Exchange Visitor Program-General Provisions, 60293-60317 [2014-23510]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60293-60317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23510]



[[Page 60293]]

Vol. 79

Monday,

No. 193

October 6, 2014

Part III





Department of State





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22 CFR Part 62





Exchange Visitor Program--General Provisions; Final Rule

Federal Register / Vol. 79 , No. 193 / Monday, October 6, 2014 / 
Rules and Regulations

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

22 CFR Part 62

[Public Notice: 8893]
RIN 1400-AC36


Exchange Visitor Program--General Provisions

ACTION: Final rule with request for comment.

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AGENCY: Department of State.
SUMMARY: With this rulemaking, the Department of State is amending the 
general rules covering the Exchange Visitor Program that govern the 
designation of sponsors and the overall administration of the Program. 
This final rule encompasses technical changes to the general provisions 
and addresses public diplomacy and foreign policy concerns, including 
the Department's ability to monitor sponsors to protect the health, 
safety and welfare of foreign nationals who come to the United States 
as exchange visitors. The Department previously published a proposed 
rule, and, after analyzing the comments received, the Department is 
promulgating this final rule with request for comment and soliciting 
comments over a period of 60 days.

DATES: Effective Date: This rule is effective January 5, 2015.
    Applicability date: The insurance amounts listed in 22 CFR 
62.14(b)(1)-(4) and the provisions of 22 CFR 62.14(h) will be 
applicable on May 15, 2015.
    Comment date: The Department will accept written comments for up to 
60 days until December 5, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: JExchanges@state.gov. You must include the RIN 
(1400-AC36) in the subject line of your message.
     Persons with access to the Internet may also view this 
document and provide comments by going to the regulations.gov Web site 
and searching for RIN (1400-AC36, docket number DOS-2014-0018), at: 
https://www.regulations.gov/.
    Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): U.S. Department of 
State, Office of Policy and Program Support, SA-5, Floor 5, 2200 C 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20522-0505.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin J. Lerner, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Private Sector Exchange, U.S. Department of State, SA-5, 
Floor 5, 2200 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20522; or email at 
JExchanges@state.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Summary

    This first comprehensive modification to Subpart A of 22 CFR Part 
62 since 1993 makes five significant changes, as well as minor, 
technical changes intended to clarify the existing language. 
Specifically, this final rule amends Subpart A to provide more specific 
filing requirements for entities seeking to become designated sponsors 
and for sponsors seeking to renew their designations, including 
requiring proposed and current Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers to undergo criminal background checks. The final 
rule adopts a requirement that private sector sponsors submit 
management reviews in a format and on a schedule determined by the 
Department. It moves certain sections from Subpart F to Subpart A and 
enhances provisions governing the Student and Exchange Visitor 
Information System (SEVIS) database that sponsors use to track the 
whereabouts of exchange visitors. It also removes Appendices A-D, which 
have been replaced by information collections through Forms DS-3036, 
DS-3037 and DS-3097. In recognition of the increase in health and 
accident insurance costs since 1993, it also updates these 
requirements. The final rule also adds, deletes, and modifies 
definitions of terms used throughout the regulations. In addition, it 
adds language to make explicit the discretion of the Assistant 
Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs to waive or modify 
provisions of 22 CFR Part 62 (the regulations governing the Exchange 
Visitor Program), to the extent consistent with the authorities 
described in 22 CFR 62.1(a) and other applicable law, with respect to 
programs that are established pursuant to arrangements between the 
United States and foreign governments. The Department must provide 
notice concerning any such program for which provisions of Part 62 are 
waived or modified. Finally, it makes technical modifications to the 
text of the September 2009 proposed rule to ensure that the regulatory 
text is clear and correct.
    The Department published the proposed rule on September 22, 2009 
(RIN 1400-AC36; see 74 FR 48177), soliciting comments on proposed 
modifications to Subpart A. This final rule does not make certain 
changes that the Department had proposed in the September 2009 proposed 
rule. Specifically, it will not require applicants or current sponsors 
to secure and submit Dun & Bradstreet reports on themselves; applicants 
for sponsor designation will have site visits only at Department 
discretion; and sponsors need not collect and report Employment 
Authorization Document information for an accompanying spouse and 
dependents in SEVIS.
    Having thoroughly reviewed the nearly 700 comments received in 
response to the proposed rule published in 2009 (see citation above), 
the Department hereby adopts sections of the proposed rule and amends 
or eliminates others in response to the comments submitted.
    The next version of the SEVIS database, which has been in place 
since 2003, will have no immediate impact on this final rule, since its 
implementation date remains uncertain. The next version of SEVIS will 
focus upon increased functionality, national security, and improved 
usability. Prior to its implementation, the Department anticipates that 
the Department of Homeland Security will introduce any new requirements 
or procedures to the public through a proposed rule with a comment 
period. The Department of State also will reexamine its regulations 
prior to the implementation of any future system developments.

Analysis of Comments

    The Department received 656 comments in response to the publication 
of the proposed rule. Of these, 494 comments (or 75% of the total 
comments received) were form letters or miscellaneous letters relating 
to the Camp Counselor and Summer Work Travel categories of the Exchange 
Visitor Program, as follows:
    1. Form Letter--Camp Counselor and Camp Support 353
    2. Form Letter--Summer Work Travel Employers 60
    3. Form Letter--Former Summer Work Travel Participants 45
    4. Miscellaneous Letters 36
    The remaining 162 comments were general letters from sponsors, 
support groups, third parties, and concerned individuals. Based on the 
review of all comments, the Department has decided to adopt sections 
62.2-62.16 of the proposed rule with modifications prompted by the 
comments received. Section 62.17--Fees and Charges, remains unchanged. 
Appendices A-D are removed to reflect changes in the regulations since 
1993 and the implementation of information collections through Forms 
DS-3036, DS-3037, and DS-3097.

Section 62.2 Definitions

    The proposed rule contained 45 definitions; this final rule 
contains 47.

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When adding definitions for the Department-controlled forms, the 
Department had inadvertently excluded Form DS-3097 (Annual Report), 
which it now includes. Similarly, the Department is also adding a 
definition for the ``Office of Exchange Coordination and Compliance,'' 
the ``Office of Private Sector Exchange Administration,'' which, 
combined with the ``Office of Designation,'' currently comprise the 
Office of Private Sector Exchange. The Department also deletes the 
redundant definition for ``trainee,'' which is already covered in 
sections 62.4(c) and 62.22, and foreign medical graduate which is 
covered in section 62.27.
    A total of 26 parties filed comments about the Subpart A 
definitions. Comments related to the three SEVIS-related definitions 
that have been added to the regulations (i.e., ``actual and current 
U.S. address,'' ``site of activity,'' and ``validation'') generally 
reflected appreciation for these definitions and sought guidance and 
information on the consequences of non-compliance. As with other 
regulations in Part 62, non-compliance could subject a sponsor to 
sanctions under 22 CFR 62.50(a). The first two definitions are critical 
as they relate to the physical location of a nonimmigrant participating 
in an exchange visitor program in the United States. Indeed, Title VI, 
Section 641 of Public Law 104-208, requires sponsors to ensure that the 
exchange visitor has arrived at his or her site of activity and to 
maintain current and accurate data in these SEVIS fields so that 
officials may locate nonimmigrants, if necessary, both during the day 
(i.e., at their sites of activity) and at night (i.e., at their actual 
and current U.S. addresses). Accordingly, correctly maintaining this 
information is a matter of national security. The function of 
validating a SEVIS record is also important, as it marks the beginning 
and end of a sponsor's obligation to monitor and provide other services 
(i.e., insurance coverage) to an exchange visitor and his or her 
accompanying spouse and dependents. One commenting party sought 
guidance and/or an explanation of the consequences of failing to 
validate the SEVIS record of an accompanying spouse or dependents, 
entering the United States on J-2 visas to accompany an exchange 
visitor here on a J-1 visa. In response to this comment, and because 
the validation of a primary J-1 visa holder's record automatically 
validates the associated J-2 visa holders' records, the Department is 
removing any reference to an accompanying spouse and dependents from 
this definition.
    The Department received a total of 18 comments regarding the change 
of the term ``accredited educational institution'' to ``accredited 
academic institution.'' The majority of comments questioned the need 
for a change in terminology. The Department believes this change is 
necessary to reflect more accurately recent trends in the use of the 
term ``academic.'' In the proposed definition section (which also 
affects the definition of ``student'' in section 62.4), the Department 
clarifies that educational institutions that offer primarily vocational 
or technical courses of study are not considered academic. Accordingly, 
the Department substitutes the term ``academic'' for ``educational.''
    One party commented about the confusion associated with the 
definition of ``country of nationality or last legal permanent 
residence,'' stating that the conjunction ``or'' used to link the two 
alternatives takes precedence and the language does not define the 
meaning of the term ``legal permanent residence.'' The program 
regulations have always referred to these two terms in tandem. The 
Department believes that the meaning of each phrase is clear and 
concise, and therefore makes no changes to the definition. Three 
commenting parties expressed concern that the terms(s) did not clearly 
subject an accompanying spouse and dependents travelling to the United 
States on J-2 visas to the two-year home country physical presence 
requirement (i.e., section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act) (INA)). Because the INA applies this requirement to ``person[s] 
admitted under section 101(a)(15)(J) . . . or acquiring such status 
after admission,'' it applies to J-2 visa holders as well, if the 
exchange visitor they accompany or join is subject to the requirement 
(See 22 CFR 41.62(c)(4)).
    The Department received one comment regarding the proposed 
definition of ``exchange visitor'' as it refers to foreign nationals 
who are in the United States on J-1 visas. In particular, the 
commenting party took issue with the language because, as written, it 
does not include Canadian citizens who are allowed to participate on 
the Exchange Visitor Program without obtaining a J-1 visa. Also, the 
term does not include the accompanying spouse and dependents of an 
exchange visitor. In reviewing the comment, the Department has decided 
to modify the definition to clarify that the term also includes 
participants in the program who are not required to obtain J-1 visas. 
The Department, however, has purposefully excluded an exchange 
visitor's accompanying immediate family (i.e., accompanying spouse and 
dependents) from the definition because these regulations operate 
primarily for the benefit, and based upon the actions, of the 
individual participant in the Exchange Visitor Program. When necessary 
(e.g., section 62.14 (insurance)), the regulations specify their 
applicability to an exchange visitor's immediate family.
    On a related matter, two parties commented that the title of the 
Form DS-2019--A Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) 
Status excludes any reference to an accompanying spouse and dependents, 
even though it is the form necessary for family members (since the 
inception of SEVIS in 2003) to apply for J-2 visa status. The 
Department agrees and will explore the opportunity of replacing ``(J-
1)'' with ``(J--Nonimmigrant)'' in the Form's title at the time of the 
Form's scheduled revision cycle.
    Two parties commented on the definition of ``foreign medical 
graduate.'' They both appreciated the Department's decision to clarify 
the definition and requested that the definition be revised to locate 
the definition within section 62.27 (the only section of 22 CFR Part 62 
that uses this term) and to clarify how it applies to non-clinical 
exchange programs. The Department acknowledges that the definition of 
this category of participation does not belong in section 62.2, and 
will define it when section 62.27 is revised in the future.
    The Department received one comment related to the definition of 
the terms ``full course of study'' and ``prescribed course of study,'' 
suggesting that language in section 62.2 may be read to contain 
substantive regulatory provisions that may be better located in the 
relevant sections in Subpart B, rather than in the definitions section 
of section 62.2. The Department has considered the recommendations and 
makes no changes to these definitions, since it is of the view that 
definitions that pertain only to an individual program category should 
be included in sections of Subpart B that pertain to that individual 
category.
    The Department received one comment concerning the definitions for 
the terms ``internship program'' and ``student internship program.'' 
Because of the confusion experienced in the exchange community about 
the similarity of these two terms, it was suggested that the Department 
further clarify these definitions by annotating the difference between 
the two types of

