DS-3035 J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
Starts the request for a waiver of the two-year home-country residence requirement that attaches to many J-1 exchange visitors. It must be completed on the J Visa Waiver Online system, which produces a barcoded form. The applicant then mails the barcoded form with the fee and any third-party documents to the Waiver Review Division in St. Louis.
- Fee
- $120, non-refundable
- Fee waiver
- Not available
- Who files
- J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors subject to INA 212(e).
- Where to file
- Completed online at j1visawaiverrecommendation.state.gov, then mailed with the fee to the Waiver Review Division processing address in St. Louis.
- Processing time
- 6 to 10 weeks from receipt of a complete application, per the State Department
Usually filed with
Part of these processes
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- Only the online version is accepted; a paper version is returned without the fee. The fee is not refunded if the waiver is denied, and it is not refunded if USCIS declines to make a hardship or persecution finding on a related Form I-612.
Official page. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/exchange/waiver-of-the-exchange-visitor.html. Download the form there, never from a third-party site; check the edition date and fee before filing.