J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program Incident Reporting - OPA

Every year the U.S. Department of State’s J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program

brings over 300,000 foreign citizens to the United States to work, teach, and study.

During these exchanges, participants strengthen their English language skills,

connect with Americans, and learn more about the United States.

These experiences not only form strong bonds

between the exchange participants and the Americans they meet,

but also create mutual understanding and cultural awareness

in communities across the country and around the world.

The State Department recognizes that ensuring the health, safety, and welfare

of exchange visitors is of paramount importance.

That is why the Office of Private Sector Exchange Administration (“OPA”) was created in 2013.

OPA works with Exchange Visitor Program sponsors

to respond to incidents that may adversely affect an exchange.

Examples of incidents include the involvement of an exchange visitor

as a victim or perpetrator of a serious crime,

sexual abuse, serious injury, arrest of an exchange visitor, or death.

This also includes any potential litigation related to a sponsor’s exchange visitor program

in which the sponsor or an exchange visitor may be a named party.

Information about what qualifies as an incident, as well as how and when to report it, 

can be found at J1visa.state.gov

If you become aware of an incident affecting the health, safety, or welfare of an exchange visitor,

please contact OPA right away using the following category-specific email addresses:

Together, we can ensure the best experience possible

for our exchange visitors and their American communities.