J2 (Over 21) Waiver of Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement Approved for Russian Client in Brooklyn New York

CASE: J-2 Waiver of Two-Year Foreign Residency Requirement / Over 21-year-old dependent child

NATIONALITY: Russian

LOCATION: Brooklyn, NY

Our client is a citizen of Russia who came to the U.S. on a J-2 Visa in February 1998.  He came with his father who came on a J-1 Visa for his research program in the United States. Both were subject to the two-year foreign residency requirement, meaning they had to go back to their home country for two-years before they can apply for permanent residency or some non-immigrant visa such as the H, L, and O visas.

He turned 21 in November 2010. This year, his employer wanted to file an I-140 petition for him. The I-140 was possible, but the eventual I-485 adjustment of status (green card) was not possible due to the two year foreign residency requirement.

 

Although J-2 dependents cannot independently apply for a waiver, in cases where a J-2 child reaches 21, the Waiver Review Division may consider requests for waivers on behalf of the J-2 dependent.  The Department of State’s policy allows for that process in instances where the J-2 dependent obtains a divorce form the J-1 principal, the J-1 principal dies, or in cases where the J-2 dependent turns 21, which is our client’s case. In fact, our client turned 21 in November 2010.

Our firm was retained to do her J-2 waiver, and on March 3, 2020, the J-2 Waiver application (Form DS-3035 and supporting documents) was filed to the Department of State. We also sent a request to the DOS to be an interested government agency and recommend this waiver based on the fact that our client reached the age of 21 and was not a dependent of a J-1 visa holder anymore.  Eventually, on June 29, 2020, the DOS recommended to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) that our client be granted a waiver.  On July 29, 2020, the USCIS issued an I-612 approval notice for our client’s waiver request.