State Department Names 44 Countries Under Two-Year Home-Residency Rule for Exchange Visitors

The U.S. State Department has issued its Exchange Visitor Skills List by Country, naming 44 nations whose citizens could be required to live in their home country for two years after finishing an exchange visitor program before they can apply for certain U.S. immigration benefits. The countries come from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands, with African nations forming the largest share. Under Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of State may designate countries where particular fields of specialized knowledge or skills are clearly needed. When an exchange visitor's country of nationality or residence and their area of expertise both appear on the Skills List, that person must be physically present in their home country for two years after completing the exchange program. Only after that period can they become eligible for certain immigration benefits, including permanent residency or certain visa changes. The rule does not apply uniformly to every exchange visitor from these countries. It takes effect only when both the country and the relevant skill field are listed. The State Department notes that each country's skills list can be different and advises nationals to check the Federal Register website for full details about their own country. According to the federal government, the 44 countries whose nationals are subject to the two-year home-residency requirement are: Belize, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, 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, Palestinian Authority (West Bank and Gaza), Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia.