension of Status -- their status already lasts indefinitely, as long as the person otherwise complies with the conditions of that status (e.g. for J1, be in good standing with the program and have a valid DS-2019; and you remain in status for 30 days after the successful completion of the program).

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