Exchange Visitor Program

This is the most notorious trap of the J-1 visa (Section 212(e)). If your program was funded by a government, or if your skills are on the 'Exchange Visitor Skills List' for your home country, you are violently restricted from applying for an H-1B, L-1, or Green Card until you physically return to your home country and reside there for **2 full, cumulative years**. You can apply for a highly complex waiver, but it is not guaranteed.

Strictly no, with marginal exceptions. You are legally bound *only* to the single employer explicitly printed on your DS-2019 form. Working at a local coffee shop on the side (unauthorized employment) is a dire federal violation leading to immediate program termination. The only exception is the Summer Work Travel category, where some sponsors allow secondary jobs if pre-vetted and formally approved in SEVIS beforehand.

Once your official program concludes (the end date on your DS-2019), you are granted a strict 30-day grace period. During this window, you are allowed to travel domestically within the USA for tourism purposes. You absolutely **cannot work** during these 30 days, and you must depart before it expires.