US Announces 44 Countries Subject to 2-Year Home Residency Rule Under Exchange Visitor Programme

• The US State Department has published a Skills List naming 44 countries whose exchange visitors must return home for two years after their programme
• African nations dominate the list, with Nigeria, Ghana, and several others among the countries affected by the requirement
• The two-year home-country physical presence rule applies to nationals whose country and skill field both appear on the current Skills List

The United States State Department has published its Exchange Visitor Skills List by Country, identifying 44 nations whose citizens may be required to return home for two years after completing an exchange visitor programme before they can pursue certain US immigration benefits.

The list covers countries spanning Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands. African countries make up the largest portion.

What the two-year requirement means

Under Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the US Secretary of State holds the authority to designate certain countries as clearly requiring specific fields of specialised knowledge or skills. Where a person's country of nationality or residence and their area of expertise both appear on the Skills List, that individual must spend two years physically present in their home country after finishing their exchange programme before they become eligible for certain immigration benefits, including permanent residency or specific visa changes.

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The requirement is not blanket across all exchange visitors from these nations. It only applies when both the country and the specific skill field are listed. The State Department notes that each country may have a different skills list, and nationals are encouraged to check the Federal Register website for the full details relevant to their home country.

US: Countries subject to 2-year home residency

According to the federal government, below are the 44 countries whose citizens are subjected to the 2-year home residency rule

1. Belize
2. Benin
3. Burkina Faso
4. Burma (Myanmar)
5. Cabo Verde
6. Cambodia
7. Cameroon
8. Democratic Republic of the Congo
9. Djibouti
10. Ecuador
11. El Salvador
12. Eritrea
13. Ethiopia
14. Fiji
15. The Gambia
16. Ghana
17. Guatemala
18. Haiti
19. Honduras
20. Jamaica
21. Kenya
22. Kosovo
23. Lebanon
24. Liberia
25. Malawi
26. Mali
27. Mauritania
28. Mozambique
29. Nepal
30. Nicaragua
31. Niger
32. Nigeria
33. Palestinian Authority (West Bank and Gaza)
34. Philippines
35. Rwanda
36. Senegal
37. Tajikistan
38. Tanzania
39. Timor-Leste
40. Togo
41. Tonga
42. Venezuela
43. Yemen
44. Zambia

The publication is particularly relevant to Nigerians and other African nationals participating in exchange programmes in the US under the J-1 visa category, a route commonly used by researchers, scholars, and professionals.

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In a similar report, Legit.ng published that the United States (US) announced 23 countries whose citizens are allowed faster immigration clearance at any American airports.

US lists requirements for visa waiver programme

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously published that the US announced the five requirements countries must meet to qualify for the Visa Waiver Programme. The programme allows citizens of eligible countries to visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa, provided they obtain ESTA approval.

But meeting all five conditions does not guarantee entry into the programme. The final decision remains with the US government, leaving countries to meet strict security, passport and visa refusal standards before they can gain visa-free access.

Source: Legit.ng