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Both the U.S. Department of State (DoS) and Kentucky State University require J-1 Exchange Visitors and any dependents to have medical insurance coverage during their entire stay in the U.S. The Department of State has established guidelines for minimum coverage a J-1 and any dependents need to have.
Exchange Visitors, who will be employed full-time and paid by the University, may enroll in the university medical insurance plan. Human Resources will go over these plans and help select the best plan. KSU's Employee health insurance plans meet all federal requirements except payment for repatriation and medical evacuation. Therefore, all J-1 exchange visitors and J-2 dependents with KSU Employee health insurance must purchase a supplemental policy that will bring their full health coverage up to minimum federal requirements.
Self-funded J-1 exchange visitors must purchase and maintain their own health insurance. The health insurance policy must meet the following minimum coverages:
$50,000 per sickness, accidents, or maternity (pregnancy, pre-natal, and birth)
$10,000 for medical evacuation
$7,500 for repatriation of remains to your home country in case of death
A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident/illness
Upon completion of an Exchange Visitor Program in the United States, certain J-1 Exchange Visitors are required to live in their home country for a period of two years before they are eligible to apply for an H visa, K visa, L visa or permanent resident status. The two-year home country residence requirement applies to those Exchange Visitors who (1) are financially supported by the U.S. government or their home government; or (2) have skills which are needed in their home country, as specified on the U.S. Department of State Skills List. The purpose of the home country residence requirement is to enforce the return of Exchange Visitors in order to carry out the educational objectives of the program. Waivers of the residence requirement can be granted under certain circumstances, but such waivers are difficult to obtain. Subjectivity to the two-year home country residence requirement is noted on the bottom of the DS-2019 form or the J-1 visa.
The J-1 applicant should complete Sections 1, 2, and 3 of the DS-2019 Application.
In addition to Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this form, the J-1 application should submit the materials listed at the end of Section 3 to his/her KSU hosting faculty member.