14/10/2025
Long post ahead✍️🙌
Read and understand aspiring teachers 🇺🇸
What is a J1 visa for teachers?
The J-1 Visa program for teachers invites teachers and scholars to the United States to participate in Exchange Visitor Programs designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and research in a variety of fields between people of the United States and people of other countries.
The Exchange Visitor (J) non-immigrant visa category is for individuals approved to participate in work-and study-based exchange visitor programs
TEACHERS MUST:
• Meet the qualifications for teaching in primary or secondary schools in their country of nationality or last legal residence;
• Be working as a teacher in the home country or country of legal residence at the time of application, or, if not working as a teacher, otherwise meet the eligibility qualifications and (a) have recently (within 12 months of application) completed an advanced degree and (b) have two years of full-time teaching experience within the past eight years;
• Have a degree-equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree in either education or the academic subject field in which they intend to teach;
• Have a minimum of two years (24 months) of teaching or related professional experience;
• Satisfy the standards of the U.S. state in which they will teach;
• Be of good reputation and character;
• Be seeking to enter the United States for the purpose of full-time teaching as a teacher of record at a primary (including pre-kindergarten) or secondary accredited educational institution in the United States (pre-kindergarten teachers must teach full-time, and at the pre-kindergarten level, may teach only language immersion at an accredited host school);
• Possess sufficient proficiency in the English language.
BENEFITS
Educational and cultural enrichment: Exchange teachers sharpen their professional skills and participate in cross-cultural activities in schools and communities, and they return to their home school after the exchange to share their experiences and increased knowledge of the United States and the U.S. educational system.
REPEAT PARTICIPATION
• Teachers are eligible to repeat the program provided that they have resided outside the United States for two years and continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
(But my suggestion is if you had a J1 visa already do not repeat, better aim for another visa like H1B or green card because if you become a J1 again it would be another 2-year home residency requirement if you are subject to that 2-year home residency.
Ways on how to apply for J1 visa?
A. Through placement agency which is costly. (not recommended but you can try if you want)
B. Apply directly to school or school district - once you get hired, find a visa sponsor otherwise known as visa sponsoring agency. See list https://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/sponsor-search/ select a program and choose teacher
C. Apply through a visa sponsors that cater full placement - meaning when you applied to them and you get chosen they are the ones who will find school for you. These are some visa sponsors that cater full placement and it is free
https://teachwithepi.com/
https://www.facesinc.org/
https://tinyurl.com/2s42mb3x
Some Required Qualifications of visa sponsors are the following (from EPI)
• Bachelor's Degree or US Equivalent
• Non-US Residency or Non-US Citizenship
• Advanced Proficiency in English
• 2 Years Teaching Experience After Date of Bachelor's Degree
• Currently Teaching
Required Documents
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
• Professional Profile Picture
• Professional References from Administrators
• Passport
• Criminal Record Check
• Diplomas and Transcripts
• Certified Translation of any Required Documents
• Driver's license (some visa sponsors require driver's license, again SOME not all)
When you passed the visa sponsor and a school hired you, the visa sponsor will process your DS 2019 (Certificate of Eligibility)
Next step is the schedule a US Embassy Interview - if you successfully passed the interview, you will receive your passport with J1 visa stamped between 3-7 days.
After that is to get a CFO sticker (I will make a separate and detailed post about this)
Lastly - book a flight bound to US. Congratulations!
Question: What if you are outside the Philippines, for example you are in Thailand, can you apply for J1 visa?
Yes - the difference is that you don't need to have a CFO sticker.
Good luck mga NathanTangi!
Sources: Bridge USA website and EPI website
