US Names 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 may be required to return home for two years after completing their programme
• African nations make up the largest share of the list, with Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and several others among the countries affected
• The two-year home-country physical presence rule applies only when both the visitor's country and their specific skill field appear on the published list

The United States State Department has released its Exchange Visitor Skills List by Country, identifying 44 nations whose citizens could be required to spend two years in their home country before accessing certain US immigration benefits after finishing an exchange visitor programme.

The list spans regions including Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands, with African countries accounting for the largest share of nations named.

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What 2-year requirement means for exchange visitors

The obligation is grounded in Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which grants the US Secretary of State authority to designate countries that clearly need nationals with specific fields of specialised knowledge or skills.

Where both a person's country of nationality and their area of expertise feature on the Skills List, that individual must be physically present in their home country for two years after completing their exchange programme before they can apply for certain immigration benefits, including permanent residency or specific visa adjustments.

Crucially, the rule is not a blanket restriction on all exchange visitors from the named countries. It only applies when both the country and the particular skill field are listed. The State Department advises nationals to consult the Federal Register for the full details specific to their country, as each nation may carry a different skills list.

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Full list of 44 countries named by the State Department

The 44 countries subject to the requirement are: Belize, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, the Palestinian Authority (West Bank and Gaza), the Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zambia.

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The development is particularly significant for Ghanaian and other African nationals participating in US exchange programmes under the J-1 visa category, a route widely used by researchers, scholars, and professionals seeking experience in the United States.

US announces visa restrictions targeting South Africa

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the United States has announced a visa restriction policy targeting South African officials and individuals.

These persons are deemed responsible for laws and policies that enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, and the incitement of racial violence against minority groups in the country.

Source: YEN.com.gh