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internship programs. The Department believes that the definitions of 
these two terms (and the language in Subpart B associated with these 
two categories) already provides ample clarity. Very simply, the 
definition of a ``student internship program'' specifies that the 
internship program must ``partially or fully fulfill a student's post-
secondary academic degree requirements.'' This does not mean, however, 
that a current student could not participate in a regular internship 
program in pursuit of meeting academic requirements. In some 
situations, therefore, there would be no difference between the two 
programs, except that the sponsor in one instance would be an academic 
institution, and in the other, it would be a private business.
    One comment was submitted suggesting that the term ``management 
audit'' be defined. The Department agrees and adds a definition of 
``management review,'' the Department's preferred term, to section 
62.2.
    Five parties commented on the definition of ``third party.'' Among 
other things, commenting parties claim that the proposed language 
disregarded the sub-agent network that a sponsor's foreign entities 
(e.g., foreign partners or agents) may use as part of the recruiting 
process. They added that the language is unclear about what entities 
are and are not third parties, given the large number of contacts upon 
which exchange programs rely. The Department recognizes that sponsors 
contract with or otherwise engage third parties to provide ordinary 
services in the support of their business operations (e.g., cleaning, 
payroll processing, and utilities). The Department excludes these types 
of generic service providers from the definition of ``third party'' and 
includes only those that truly relate to the conduct of a sponsor's 
exchange visitor program.
    As the Department updates the regulations governing specific 
categories of the Exchange Visitor Program (included in Subpart B), it 
may articulate further restrictions. In the interim, the Department 
clarifies, first, that it considers ``recruiting'' to be conduct of the 
sponsor's exchange visitor program. It also considers the functions of 
the local coordinators (or other similar field staff) to be conduct of 
the sponsor's exchange visitor program. Ordinary services in support of 
sponsors' business operations (cleaning, payroll processing, and 
utilities) are not considered conduct. Should there be circumstances 
that require additional clarification on a category-specific basis 
prior to the incorporation of these concepts into Subpart B, the 
Department will issue email guidance or guidance directives. 
Accordingly, the Department revises the definition of ``third party'' 
to avoid the unintended consequences recognized by the commenting 
parties.
    The Department is updating the definitions to include language that 
explains the purposes of Forms DS-2019, DS-3036, DS-3037, and DS-7002. 
As discussed above, this final rule corrects the inadvertent exclusion 
of ``Form DS-3097,'' the existing Annual Report form, from the proposed 
rule. Similarly, the Department inadvertently excluded a definition for 
the ``Office of Exchange Coordination and Compliance,'' a part of the 
Office of Private Sector Exchange (formerly known as the Exchange 
Visitor Program Services). In addition, the Office of Private Sector 
Exchange has recently added the Office of Private Sector Exchange 
Administration to its organization. The two new offices, in addition to 
the existing Office of Designation, oversee the Exchange Visitor 
Program. This final rule defines these new offices within the Office of 
Private Sector Exchange.
    Finally, in the NPRM, the definition for ``Citizen of the United 
States (entity)'' with respect to nonprofit organizations included, 
among other things, a requirement that the entity be ``qualified with 
the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization pursuant to 
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.'' In this rulemaking, 
this language has been removed, with the result that a nonprofit 
organization otherwise qualifying as a ``United States Person (legal 
entity)'' need not be a tax-exempt organization to participate in the 
Exchange Visitor Program. The Department realized that there might be 
taxable nonprofit organizations that might wish to participate in one 
of the Exchange Visitor Programs. Seeing no reason to retain this 
barrier to participation, the Department determined there was good 
cause to remove it in this rulemaking.

Section 62.3 Sponsor Eligibility

    The proposed rule increased from one to three years the required 
minimum experience in international exchange that an entity seeking 
designation must show that it, or its proposed Responsible Officer, 
has. Five parties commented on this proposed new minimum experience 
requirement. One supported the increase in years of experience, three 
opined that the new requirement was excessive and restrictive for new 
programs, and one asked for clarification of whether the requirement 
was intended for existing exchange visitor programs as well. Recently, 
many entities staffed by individuals with minimal experience have 
applied for designation. These entities and individuals typically have 
worked with designated sponsors in some capacity or have conducted 
short-term exchanges, but lack the full scope of experience in all 
aspects of exchange activities, including the regulatory knowledge 
critical to administering a successful exchange program. Some exchange 
visitor categories involve more complex administration processes than 
others (e.g., the au pair and secondary school student categories, 
which require locating and screening host families and schools, hiring 
and managing local and regional staff, and close monitoring of 
placements). The Department believes that three years of experience is 
the minimum necessary to develop a strong foundation for the conduct of 
an exchange visitor program. Applicants may demonstrate their 
experience in international exchange by providing staff resumes, as 
well as information about the applicant entity's or individual's 
experience and involvement with other cultural exchange programs. The 
Department adopts the proposed regulatory change for entities applying 
for designation. The Department will not require sponsors who have been 
designated for fewer than three years to demonstrate now three years of 
experience.
    The proposed rule included a new provision requiring that an entity 
applying for sponsor designation undergo a site visit as part of the 
designation process. Such site visits, conducted by the Department of 
State or a third party acting on its behalf, were intended to evaluate 
whether an applicant had sufficient facilities, staff, and 
infrastructure necessary to conduct a successful exchange visitor 
program. Ten parties submitted comments on this proposal. Seven parties 
supported these site visits and three parties opposed them. One of the 
opposing parties specifically stated that the site visits were 
unnecessary due to the potential costs. One party believed that site 
visits should be required of current sponsors as part of the 
redesignation process and in lieu of a management audit requirement. 
Another party opined that the requirement was burdensome and 
superfluous for longtime program sponsors and that site visits are too 
costly and disruptive of daily work schedules. Finally, one party, in 
response to the assertion that the cost of the site visits would be 
determined ``by the required bi-annual user fee study,''

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stated that the designation and re-designation application fees were 
sufficiently high to cover the cost of such site visits.
    The Supplementary Information section of the proposed rule also 
mentioned the on-site reviews of existing sponsors and that the 
Department currently conducts on-site reviews at its discretion. In 
response, parties commented that such a requirement would be both 
burdensome and superfluous for a longtime sponsor.
    Although the Department considers pre-designation site visits for 
new applicants to be a useful means of evaluating the ability of 
potential sponsors to run good exchange programs, as a matter of 
priority the Department has elected not to require them at this time, 
but to retain the discretion to conduct them. The Department will 
continue its practice of conducting on-site reviews of current sponsors 
as a part of monitoring and compliance of sponsors.

Section 62.4 Categories of Participant Eligibility

    Five parties submitted comments concerning four categories of 
participant eligibility, namely, Teacher, Research Scholar, Intern, and 
Trainee. The Department has addressed the comment about evaluation of a 
teacher's eligibility and experience in a separate rulemaking on 
section 62.24, which was published May 2, 2013. (RIN 1400-AC60; see 78 
FR 25669).
    Three parties asked the Department to reinsert the term 
``teaching'' into the description of a Research Scholar. The Department 
agrees to correct this inadvertent exclusion.
    One party opposed the addition of the term ``full-time'' to the 
description of an Intern's enrollment, stating that the current 
regulations do not stipulate this requirement and that adding ``full-
time'' to the category definition will complicate the process 
unnecessarily. The Department disagrees with the commenter that the 
proposed language will complicate the rules. The Department adopts the 
proposed language, as it is a technical modification conforming to 
language in this section with the specific regulations currently 
governing the Trainee and Intern Program. See 22 CFR Sec.  62.22(b)(2).
    In addition, one party commented on the definition of the Trainee 
category, arguing that the definition of ``Trainee'' is inapplicable to 
corporate program sponsors whose employees primarily administer the 
training of the exchange visitor. In addition, the comment states, ``In 
such cases, the foreign national need not satisfy any educational or 
experience requirements to be classified as a J-1 Trainee. A corporate 
program sponsor `primarily administers' training while its employee(s) 
act as trainer(s) for a minimum of 95% of the exchange visitor's 
training.'' In the Supplementary Information section of the Trainee and 
Intern Final Rule (RIN 1400-AC15; see 72 FR 33669, June 19, 2007), the 
Department explained that a foreign national may not participate in a 
trainee or intern exchange visitor program until he or she has acquired 
sufficient education or related work experience to benefit sufficiently 
from the valuable experiential learning opportunity that training 
programs and internships provide. The Department confirms the 
definition on the basis that an exchange visitor must meet the 
requisite education and work experience to be suitable for 
participation in a training program. Therefore, sponsors must make sure 
that the selection criteria for their exchange visitors indeed meet the 
regulatory requirements.
    The Department has amended the definition of a teacher to reflect 
language in a proposed rule. (RIN 1400-AC60; see 78 FR 25669, dated May 
2, 2013).

