Effective from December 9, 2024, the Department of State (DOS) updated the J-1 Exchange Visitors Skills List, which determines if J-1 visa holders must fulfill the two-year home residency requirement under Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Turkey is among several countries removed from the updated list, including China, India, Argentina, and others. While the skills categories remain unchanged from the 2009 list, this update provides significant relief for J-1 visa holders from Turkey. The requirement may still apply to those with government funding or in graduate medical training.
The DOS plans to review and update the Skills List every three years, offering opportunities for future changes to further benefit J-1 visa holders.
For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/09/2024-28718/public-notice-of-revised-exchange-visitor-skills-list
