Visiting Scholars who are not U.S. Citizens or who do not have permanent U.S. residency will apply for a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa supported by Harvard University. Please note that for some countries, there is a two year home country residency requirement following a stay in the U.S. on a J-1 visa when holders of the visa are the recipients of funding from their home country governments. For more information on the two- year home country residence requirement, please consult a U.S. embassy or consulate. There is a minimum of three months needed to process a visa, which Visiting Scholars should keep in mind when planning to come to Harvard.

Once you are accepted as a Visiting Scholar at CES, you will be sent further information on how to obtain your J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa. Spouses and dependents under the age of 21 can accompany visitors by applying for a J-2 visa. Visiting Scholars are responsible for all fees associated with the visa application process, including, but not limited to: the Visa Application Fee, SEVIS fee, telephone fees for Embassy appointments, and the Visa Issuance Fee. Please note that J-2 dependents are not subject to the SEVIS fee.

The Harvard International Office (HIO) is an excellent resource on visas for Visiting Scholars, and we strongly recommend looking at the visa requirements on their website at http://hio.harvard.edu under "Students and Scholars."

2009-2010 Visiting Scholar Countries of Origin