Section 62.5 Application Procedure

    The Department received a total of 514 comments regarding the 
proposed collection of Business Information Reports from Dun & 
Bradstreet both for new applicants (proposed section 62.5(c)(6)) and 
for sponsors seeking redesignation (proposed sections 62.7(c)(1) and 
(2)). Only one commenting party supported this requirement, but, like 
many other parties, was concerned about the cost. Some suggested that 
this report requirement could cost several hundred dollars for a medium 
to large sponsor and would represent a significant new expense for 
every sponsor. Other parties noted that many camps have never 
registered for a Dun & Bradstreet Number because the registration has 
no business purpose. Accordingly, requiring camps to register and pay 
for credit reports would be an undue burden on the camp community. The 
Department reviewed the utility of the Dun & Bradstreet report for 
oversight purposes, and determined that it is outweighed by the 
potential financial and resource implications for applicants for 
designation or currently-designated sponsors. Hence, the Department is 
eliminating the Dun & Bradstreet report requirement.
    The proposed rule identified as the appropriate individuals to sign 
certain documents (e.g., the certifications required by Forms DS-3036, 
as set forth in section 62.5(a)) a sponsor's ``Chief Executive Officer, 
President, or equivalent.'' One party seeks clarification as to which 
positions are considered ``equivalent'' in this respect. The Department 
amends the rule to reflect that an executive with legal authority to 
make commitments on behalf of the sponsor (as identified in the 
organization's governing documents) be the signatory of such documents.
    Section 62.5(c)(9) of the proposed rule requires a sponsor's Chief 
Executive Officer, President, or equivalent to certify that the 
proposed Responsible Officer and all proposed Alternate Responsible 
Officers are United States persons (i.e., U.S. citizens or legal 
permanent residents), and that the sponsor has obtained criminal 
background reports on all such candidates and has determined their 
suitability for these positions. Section 62.5(c)(9) requires that a 
sponsor include in its complete application both SEVIS-generated 
Citizenship Certifications for the proposed Responsible Officer and 
proposed Alternate Officers as well as separate evidence (e.g., a copy 
of a passport or birth certificate, or green card) that they are U.S. 
citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. One 
commenting party supported the U.S. citizenship requirement; another 
recommended that it apply only to new entities seeking designation; and 
a third opined that the executive certification, SEVIS certification, 
and separate evidence requirements were redundant. The Department 
disagrees that the certifications are redundant. There is only one 
certification of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent resident status 
required. The executive certification is required on the SEVIS-
generated form to ensure that the criminal background check has been 
completed on the proposed Responsible Officer and all proposed 
Alternate Responsible Officers. Providing documented proof is already a 
required practice and does not pose any additional burdens on the 
sponsor. Therefore, the Department adopts the language of the proposed 
rule.
    With respect to the overall application process, one party 
commented that the requirements for submission of applications for 
designation and redesignation should be differentiated by program 
types, since colleges and universities already have unique requirements 
they must meet. Another party suggested that the required information 
would place an unnecessary administrative burden on established, low-
risk entities. The

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Department has found that the specific information it requests is 
necessary to evaluate an applicant's initial or a sponsor's ongoing 
qualifications to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program, without 
regard to the program type or the entity's legal status. Accordingly, 
and to ensure equal treatment of all applicants, the Department adopts 
the language of the proposed rule.
    A single party commented on the definitions of ``financed 
directly'' and ``financed indirectly,'' as set forth in the proposed 
rule, noting that current regulations do not require certain publicly 
held companies to disclose the names, addresses, and citizenship or 
legal permanent resident status of their Boards of Directors or the 
percentage of stock/shares held in order to demonstrate the entity's 
U.S. citizenship status. The Department determined that this comment 
appears to have been directed to the application process requirements 
and not the financial support associated with an exchange visitor. The 
Department clarifies that the proposed rule already exempts publicly 
held U.S. companies whose shares are traded on a U.S. stock exchange 
from this requirement.
    In addition, the Department deletes Appendices A and B to Part 62 
in light of the collection of information through Form DS-3036 
(Exchange Visitor Program Application) (OMB collection 1405-0147).

Section 62.6 Designation

    The Department received three comments regarding sponsor 
designation. Comments ranged from statements indicating that these 
requirements should be applicable only to new entities seeking 
designation to requests that the Department differentiate exchange 
visitor program requirements by category, because colleges and 
universities must meet other requirements in order to operate. Some 
comments also argued that the information being requested would place 
an unnecessary administrative burden on established, low-risk entities. 
The Department respectfully disagrees and finds that the requested 
documentation is necessary to complete a full review of all new 
applications for designation on a consistent basis over all categories. 
It would be tremendously complex to have the Designation requirements 
be varied over the 15 categories of the exchange visitor program.
    One party commented on the proposed flexibility of the Department 
to redesignate a sponsor for one or two years, at its discretion, 
opining that all sponsors should be redesignated for two years. Four 
parties commented that the cycle should be set at the original five 
years. Under section 502(b) of Public Law 107-173, enacted May 14, 
2002, the Department of State is to conduct a periodic review of 
sponsors of exchange visitors at least every two years. The 
legislation, however, does not prohibit the Department from reviewing a 
sponsor's qualifications more frequently. For example, experience has 
demonstrated that there are a number of sponsors having technical 
infractions that are of enough concern to cause the Department to 
withhold a longer period of designation until that sponsor has 
corrected these problems. The Department believes that it can work with 
such sponsors to assist them in improving their program operations in 
this area. The one-year redesignation informs a sponsor that it needs 
to correct any issues identified, but also creates a time period after 
which the Department will formally check the extent of the sponsor's 
improvement and determine whether it indeed qualifies for a two-year 
redesignation. Accordingly, the Department adopts the proposed one or 
two year redesignation cycle in order to provide it with the tools 
necessary to ensure that only qualified entities continue to operate as 
designated sponsors.

Section 62.7 Redesignation

    The Department received a total of 24 comments regarding various 
aspects of the redesignation process (in addition to the 514 comments 
opposed to the collection of Dun & Bradstreet numbers in connection 
with designation and redesignation, discussed above). Four parties 
recommended that the redesignation cycle be changed to a five-year 
rather than two-year cycle. However, as noted above, there is a 
statutory requirement for a minimum biannual review cycle of all 
sponsors designated to conduct exchange visitor programs. For this 
reason, the Department will adopt the language of the proposed rule.
    Nine parties complained about the ``excessive'' amount of 
documentation they must provide along with an application for 
redesignation. In particular, post-secondary academic institutions 
opined that providing the Department with information about their 
Boards of Trustees was superfluous, as such institutions were already 
subject to rigorous checks and other measures to ensure accountability. 
Indeed, with respect to a sponsor's eligibility, the Department is 
concerned not only that a sponsor have financial stability and 
resources, but also that control of its exchange visitor program not be 
ceded to people who do not meet the regulation's definition of a U.S. 
person. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon sponsors--even large 
universities--to report and update the citizenship or legal U.S. 
permanent residence status of the members of their governing boards and 
provide updated copies with an application for redesignation. The 
Department believes that this documentation is necessary to ensure that 
a sponsor seeking redesignation continues to meet all requirements of 
designation (e.g., status as a U.S. person, financial viability). A 
sponsor's circumstances may change over time, therefore making it 
necessary for sponsors to provide complete and current information 
during the redesignation process in order for the Department to make a 
meaningful assessment of a sponsor's continued qualifications for 
sponsorship. Although government agencies may not have all the 
documentation specified in this section, they too are required to 
submit all relevant documents. Accordingly, the Department adopts the 
language in the proposed rule.
    As discussed above, the Department received a total of 514 comments 
regarding the proposal to collect a Dun & Bradstreet Report for both 
new applicants and for current sponsors seeking redesignation. After 
consideration, the Department has decided to eliminate this 
requirement.
    Two parties recommended that the following language be reinserted 
into section 62.7: ``a sponsor seeking redesignation may continue to 
operate its program(s) until such time as the Department of State 
notifies it of a decision to amend or terminate its designation.'' The 
Department inadvertently deleted this language and has therefore 
reinserted it into this Final Rule.
    Section 62.7(c)(2) of the proposed rule required that, as part of 
the redesignation process, sponsors provide the Department with a list 
of foreign and domestic third parties with whom they have written 
agreements. Three parties opposed this requirement, arguing that it was 
an excessive paperwork requirement. Keeping in mind the modification of 
the definition of third party (which now requires sponsors to enter 
into written agreements with entities that act on behalf of the sponsor 
in the conduct of the sponsor's exchange visitor program), the 
Department has decided to require all sponsors to maintain such lists, 
which the Department may then request as part of the redesignation 
process or as circumstances require. (Note that

[[Page 60299]]

sponsors in the Summer Work Travel category of the Exchange Visitor 
Program must submit the names of all foreign entities to the Department 
in accordance with 22 CFR 62.32(p)(2).)
    Finally, the Department proposed requiring sponsors to confirm or 
reconfirm the suitability of proposed or current Responsible Officers 
and Alternate Responsible Officers, by requiring them to undergo 
criminal background checks. One party objected to requiring current 
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers to repeat the 
process. The Department will require designated sponsors to obtain 
these reports every four years; sponsors that are redesignated for a 
single year, however, will be required to repeat the process for their 
next designation application.
    The Department anticipates that thorough criminal background 
reports will provide management decision makers with sufficient 
information to determine whether candidates for Responsible Officer and 
Alternate Responsible Officer positions--positions that work with a 
national security computer system--have criminal records or other 
blemishes on their pasts that may make them unsuitable for the proposed 
positions. Furthermore, the criminal background check requirement 
reflects the importance of such individuals in a sponsor's organization 
and their right of access to, and ability to manipulate data within, a 
controlled federal government database that tracks foreign nationals 
participating in the Exchange Visitor Program. In addition, protection 
of exchange visitor personal data is important to the health, safety, 
and welfare of program participants. Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers are the only individuals authorized to log onto 
SEVIS, issue and sign a Form DS-2019, the ``Certificate of Eligibility 
for Exchange Visitor (J-Nonimmigrant) Status,'' and otherwise update 
the system with timely and accurate information. Thus, it is of vital 
importance that all individuals with access to SEVIS be properly 
vetted. The Department will not require an additional background check 
for Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers who are 
working for a federal or state government entity and have already 
passed a government background check.
    Nine out of 24 comments specifically addressed the paperwork, 
including proof of criminal background checks, which must be submitted 
as part of the redesignation application, deeming it excessive. Except 
on an ad hoc basis, the Department of State has decided not to require 
applicants or sponsors to submit the results of the criminal background 
checks. Rather, the Chief Executive Officer, President, or equivalent 
must submit a certification that the sponsor's Responsible Officer and 
Alternate Responsible Officer(s) have undergone criminal background 
checks within the last four years or when a new sponsor files a 
designation application. The proposed regulation did not set specific 
requirements for a sponsor to follow with respect to report format, 
screening company, or assessment of criminal background check reports. 
The Department does, however, require a sponsor to utilize the services 
of a bona fide background screener. Although the Department does not 
endorse any particular screener or screening organization, it 
identifies, for sponsors' convenience, an organization that can help 
identify potential background companies: The National Association of 
Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS). NAPBS has more than 500 
members (a list of which is located at www.NAPBS.com), all of which are 
expected to adhere to the NAPBS code of conduct governing background 
investigations and confidentiality.
    The Department emphasizes that obtaining a criminal background 
report does not in and of itself confirm an individual's suitability to 
act as a Responsible Officer or an Alternate Responsible Officer. A 
sponsor should consider the results of such a report, and other 
factors, in making a reasoned judgment about an individual's fitness to 
assume either of these two roles.

Section 62.8 General Program Requirements

    Only one party commented on the general program requirements 
section. Specifically, the commenting party proposed that the minimum 
number of exchange visitors required for program designation be raised 
from five, as currently specified in section 62.8(a) of the proposed 
rule, to ten. The party also asked the Department to specify what 
constitutes the ``good cause'' that would permit an applicant to run an 
exchange program with fewer than five exchange visitors. The Department 
established a minimum number of exchange visitors based on the smallest 
program size it believes justifies the resources it must expend to 
evaluate a sponsor's redesignation application and monitor its program 
on an on-going basis. Increasing the minimum size would have no impact 
on any parties except those small programs themselves, and could 
potentially and unnecessarily remove niche sponsors from the program. 
Accordingly, the Department will not increase the minimum number. With 
respect to ``good cause,'' each situation is fact-specific, and, since 
the Department wishes to maintain maximum discretion, the Department 
has decided to delete the reference to ``good cause.'' With the 
exception of the removal of ``good cause,'' the Department adopts the 
current language of the proposed rule.

Section 62.9 General Obligations of Sponsors

    The Department received a total of 56 comments regarding various 
general program obligations of sponsors. Many of the comments related 
to the appointment of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers.
    One party commented on the payment bond requirement in section 
62.9(e)(3), suggesting that the regulations should both provide 
objective criteria regarding when and what kind of bond may be 
required, and should exempt programs that have proven their financial 
viability from the bond requirement. The Department notes that this 
provision is not new. Although the Department has not required a 
sponsor to secure a payment bond for many years, it recognizes that 
there may be a number of circumstances in which it might be necessary 
to do so. For example, the Department could have reason to believe that 
a sponsor does not have either the resources to support an existing 
exchange visitor population or the inclination to fulfill its 
monitoring and support obligations. Unfortunately, such circumstances 
might befall even a long-standing sponsor with an historical record of 
financial viability and program support. To provide another example, 
when the Department redesignates a sponsor for a single year, it may 
wish to require that sponsor to obtain a bond that provides sufficient 
funding to cover the cost of supporting the sponsor's current year 
exchange visitors and/or transferring the next year's exchange visitors 
to other sponsors. Were the sponsor's performance not to improve and 
were the Department to initiate a suspension or other serious sanction 
against the sponsor, a payment bond could help ensure that there would 
be sufficient funding available to take care of potentially stranded 
exchange visitors. The Department, therefore, must retain the 
flexibility to require all sponsors to secure payment bonds at the 
Department's discretion.
    Three parties addressed the provision in section 62.9(f)(2) that 
requires a sponsor to ensure that its employees, officers, agents, 
independent

[[Page 60300]]

contractors, third parties, volunteers, or other individuals associated 
with the administration of its exchange visitor program are adequately 
qualified and trained and comply with the Exchange Visitor Program 
regulations and immigration laws. One party stated that this regulation 
should be expanded to include foreign nationals who work as ``agents or 
representatives'' of sponsors. Although the Department believes that 
this language is already sufficiently broad to include any party that a 
sponsor engages to assist in its exchange visitor program oversight and 
operations, it modifies the language to change ``other individuals'' to 
any ``other individual or entity'' to avoid confusion about this broad 
sponsor obligation to ensure the regulatory awareness and compliance of 
entities it may engage to assist.
    Two other parties opined that, in order to adequately train staff 
and others on working in the SEVIS system, sponsors must be permitted 
to employ more than ten Alternate Responsible Officers. It is not clear 
why individuals must have access to SEVIS in order to be capable of 
training others on Exchange Visitor Program regulations. Regardless, as 
it has noted above, the Department will accept requests for additional 
Alternate Responsible Officers on a case-by-case basis.
    Eight parties opposed the proposed criminal background check 
requirement for Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers 
in proposed section 62.9(g)(1). Fifteen parties supported it, although 
of those, thirteen parties recommended that the background checks not 
be required annually and that Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers of currently designated sponsors be 
``grandfathered'' in. The Department considered this recommendation and 
has decided that current Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers will need to obtain a background check before their sponsor 
organization is next redesignated after the promulgation of this final 
rule and maintain background check paperwork on Responsible and 
Alternate Responsible Officers that is no older than four years at any 
time. New sponsors seeking designation by the Department must conduct 
new background checks on their proposed Responsible Officers and 
Alternate Responsible Officers. Thus, in accordance with section 
62.5(c)(8)(iii) below, an entity seeking designation must obtain 
criminal background reports on all proposed Responsible and Alternate 
Responsible Officers, certify that it has done so, and maintain records 
that are no older than four years at any time. In those few instances 
where the Department is concerned about a sponsor's regulatory 
inconsistencies related to their administration of the program and 
redesignates it for a single year, such sponsor would be required to 
obtain reports for that year.
    One commenting party suggested that if a sponsor were merely 
required to maintain records of these criminal background checks and 
submit them to the Department only on request, it would undermine the 
rationale for requesting these checks because they would not be turned 
in. However, the Department intends for sponsors to use their own 
judgment and internal standards to assess the suitability of 
individuals for these jobs, based on whether a report revealed any 
information about a candidate's past that would disqualify him or her 
from assuming a position of trust and responsibility.
    Nine out of ten parties commented that the proposed maximum of ten 
Alternate Responsible Officers specified in section 62.9(g)(1) is not 
large enough, and that larger sponsors with more exchange visitors 
should be permitted to have more than ten Alternate Responsible 
Officers. The Department will explore the idea of expanding the maximum 
number of Alternate Responsible Officers for sponsor organizations that 
request additional officers and demonstrate a need for them.
    Two parties addressed the requirement in section 62.9(g)(2) that 
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers be employees of 
the sponsors. One comment, from a Rotary organization, explained that 
Rotary uses only volunteers, not employees, as Responsible Officers and 
Alternate Responsible Officers. The other comment, from a large 
corporation, raised the concern that company lawyers and paralegals 
would no longer be permitted to serve as Alternate Responsible Officers 
under the new rules. The Department has reviewed this comment and has 
determined that it would prefer that Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers be employees of the sponsor organization. However, 
an applicant entity or a sponsor that wishes to nominate an individual 
who is not an employee as an Alternate Responsible Officer may make a 
request to the Department, which the Department may approve in its 
discretion. One important factor that may qualify a volunteer as an 
Alternate Responsible Officer might be that person's longstanding, 
close, and continuing relationship with the sponsor organization. 
Another factor might be that the volunteer works for a sponsor 
organization that has a predominantly volunteer exchange model.
    Ten parties commented on the requirement in section 62.9(g)(3) that 
sponsors replace outgoing Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers within ten calendar days, suggesting that this 
requirement was unrealistic. Comments indicated, for example, that it 
takes a long time to hire new staff, making it not feasible to speedily 
replace personnel. The Department understands these concerns, but 
maintains the requirement. The Department is not suggesting that the 
sponsor organization hire a new employee in this timeframe, but that it 
designate and provide documentation for an existing staff member to be 
placed in the position on a temporary basis until a permanent 
replacement is hired. Ten days is the amount of time that the 
Department believes that a Responsible Officer/Alternate Responsible 
Officer work could go uncompleted; after this time period, someone must 
take on the Responsible Officer/Alternate Responsible Officer 
monitoring workload at the sponsor organization. The Department wishes 
to reiterate that a sponsor must have in place and maintain a 
Responsible Officer and a minimum of one Alternate Responsible Officer 
at all times. If the Responsible Officer leaves, the sponsor may wish 
to designate an existing Alternate Responsible Officer to that position 
on a temporary basis. If the only Alternate Responsible Officer leaves, 
the sponsor should select another existing employee or officer to be an 
Alternate Responsible Officer. The potential Responsible Officer/
Alternate Responsible Officer needs to undergo the criminal background 
check and be trained in the system, unless it is a case of an Alternate 
Responsible Officer becoming the Responsible Officer temporarily. In 
either case, and regardless of the reason, when a Responsible Officer 
or Alternate Responsible Officer departs the organization, the sponsor 
must ensure that the departing person's access to SEVIS is terminated 
as quickly as possible, but in no event later than ten calendar days 
after departure. This action serves to limit unauthorized SEVIS access 
by a person who is no longer involved with the administration of a 
sponsor's exchange visitor program and, thereby, protects all involved 
parties, as well as U.S. national security. The Department reminds 
sponsors that they must make it their highest priority

[[Page 60301]]

to replace a departing Responsible Officer as quickly as possible as 
this role is critical to the stewardship of the sponsor's exchange 
visitor program.
    In addition, the Department deletes the second sentence of section 
62.9(a); the regulations governing the imposition of sanctions are set 
forth in 22 CFR 62.50. The Department also deletes Appendix C to Part 
62 in light of the collection of information through Form DS-3037 
(Update of Information on a Sponsor's Exchange Visitor Program) (OMB 
collection 1405-0147).

Section 62.10 Program Administration

    Twenty-three parties commented on the proposed requirement in 
section 62.10(a)(2) that exchange visitors be proficient in the English 
language, ``as measured by an objective measurement.'' All but one of 
these parties recommended maintaining the current language (i.e., ``The 
exchange visitor possesses sufficient proficiency in the English 
language to participate in his or her program.'') One party recommended 
that the Department adopt the test set forth in the regulations for the 
Trainee and Intern categories (Section 62.22(d)(1)). The Department 
believes that not only is an exchange visitor's success in his or her 
particular program dependent upon sufficient English language 
capability, but good English communication skills are essential to 
ensure the health, safety, and welfare of exchange visitors. Moreover, 
the Department continues to find that too many exchange visitors lack 
sufficient English proficiency to perform their jobs or complete their 
academic programs; to navigate daily life in the United States; to read 
and comprehend program materials; to understand fully their 
responsibilities, rights, and protections; and to know how to obtain 
assistance, if necessary. Accordingly the Department adopts a modified 
version of the regulatory language governing the Trainee and Intern 
categories as the program-wide standard for determining the English 
language proficiency of exchange visitors. The Department reminds 
sponsors to retain evidence of how they measured applicants' English 
language proficiency so that it may be made available to the Department 
upon request.
    The proposed rule moved sections 62.70(b) and (c) to sections 
62.10(d)(3) and (4) and required that sponsors report in SEVIS any 
change in an exchange visitor's U.S. address, telephone number, email 
address, or primary site of activity within ten business days of being 
notified by the exchange visitor. Of the fifteen parties commenting on 
this proposed requirement, the majority opined that ten days are not 
sufficient time to update records, given the number of exchange 
visitors in programs and the other responsibilities of the Responsible 
Officer and Alternate Responsible Officers. Since the inception of 
SEVIS, sponsors were required to update SEVIS records within 21 days. 
Upon review of current SEVIS reporting requirements and the 
Department's legislative mandate to ensure that sponsors maintain 
SEVIS, the Department upholds the proposed language and requires 
sponsors to report in SEVIS within ten business days of notification by 
an exchange visitor of any change in address, telephone number or email 
address.
    Thirty parties opposed the proposed requirement in section 
62.10(d)(5) that sponsors report the actual and current U.S. address 
and email address for accompanying spouses and dependents. They argued 
that such a requirement would be unduly burdensome, that the 
information could be obtained from the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS), and that the requirement should be postponed until the next 
version of SEVIS is operational, at which time exchange visitors can 
enter this information directly into SEVIS themselves. Similarly, 31 
parties objected to the proposed requirement in section 62.10(d)(6) 
that sponsors report Employment Authorization Document (EAD) 
information in SEVIS for accompanying spouses and dependents. They 
argued that sponsors do not have this information, that this 
information is not part of the employment authorization process, or 
that, in any event, U.S. Customs and Border Protection should collect 
this information. To be ``accompanying,'' spouses and dependents--with 
few exceptions (e.g., dependents are in a boarding school)--should be 
living with the exchange visitors. The Department finds that collection 
of the accompanying spouse and dependents' email addresses is necessary 
for emergency contact information and upholds this requirement. The 
Department deletes proposed section 62.10(d)(6) regarding Employment 
Authorization Documents from this final rule; however, the Department 
will review the requirements of this proposed section at the time 
another version of SEVIS is implemented.
    In order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of exchange 
visitors, language has been inserted into the regulation making it 
unlawful for sponsors or their foreign entities to retaliate against 
exchange visitors if they should make complaints about the program.

Section 62.11 Duties of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers

    Proposed section 62.11(a) would require Responsible Officers and 
Alternate Responsible Officers to be thoroughly familiar not only with 
the Exchange Visitor Program regulations and Department codes required 
for issuing Forms DS-2019, but also with ``all federal and state 
regulations pertaining to the administration of its exchange visitor 
program, including the Department of State's and Department of Homeland 
Security's policies, manuals, instructions, guidance and SEVIS 
operations relevant to the Exchange Visitor Program,'' as well as 
federal, state and local laws pertaining to employment, including the 
Fair Labor Standards Act, if the exchange category overseen has an 
employment component. Five commenting parties encouraged the Department 
to develop clear, up-to-date policy and interpretive guidance on all 
relevant laws and regulations, and to make such guidance easily 
available to program sponsors. In an attempt to capture relevant 
Department guidance, regulations, and other information, the Department 
launched a new Web site design last year, and all such information can 
now be accessed under one section, at https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/current/regulations-compliance. Sponsors nonetheless may need to 
research some federal, state, and local requirements that may impact 
their exchange visitor programs.
    One commenting party expressed concern about proposed section 
62.11(d), which directs sponsors to ensure that their spam filters do 
not block reception of SEVIS or communications from either the 
Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security. The party 
noted that it is not always possible to know if messages are being sent 
in the first place and suggested that multiple messages be sent, 
including a paper notice if there is no response from the sponsor. The 
proposed regulation is consistent with the requirement set forth in 8 
CFR 214.3(e)(1) that governs electronic notices sent to Student and 
Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified schools. Paper notices will 
be sent at Departmental discretion in certain circumstances, such as 
when sponsors have notified the Department that their electronic 
systems will have outages within a specific timeframe. Therefore, the 
Department adopts the language of the proposed rule.

[[Page 60302]]

Section 62.12 Control of Forms DS-2019

    The proposal in section 62.12(b)(1)(i) stated that a sponsor must 
verify that each prospective exchange visitor is eligible, qualified 
and accepted into the sponsor's exchange visitor program. The 
parenthetical language implies that the sponsor has secured a 
placement, by obtaining a camp offer letter or a written secondary 
student school acceptance, before issuing a Form DS-2019. A total of 25 
parties, mostly from the secondary school student and camp counselor 
communities, commented on this proposed change, only one of which 
supported it. A majority of those commenting expressed concern that if 
program pre-placement--e.g., a camp offer letter or a written secondary 
student school acceptance--were required for all exchange visitors, 
many exchange visitors would be unable to secure visas because the visa 
process is so slow during high volume seasons. The secondary school 
student regulations set forth under section 62.25, for example, permit 
sponsors to place students up to August 31 each academic year. Due to 
high volume of visas processed every summer, waiting until the end of 
August when a school placement is confirmed does not permit ample time 
for the visa to be processed and travel to the United States prior to 
the first day of school.
    The Department believes that there are many advantages to its 
proposal. First, it would prevent sponsors from cancelling programs at 
the last minute due to their inability to secure program placements 
(and a prospective exchange visitor would know that there was no 
guarantee of a program until he or she received a Form DS-2019). It 
also would lessen the potential for applicants to obtain and use visas 
without ever intending to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program. 
Finally, it would require sponsors to secure placements earlier in the 
season than they usually do, allowing more time for planning and 
orientation than is now available.
    Nevertheless, without further analysis, the Department cannot 
assess whether posts would be able to timely grant all the necessary 
visa interviews, in order to avoid unanticipated shrinkage in program 
sizes. In light of this, the Department is eliminating the proposed 
parenthetical language ``(e.g., has an offer letter from a camp, a 
written acceptance from a secondary school)'' from section 
62.12(b)(1)(i). The Department acknowledges that, in certain categories 
sponsors are able to meet the regulations by accepting exchange 
visitors into their program without securing final placement prior to 
issuing a Form DS-2019. It is important to note that certain 
categories, such as Summer Work Travel, secondary school students, 
interns and trainees, have their own criteria regarding placements 
within the specific program provisions set forth in Subpart B.
    Four parties opposed the new language in section 62.12(d)(1) 
regarding annual allotment of Forms DS-2019, arguing that a limited 
annual allotment might result in a sponsor not having enough forms to 
meet market demand. The Department notes that the process for 
submitting an annual request for the Department for allotment of Forms 
DS-2019 or the request for additional Forms DS-2019 (i.e., an 
expansion) is no different than the process that has been in place 
since the publication of the original 1993 regulations. The Department 
started ``allocating'' Forms DS-2019 before the advent of SEVIS. The 
transition to the electronic generation of such forms to be printed on 
a sponsor's printer, however, does not eliminate the need for the 
Department to determine how many forms a sponsor may have--and thus, 
how many exchange visitors a sponsor may bring to the United States 
each year. Indeed, the Department assesses each sponsor's financial and 
staffing resources in an effort to ensure that a sponsor does not 
sponsor more exchange visitors than it can adequately monitor and 
support. The Department, therefore, will issue Forms DS-2019 to 
sponsors based on the current need of the sponsor, how the Department 
views program expansion as a policy issue, and any upcoming expressed 
needs of sponsors in their implementation of the program.
    The commenting parties noted that the program size expansion 
request procedures in section 62.12(d)(2) are unclear and require 
further clarification from the Department. The Department respectfully 
disagrees. The language in the proposed regulations parallels the 
language in section 2.4.2 of the User Manual for Exchange Visitor 
Program Sponsor Users (RO/ARO) of SEVIS Version 6.10: Volume 1 Forms 
DS-3036 and DS-3037. Sponsors have long been required to describe their 
source of planned program growth, staff increases, training capacity, 
current financial status, and provide other information on how they 
will handle program growth (id. at p. 46). Accordingly, the Department 
will adopt section 62.12(d) as proposed.
    Thirteen commenting parties addressed the prohibition in section 
62.12(e)(2) against forwarding, via fax or other electronic means, 
copies or PDFs of signed or unsigned Forms DS-2019 to any unauthorized 
party. The parties noted that, although they appreciate the importance 
of keeping copies of government documents secure, the prohibition as 
written in the proposed rule is too rigid. One party observed that the 
proposed regulation does not clearly indicate if there are any 
``authorized parties'' other than the Department of State and the 
Department of Homeland Security and queried whether, for example, an 
exchange visitor whose DS-2019 is stolen is an ``authorized party'' for 
purposes of receiving a copy of his or her own scanned DS-2019. Another 
commenter noted that because the original DS-2019 must be signed by the 
sponsor in blue ink, a precaution that permits anyone viewing the DS-
2019 to distinguish readily an original from a photocopy, there is no 
reason to restrict a sponsor's ability to transmit a fax or PDF to any 
entity other than the Department of State or the Department of Homeland 
Security. In light of current technologies that make it easy to create 
counterfeit copies of documents, the Department does not wish for there 
to be any electronic or paper replicas of Forms DS-2019 to be available 
to anyone, hence, the only authorized parties are the Departments of 
State and Homeland Security. It would be relatively simple to remove a 
black signature from a copy of a Form DS-2019 and replace it with an 
original blue ink signature. While sponsors are certainly authorized to 
maintain copies of these forms for their internal files and may be 
called on to provide such copies to a requesting Department, the only 
other ``versions'' of Forms DS-2019 should be the original documents 
maintained by the exchange visitors and their accompanying spouses and 
dependents. Accordingly, the Department will adopt the proposed 
regulation as drafted.
    Three commenting parties opposed the requirement in section 
62.12(e)(5) that a sponsor ask exchange visitor applicants to return 
unused Forms DS-2019. Two of the parties pointed out that SEVIS makes 
this requirement obsolete. The Department agrees--as long as sponsors 
promptly change the status of the SEVIS records associated with the 
unused Forms DS-2019 to ``invalid.'' Otherwise, individuals with 
unscrupulous intentions could use a Form DS-2019 to obtain a visa to 
illegally enter the United States. While the Department will withdraw 
the requirement set forth in section 62.12(e)(5), it reminds sponsors 
of the

[[Page 60303]]

critical importance of maintaining current and accurate SEVIS records.
    In addition, the Department deletes section 62.12(b)(2)(iii); the 
regulations governing the imposition of sanctions are set forth in 22 
CFR 62.50.

Section 62.13 Notification Requirements

    The Department received a total of 18 comments regarding various 
aspects of the notification requirements section. One party stated that 
the wording of section 62.13(a)(1) mistakenly implies J-2 accompanying 
spouses and dependents will need to be validated separately from the J-
1 exchange visitors they accompany or join, even though J-2s are 
automatically validated in SEVIS when J-1s are validated. Under the 
current SEVIS, a J-2's record is automatically changed from ``Initial'' 
to ``Active'' status upon the validation of the associated J-1 record. 
Accordingly, the Department modifies the language of section 
62.13(a)(1) to clarify that separate validation is not necessary.
    Seven parties commented on the requirement proposed at section 
62.13(a)(4) that sponsors track and report early departures of 
accompanying spouses and dependents, stating that they had no system to 
track them, and that ``this requirement goes beyond regulatory 
requirements.'' The Department disagrees. There have been 30,000 J-2 
visa holders that entered the United States on the Exchange Visitor 
Program since the program's inception. Sponsors of exchange visitors 
are equally responsible for tracking the whereabouts of accompanying 
spouses and dependents to whom they also issued Forms DS-2019. One 
commenting party, however, explains that there is no regulatory 
requirement for the J-1 exchange visitor to report to the sponsor the 
travel plans of his or her accompanying spouse and dependents. The 
Department reminds sponsors that it is incumbent upon them to draft and 
implement programmatic rules that allow them to satisfy the 
requirements in Part 62. In other words, a sponsor can easily make it a 
condition of bringing an accompanying spouse and dependents that the 
exchange visitor must report if and when they depart the United States 
prior to the exchange visitor. Accordingly, the Department retains the 
proposed language for section 62.13(a)(4).
    Four parties submitted comments about the requirement proposed in 
section 62.13(b)(2) that a sponsor must update SEVIS to reflect any 
change to an exchange visitor's site of activity. This is not a new 
requirement: current section 62.70(a)(5) requires a sponsor to 
``[u]tilize SEVIS to up-date information on any exchange visitor, 
spouse, or dependent child for whom a SEVIS record has been created.'' 
The purpose of the new language in section 62.13(b)(2) is to ensure 
that sponsors understand that an exchange visitor's site of activity is 
included in the SEVIS information that they are required to update.
    As ``site of activity'' is a newly defined term, the Department 
understands that additional guidance is needed to inform sponsors how 
to accommodate certain situations. One university expressed concern at 
the burden of updating the (secondary) site of activity field for an 
exchange visitor who goes to another site ``for a few days at most'' to 
lecture or consult. Proposed regulations at section 62.13(b)(2) require 
a sponsor to update an exchange visitor's site of activity within ten 
days. Clearly, changes in activity locations that last only a few days 
would not need to be captured in SEVIS. Keeping in mind that a purpose 
of maintaining a current site of activity in SEVIS is to enable law 
enforcement to locate exchange visitors, in the above example, it is 
likely that someone at the professor's primary site of activity could 
provide law enforcement with the professor's itinerary. However, if an 
individual had both a permanent office and a lab site, it would be 
appropriate to enter as the primary address, the one at which the 
exchange visitor was primarily located, and to enter the other as 
secondary. The collection of this data will remain in the final rule.
    When a nonimmigrant enters the United States and reports to his or 
her exchange visitor program sponsor, the sponsor must note this 
occurrence in SEVIS through the validation process, thereby 
demonstrating that the exchange visitor is currently present in the 
United States and is participating in his or her exchange visitor 
program identified on the Form DS-2019 used to enter the United States. 
For the purpose of this rulemaking, the 30-day requirement for 
validation remains unchanged, with the exception of those exchange 
visitors participating in a program of which the maximum duration of 
the program is less than 30 days. Section 62.8(b), regarding minimum 
duration of program, requires a sponsor, other than a federal 
government agency, to provide each exchange visitor, with the exception 
of Short-term Scholar, with a minimum period of participation in the 
United States of no less than three weeks. When an exchange program is 
less than three weeks, the requirement to validate the SEVIS record 
within 30 days of the Program Start Date does not work. Therefore, the 
SEVIS record with a program duration of less than 30 days must be 
validated before the Program End Date listed in SEVIS. Failure to 
validate a nonimmigrant's SEVIS record (e.g., before the Program End 
Date for program durations of less than 30 days or within 30 days of 
the Program Start Date for programs with a program duration of 30 days 
or greater) will result in the automatic change of the status of a 
SEVIS record to ``Invalid'' (when no Port of Entry information is 
contained on the SEVIS record) or ``No Show'' (when Port of Entry 
information is present on the SEVIS record). A record in ``Invalid'' 
status indicates that a foreign national did not use the associated 
Form DS-2019 to enter the United States. A record in ``No Show'' status 
indicates that the nonimmigrant entered the country, but failed to 
commence participation in the exchange visitor program for which he or 
she entered the United States. It is important to recognize that a 
SEVIS record in ``No Show'' status is a negative indicator that alerts 
the proper authorities that the individual failed to comply with the 
requirements of the Exchange Visitor Program regulations by entering 
the United States with no intention of reporting to his or her sponsor. 
Sponsors must use caution and timely validate SEVIS records or they 
could change to ``No Show'' status and unintentionally create a 
negative nonimmigrant history for the exchange visitor, thereby 
impacting his or her application for visas in the future.
    Sponsors should realize that Invalid and No Show records will 
appear on the sponsor's Form DS-3097, Annual Report, and may be of 
concern to the Department's Office of Designation when processing Form 
DS-2019 allotment requests or applications for redesignation. Failure 
to validate SEVIS records also may impact a sponsor's allotment of 
available SEVIS records and the administrative actions that are 
required (by both the sponsor officials and the Department of State 
officials) to correct the SEVIS status of the records; and is evidence 
of a sponsor's failure to comply with program regulations.
    Three parties commented on proposed section 62.13(a)(3), which 
provides that a sponsor must report in SEVIS any withdrawal from or 
early completion of an exchange visitor's program. One party suggested 
changing the functionality of SEVIS to allow a sponsor to enter a 
retroactive date in the ``Complete Program More than 30 days Before 
Program End Date'' field. The second party urged the Department to make 
reference to the impending

[[Page 60304]]

paperless environment so that ``SEVIS can be programmed to implement 
Exchange Visitor Program regulations, rather than expecting the 
regulations to be amended later in response to SEVIS programming.'' The 
third party, a sponsor in the research scholar category, suggested 
omitting this provision from the Final Rule, arguing that sponsors 
sometimes overestimate the amount of time a research project can take, 
making it more sensible retroactively to change the program end date 
rather than report that the program was completed early. The Department 
has carefully considered these comments, and will adopt the language of 
the proposed rule. The Department can anticipate neither the 
implementation date nor the final characteristics of a SEVIS update. 
Accordingly, it must adopt regulations that address the current state 
of technology and issue guidance and/or new regulations after the 
technologies change.
    Current section 62.13(c)(8) requires sponsors to report the loss or 
theft of Forms DS-2019 to the Department by telephone. Two commenting 
parties asked the Department to reconsider this requirement and instead 
permit sponsors to report this information via email or in SEVIS. The 
Department agrees with this suggestion and, accordingly, will change 
section 62.13(c)(8) to permit such information to be reported by 
telephone or email.
    Section 62.13(d), which has been changed to require sponsors to 
inform the Department of any serious problem or controversy on or 
before the next business day, inspired two comments. One party asked 
the Department to keep the language ``promptly'' rather than change the 
operative language to ``on or before the next business day.'' The 
Department believes that ``promptly'' was too vague a standard to guide 
sponsors in the event of a serious problem or controversy. Thus the 
Department will adopt the wording ``on or before the next business 
day.'' The other party asked that the Department more explicitly define 
or provide examples of what might constitute a ``serious problem or 
controversy.'' Examples of such instances are death or serious injury 
of an exchange visitor, sexual abuse, or any other event that could 
bring the Department or the Exchange Visitor Program into notoriety or 
disrepute.
    In addition, the Department deletes section 62.13(b)(1)(iii); the 
regulations governing the imposition of sanctions are set forth in 22 
CFR 62.50.

Section 62.14 Insurance Coverage

    This rule increases by $50,000 the level of insurance coverage a 
sponsor must require its exchange visitors (and accompanying spouses 
and dependents) to maintain for the duration of their exchange visitor 
program participation, as reflected on their Forms DS-2019 (i.e., from 
the ``Program Begin Date'' through the ``Program End Date''). Many 
sponsors already require insurance policies for their exchange visitors 
at a higher level of coverage than the current regulations require. 
Although the regulations do not require ``entry to exit'' insurance 
coverage, the Department strongly encourages sponsors to offer this 
highly desirable coverage.
    The Department received a total of 47 comments regarding the 
insurance provisions. Of those, 37 parties supported the increased 
amounts, nine parties opposed the proposed changes, and two parties 
neither agreed nor disagreed but made further inquiries about 
acceptable ratings. The majority of the comments recognized the need 
for an increase in the health insurance coverage amounts. However, some 
commenters indicated that the amount of coverage of $200,000 per 
accident or illness was too high and that $100,000 would be sufficient. 
The Department has further reviewed insurance levels and 
recommendations and agrees that $100,000 is an acceptable level of 
coverage per accident or illness. The Department also has adopted, as 
prompted by two of the comments, two additional insurance ratings: the 
``A-'' rating by Fitch Ratings, Inc. and the ``A3'' rating by Moody's 
Investor Services. Thirteen of the commenting parties asked the 
Department to delay or provide a grace period for implementation of the 
new insurance requirements in order to give sponsors time to enter into 
new contracts with insurance carriers. The Department understands that 
current contracts must be fulfilled and that it will take some time to 
put new agreements in place. Therefore, the new insurance requirements 
will go into effect on January 1, 2015. Three comments suggested 
deletion of proposed section 62.14(j), which gives the Secretary of 
State the authority to update new mandatory minimum levels of insurance 
coverage. The comments argued that this power is too broad and that, in 
any event, changes to minimum insurance coverage requirements should go 
through the full regulatory review process. The Department agrees and 
has deleted this provision from section 62.14.

Section 62.15 Reporting Requirements

    Sponsors must submit annual reports to the Department, to be 
generated through SEVIS. Such report must be filed on an academic (July 
1-June 30), calendar (January 1-December 31), or fiscal (October 1-
September 30) year basis, as directed by the Department. The annual 
report has recently been updated in SEVIS to reflect the changes made 
on the Department's Form DS-3097 (Annual Report). The statistical 
calculations for the number of exchange visitors each year is taken 
directly from SEVIS records. Sponsors may input answers to the 
narrative questions on Form DS-3097 in SEVIS; however, they must 
continue to print the form, sign the certification, and mail it to the 
Department until the implementation of the next version of SEVIS. In 
addition, the Department deletes Appendix D to Part 62 in light of the 
collection of information through Form DS-3097 (Annual Report Form) 
(OMB collection 1405-0151).
    The Department received 11 comments regarding section 62.15(e)(2) 
of the proposed rule (now identified as section 62.15(a)(5)(ii) in this 
rulemaking), eight of which opposed the stipulation that only the Chief 
Financial Officer of an academic, medical, and private sector entity is 
authorized to sign its annual report. The annual report form already 
permits the Responsible Officer's signature; therefore, the Department 
revises section 62.15(a)(5)(ii) to permit an institution's Chief 
Executive Officer or Responsible Officer to sign the institution's 
annual report.
    To strengthen program oversight, proposed section 62.15(e)(3) (now 
identified as section 62.15(b) in this rulemaking) requires management 
reviews, currently utilized in the Au Pair category, for Private Sector 
Program sponsors, which includes the categories of Trainees, Interns, 
Teachers, Secondary School Students, Camp Counselors, Au Pairs, Alien 
Physician, and Summer Work Travel. The Department received 59 comments 
on the proposed management audit requirement, 23 of which were in favor 
of the new requirement, 35 of which were opposed, and one of which 
requested clarification on the cost and a list of recommended auditors. 
Twenty-three comments recognized the value of a management audit yet 
still raised concerns about the financial impact of such audits on 
small entities, the financial impact on organizations that hold 
designations in multiple categories of exchange, and the requirement 
that audits be conducted annually.

[[Page 60305]]

    A management review or audit, as it was previously referred to, is 
a review of a sponsor's internal controls. The management review 
identifies weaknesses in operating procedures in the conduct of an 
organization's business and in meeting regulatory requirements in the 
administration of its exchange visitor program or programs. Requiring a 
management review would give the Office of Exchange Coordination and 
Compliance an additional tool to assess the extent to which designated 
private sector exchange sponsors comply with the Exchange Visitor 
Program regulations. The Department will provide sponsors with a format 
and schedule of the management review timeframe. The Department intends 
to roll out the management reviews beginning with the secondary school 
student category. Initial management reviews will be due four months 
after the end of each category's annual cycle. Management reviews for 
the other categories will be implemented on different schedules in 
order to spread out the due dates over a two-year period. Sponsors that 
administer exchange programs funded fully by federal, state, or local 
governments (e.g., public school systems) are exempt from the 
management review requirement. These exchange programs are audited 
under other governmental requirements.
    Sponsors are required to engage independent auditors to perform the 
management reviews, including reviewing internal operating procedures 
of the sponsor and the files of a statistically valid sampling of the 
sponsor's exchange visitors.
    Three commenting parties set forth general concerns about proposed 
section 62.15(f) (now identified as section 62.15(a)(6) in this 
rulemaking), which requires sponsors to report a numerical count, by 
category, of all exchange visitors participating in the sponsor's 
program for the reporting year. Specifically, the comments called into 
question the accuracy of such data before any SEVIS revision were to go 
into effect. The Department and SEVIS have addressed these concerns 
since publication of the proposed rule. The new annual report form, 
Form DS-3097, was implemented in SEVIS in April 2011.
    Five commenting parties also opposed the characterization, in the 
Supplementary Information section of the proposed rule, of certain 
exchange visitor program categories as ``high risk.'' These parties 
stated that, although the exchange community understands the special 
vigilance required for certain programs where the majority of exchange 
visitors are minors, the Department has publicly noted on several 
occasions that the overall number of problematic incidents is low. 
Using this language gives an inaccurate impression to the general 
public, policymakers, and U.S. embassy staff who may not be familiar 
with these programs. The Department agrees and eliminates from the 
Final Rule language describing certain Exchange Visitor Program 
categories as ``high risk.''

Section 62.16 Employment

    As discussed above with respect to section 62.10, the Department 
has eliminated the requirement that sponsors collect Employment 
Authorization Document numbers for accompanying spouses and dependents. 
Accordingly, section 62.16(c) has also been amended to remove all 
reference to the collection of Employment Authorization Document 
numbers. Further, the language has been updated to reference the 
Department of Homeland Security and not the now defunct Immigration and 
Naturalization Services (INS).
    Note: Current section 62.17--Fees and Charges remains unchanged.

Regulatory Analysis

Administrative Procedure Act

    The Department of State is of the opinion that the Exchange Visitor 
Program is a foreign affairs function of the U.S. Government and that 
rules implementing this function are exempt from sections 553 
(Rulemaking) and 554 (Adjudications) of the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA). The U.S. Government, by policy and longstanding practice, 
oversees foreign nationals who come to the United States as 
participants in exchange visitor programs, either directly or through 
private sector program sponsors or grantees. When problems occur, the 
U.S. Government is often held accountable by foreign governments for 
the treatment of their nationals, regardless of who is responsible for 
the problems. The purpose of this final rule is to amend the general 
administrative provisions for the Exchange Visitor Program, and 
associated Appendices, in accordance with the Act and to take steps to 
protect the health, safety and welfare of foreign nationals entering 
the United States (often on programs funded by the U.S. Government) for 
a finite period of time and with a view that they will return to their 
countries of nationality upon completion of their programs. The 
Department of State represents that failure to take steps to protect 
the health, safety and welfare of these foreign nationals will have 
direct and substantial adverse effects on the foreign affairs of the 
United States. Although the Department is of the opinion that this rule 
is exempt from the rulemaking provisions of the APA, the Department 
previously published this rule as a notice of proposed rulemaking, with 
a 60-day provision for public comment; and it is now publishing this 
rule as a final rule with a 60-day provision for public comment. This 
is without prejudice to its determination that the Exchange Visitor 
Program is a foreign affairs function.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996

    This final rule is not a major rule as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804 for 
the purposes of Congressional review of agency rulemaking under the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 
801-808). This rule will not result in an annual effect on the economy 
of $100 million or more; a major increase in costs or prices; or 
significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, 
productivity, innovation, or on the ability of United States-based 
companies to compete with foreign-based companies in domestic and 
export markets.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    This final rule will not result in the expenditure by State, local 
and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of 
$100 million in any year, and it will not significantly or uniquely 
affect small governments. Therefore, no actions were deemed necessary 
under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995.

Executive Order 13175--Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal 
Governments

    The Department has determined that this rulemaking will not have 
tribal implications, will not impose substantial direct compliance 
costs on Indian tribal governments, and will not pre-empt tribal law. 
Accordingly, the requirements of Executive Order 13175 do not apply to 
this rulemaking.

Regulatory Flexibility Act/Executive Order 13272

    Since this final rule is exempt from 5 U.S.C. 553, and no other law 
requires the Department of State to give notice of proposed rulemaking, 
it is not subject to the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601, et 
seq.) and Executive Order 13272, section 3(b). In its September 22, 
2009 promulgation of the proposed rule, the

[[Page 60306]]

Department certified that the proposed changes to the regulations were 
not expected to have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, and Executive Order 13272, section 
3(b).
Numbers of Small Businesses
    The Department notes that the final rule will affect the operations 
of the nearly 1,400 sponsors designated by the Department to conduct 
exchange programs. These 1,400 sponsors bring into the United States 
close to 300,000 new exchange visitors annually. The Department has not 
conducted a study of how many of its sponsors are small businesses. 
However, even if all of the 1,400 sponsors are stipulated to be small 
businesses, the proposed changes to the regulations would not be 
expected to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number 
of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 
5 U.S.C. 601-612 and Executive Order 13272, section 3(b).
Small Business Compliance Costs
    The Department has not specifically studied the effect of this 
regulation on small businesses. However, it estimates the cost of a 
management review, whose parameters the Department may define, to be 
around $10,000. There is a cost of around $3-5 per person for an 
instant electronic-type of background check or $15 per person cost for 
one where local documentation is reviewed electronically. These types 
of checks meet the standard outlined in the regulation. Health 
insurance should not cause an increase in sponsor costs, as most 
sponsors are already requiring insurance at the level noted in the 
rulemaking, if not higher. The vast majority of exchange visitors pay 
for their own insurance and buy from a variety of vendors with 
different costs that are affected by myriad factors.
    The cost per small business is estimated at around $10,000 every 
two years for the management review. The cost, on average, is $48-$180 
every four years for background checks based on an average of three to 
six ROs/AROs per sponsor.
    The Office of Advocacy, Small Business Administration, submitted a 
public comment letter on this rule. The Office was concerned with the 
Department of State's use of the foreign affairs exemption, the use of 
the Interim Final Rule format, and the lack of small business data to 
justify this certification. After receiving and analyzing the 
aforementioned 656 comments and after consultation with the affected 
stakeholders, a number of changes were made to the proposed regulation. 
The Department removed the requirement for sponsors to collect a Dun & 
Bradstreet number on the organization and affiliated third parties, 
which would have been a cost to sponsors of several hundred dollars 
each. In addition, the expense of required pre-designation on-site 
reviews to sponsors was removed, which also would have cost sponsors 
several hundred dollars each.
    After revising the proposed rule, the Department again reviewed the 
regulations being promulgated in this Final Rule in order to determine 
if they would potentially have a significant economic impact on any 
other small entities using the J-visa. Other than those comments 
received regarding management audits, no other commenters claimed that 
there would be a potential significant economic impact on small 
entities.
    Accordingly, the Department has determined that the Final Rule is 
not expected to have an economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities.

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    The Department is of the opinion that the Exchange Visitor Program 
is a foreign affairs function of the U.S. Government and that rules 
governing the conduct of this function are exempt from the requirements 
of Executive Order 12866. However, the Department has nevertheless 
reviewed the final rule to ensure its consistency with the regulatory 
philosophy and principles set forth in those Executive Orders. The 
following number of sponsors and participants will be affected by 
regulatory changes (note that the total number of sponsors in the table 
adds up to more than 1,400, since many sponsors cover more than one 
category of exchange visitor):

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Number of
                Category                     Number of     participants
                                             sponsors        (CY 2013)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Au Pair.................................              15          14,625
Camp Counselor..........................              24          18,889
College and University Student..........             816          45,738
Intern..................................              77          21,879
Alien Physician.........................               1           2,331
Professor & Research Scholar............             975          31,842
International Visitor...................               7           5,715
Government Visitor......................              22           5,299
Secondary School Student................              77          23,697
Short Term Scholar......................             834          19,572
Specialist..............................             412             801
Summer Work Travel......................              46          86,518
Teacher.................................              54           1,176
Trainee.................................              85           9,111
                                         -------------------------------
    Total...............................  ..............         287,193
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Department acknowledges an increased paperwork burden on the 
1,400 sponsors that participate in the exchange visitor program. The 
reasons for these requirements were explained above, and will be 
explained in detail when the respective information collections are 
updated. However, to summarize, these requirements will enhance the 
safety and security of the exchange visitor exchange visitors (some of 
whom are vulnerable minors) and will support interagency national 
security efforts by ensuring that reputable individuals have access to 
SEVIS. The increased costs, as explained in the preamble above, will 
involve the cost of criminal background checks for personnel assigned 
to each of the sponsors, which we estimate to be less than $10 per 
person, for an average

[[Page 60307]]

of three to six Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers 
per sponsor, as well as costs associated with performing a management 
review. The management reviews will be conducted by sponsors in each 
category on a rolling basis, starting with sponsors in the secondary 
school student category. The Department intends the cost of the review 
to be around $10,000 per sponsor per review period.
    The general provisions section (Subpart A) has not been amended 
since March 19, 1993. Exchange programs conducted under the authorities 
of the Exchange Visitor Program promote mutual understanding by 
providing exchange visitors an understanding of and an appreciation for 
the similarities and differences between their own culture and that of 
the United States. Upon their return home, the exchange visitors enrich 
their communities with their fresh perspectives of U.S. culture and 
events. Although this is an intangible benefit, one that is not easily 
quantified, the Department finds that the benefits of this rulemaking 
outweigh its costs. The Department has reviewed this rulemaking in 
light of Executive Order 13563, and finds that it is consistent with 
the guidance therein.

Executive Order 12988

    The Department of State has reviewed this final rule in light of 
sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988 to eliminate 
ambiguity, minimize litigation, establish clear legal standards, and 
reduce burden.

Executive Orders 12372 and 13132

    This regulation will not have substantial direct effect on the 
states, on the relationship between the national government and the 
states, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government. Therefore, in accordance with section 6 
of Executive Order 13132, it is determined that this rule does not have 
sufficient federalism implications to require consultations or warrant 
the preparation of a federalism summary impact statement. Executive 
Order 12372, regarding intergovernmental consultation on federal 
programs and activities, does not apply to this regulation.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The information collection requirements contained in this final 
rule are pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35 
and OMB Control Number 1405-0147, Form DS-7000, which requires 
collection of additional information for the Exchange Visitor Program. 
(See 78 F.R. 38429, June 26, 2013).

List of Subjects in 22 CFR Part 62

    Cultural exchange programs, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

    Accordingly, 22 CFR Part 62 is amended as follows:

PART 62--EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM

0
1. The authority citation for Part 62 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  22 U.S.C. 2651a; 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(J), 1182, 
1184, 1258; 22 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.; P.L. 
105-277, Div. G, 112 Stat. 2681 et seq.; Reorganization Plan No. 2 
of 1977, 3 CFR, 1977 Comp. p. 200; E.O. 12048 of March 27, 1978; 3 
CFR, 1978 Comp. p. 168; P.L. 104-208, Div. C, 110 Stat. 3009-546, as 
amended; P.L. 107-56, sec. 416, 115 Stat. 354; and P.L. 107-173, 116 
Stat. 543.

Subpart A--General Provisions

0
2. Sections 62.1 through 62.16 are revised to read as follows:
Sec.
62.1 Purpose.
62.2 Definitions.
62.3 Sponsor eligibility.
62.4 Categories of participant eligibility.
62.5 Designation application procedure.
62.6 Designation.
62.7 Redesignation.
62.8 General program requirements.
62.9 General obligations of sponsors.
62.10 Program administration.
62.11 Duties of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers.
62.12 Control of Forms DS-2019.
62.13 Notification requirements.
62.14 Insurance.
62.15 Reporting requirements.
62.16 Employment.

Sec.  62.1  Purpose.

    (a) The regulations set forth in this part implement the Mutual 
Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (the ``Act''), as 
amended, Public Law 87-256, 22 U.S.C. 2451, et seq. (1988). The purpose 
of the Act is to increase mutual understanding between the people of 
the United States and the people of other countries by means of 
educational and cultural exchanges. Educational and cultural exchanges 
assist the Department of State in furthering the foreign policy 
objectives of the United States. These exchanges are defined by section 
102 of the Act, 22 U.S.C. 2452, and section 101(a)(15)(J) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(J).
    (b) The Secretary of State of the Department of State facilitates 
activities specified in the Act, in part, by designating public and 
private entities to act as sponsors of the Exchange Visitor Program. 
Sponsors may act independently or with the assistance of third parties. 
The purpose of the Program is to provide foreign nationals with 
opportunities to participate in educational and cultural programs in 
the United States and return home to share their experiences, and to 
encourage Americans to participate in educational and cultural programs 
in other countries. Exchange visitors enter the United States on a J 
visa. The regulations set forth in this subpart are applicable to all 
sponsors.
    (c) The Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs of 
the Department of State may, in his or her sole discretion and to the 
extent consistent with the authorities described in paragraph (a) of 
this section and other applicable law, waive or modify any provision of 
this Part with respect to programs that are established pursuant to 
memoranda of understanding, letters of intent or similar arrangements 
between the United States and foreign governments. When establishing 
such a program, the Department will publish a notice in the Federal 
Register describing the program and any resulting modifications to or 
waivers of provisions of this Part. If such an arrangement will not 
result in a waiver of or other modification to the provisions of this 
Part, then the Department need not publish a notice.


Sec.  62.2  Definitions.

    The following definitions apply to this part:
    Academic institution. Any publicly or privately operated primary, 
secondary, or post-secondary institution in the United States or abroad 
that offers primarily academic programs. For the purpose of these 
regulations, an institution that offers primarily vocational or 
technical programs is not an academic institution unless the specific 
program or programs in which the exchange visitor is to participate or 
has participated has been determined by the U.S. Department of State on 
an exceptional basis to be comparable to those offered in academic 
institutions.
    Accompanying spouse and dependents. The alien spouse and/or minor 
unmarried child(ren), if any, of an exchange visitor who are 
accompanying or following to join the exchange visitor and who seek to 
enter or have entered the United States temporarily on non-immigrant J-
2 visas or seek to acquire or have acquired such status after 
admission. For the purpose of these regulations, a minor is a person 
under the age of 21 years old.

[[Page 60308]]

    Accredited academic institution. Any academic institution that is 
duly accredited by the appropriate academic accrediting authority of 
the U.S. jurisdiction in which such institution is located. In 
addition, all post-secondary institutions also must be accredited by a 
nationally recognized accrediting agency or association as recognized 
by the Secretary of Education.
    Act. The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as 
amended.
    Actual and current U.S. address. The physical, geographic location 
at which an exchange visitor and accompanying spouse and dependents 
reside while participating in an exchange program.
    Alternate Responsible Officer. An employee or officer of a sponsor 
who has been nominated by the sponsor and approved by the Department of 
State to assist the Responsible Officer in carrying out the 
responsibilities outlined in Sec.  62.11. An Alternate Responsible 
Officer must be a United States person.
    Certificate of Good Standing. A document issued by a state 
Secretary of State, Secretary of Commonwealth, or other official in the 
state where the business entity is registered. A Certificate of Good 
Standing confirms that a corporation, partnership or other legal entity 
is in existence or authorized to transact business. A Certificate of 
Good Standing is also known as a Certificate of Authorization or a 
Certificate of Existence.
    Clerical work. Routine administrative work generally performed in 
an office or office-like setting, such as data entry, filing, typing, 
mail sorting and distribution, and other general administrative or 
support tasks.
    Consortium. A not-for-profit corporation, partnership, joint 
venture or other association formed by two or more accredited academic 
institutions for the purpose of sharing educational resources, 
conducting research, and/or developing new programs to enrich or expand 
the opportunities offered by its members. An academic institution in 
the United States that participates in a consortium is not barred from 
having separate exchange visitor program designations of its own.
    Country of nationality or last legal permanent residence. Either 
the country of which the exchange visitor is a national at the time 
status as an exchange visitor is acquired or the last foreign country 
in which the visitor had a legal permanent residence before acquiring 
status as an exchange visitor.
    Cross-cultural activity. An activity designed to promote exposure 
and interchange between exchange visitors and Americans so as to 
increase their mutual understanding of each other's society, culture, 
and institutions.
    Department of State. The U.S. Department of State.
    Designation. The written authorization issued by the Department of 
State to an exchange visitor program applicant to conduct an exchange 
visitor program as a sponsor. The term includes the written 
authorization issued to a current sponsor that applies to continue its 
designation (i.e., redesignation).
    Employee. An individual who provides services or labor for an 
employer for wages or other remuneration. A third party, as defined in 
this section, or an independent contractor, as defined in 8 CFR 
274a.1(j), is not an employee.
    Exchange visitor. A foreign national who has been selected by a 
sponsor to participate in an exchange visitor program, and who is 
seeking to enter or has entered the United States temporarily on a non-
immigrant J-1 visa or who has obtained J status in the United States 
based on a Form DS-2019 issued by the sponsor. The term does not 
include the accompanying spouse and dependents of the exchange visitor.
    Exchange Visitor Program. The international exchange program 
administered by the Department of State to implement the Act by means 
of educational and cultural exchange programs. When ``exchange visitor 
program'' is set forth in lower case, it refers to the individual 
program of a sponsor that has been designated by the Department of 
State.
    Exchange visitor's government. The government of the exchange 
visitor's country of nationality or last legal permanent residence.
    Financed directly. Financed in whole or in part by the U.S. 
Government or the exchange visitor's government with funds contributed 
directly to the exchange visitor in connection with his or her 
participation in an exchange visitor program.
    Form DS-2019, A Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-
Nonimmigrant) Status. A controlled document of the Department of State 
that a sponsor issues to a potential Exchange Visitor Program 
participant (J-1) and his or her accompanying spouse and dependents (J-
2) as permitted by regulations. This form, together with other 
necessary Department of State documents, permits the named foreign 
national, if required, to schedule an interview at a U.S. embassy or 
consulate to seek to obtain a J visa to enter the United States as an 
Exchange Visitor Program participant or as an accompanying spouse and 
dependent.
    Form DS-3036, Exchange Visitor Program Application. A controlled 
document of the Department of State that an organization uses to apply 
to become a designated sponsor of the Exchange Visitor Program and that 
a designated sponsor uses to request redesignation or amendment of an 
existing exchange visitor program.
    Form DS-3037, Update of Information on a Sponsor's Exchange Visitor 
Program. A controlled document of the Department of State that a 
sponsor uses to update information on its exchange visitor programs in 
SEVIS.
    Form DS-3097, Annual Report. A controlled document of the 
Department of State in which a sponsor reports program activity and 
evaluation on a yearly basis.
    Form DS-7002, Training/Internship Placement Plan (T/IPP). A 
controlled document of the Department of State used in connection only 
with a Trainee or Intern under 22 CFR Sec.  62.22, or a Student Intern 
under Sec.  62.23 respectively, to outline an exchange visitor's 
program activities.
    Full course of study. Full-time enrollment in an academic program 
of classroom participation and study and/or doctoral thesis research at 
an accredited academic institution as follows:
    (1) Secondary school students must satisfy the attendance and 
course requirements of the state in which the school they attend is 
located; and
    (2) College and university students must register for and complete 
a full course of study, as defined by the accredited academic 
institution in which the student is registered, unless exempted in 
accordance with Sec.  62.23(e).
    Graduate medical education or training. Participation in a program 
in which a foreign medical school graduate will receive graduate 
medical education or training, which generally consists of a residency 
or fellowship program involving health care services to patients, but 
does not include programs involving observation, consultation, teaching 
or research in which there is no or only incidental patient care. This 
program may consist of a medical specialty, a directly related medical 
subspecialty, or both.
    Home-country physical presence requirement. The requirement that an 
exchange visitor, and any accompanying spouse and dependents, who are 
within the purview of section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act, as amended, or Public Law 94-484 (substantially quoted in 22 CFR 
41.63), must reside and be physically present in

[[Page 60309]]

the country of nationality or last legal permanent residence for an 
aggregate of at least two years following departure from the United 
States before the exchange visitor is eligible to apply for an 
immigrant visa or permanent residence, a non-immigrant K visa as the 
fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen, a non-immigrant H visa as a 
temporary worker or trainee, or a non-immigrant L visa as an 
intracompany transferee, or a non-immigrant H or L visa as the spouse 
or minor child of a person who has been granted status in H or L non-
immigrant classification as a temporary worker or trainee or an 
intracompany transferee.
    Host organization. A third party in the United States that conducts 
training and/or internship programs on behalf of a designated sponsor 
pursuant to an executed written agreement between the two parties.
    Internship program. A structured and guided work-based learning 
program for an Intern as set forth in an individualized Training/
Internship Placement Plan (Form DS-7002) that reinforces an intern's 
academic study; recognizes the need for work-based experience; provides 
on-the-job exposure to American techniques, methodologies, and 
technologies; and enhances the Intern's knowledge of American culture 
and society.
    J visa. A non-immigrant visa issued pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)(J). A J-1 visa is issued to an exchange visitor. A J-2 visa 
is issued to the exchange visitor's accompanying spouse and dependents, 
if qualified under Sec.  214b of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 
as amended.
    Management review. A program-specific management audit in a format 
approved by the Department of State that is conducted by an independent 
auditor who is not an employee or third party contractor of the 
sponsor, to identify weaknesses in operating procedures in the conduct 
of an organization's business and in meeting regulatory requirements in 
the administration of a sponsor's exchange visitor program.
    Office of Designation. The Department of State, Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs office assigned to administer 
designations of sponsors.
    Office of Exchange Coordination and Compliance. The Department of 
State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs office assigned to 
oversee sponsor compliance with 22 CFR Part 62 and, as appropriate, 
impose sanctions.
    Office of Private Sector Exchange Administration. The Department of 
State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs office assigned to 
monitor administration of each sponsor's exchange visitor program.
    On-the-job training. An individual's observation of and 
participation in given tasks demonstrated by experienced workers for 
the purpose of acquiring competency in such tasks.
    Prescribed course of study. A non-degree academic program with a 
specific educational objective. Such course of study may include 
intensive English language training, classroom instruction, research 
projects, and/or academic training to the extent permitted in Sec.  
62.23.
    Reciprocity. The participation of a U.S. citizen or U.S. national 
in an educational and cultural program in a foreign country in exchange 
for the participation of a foreign national in the Exchange Visitor 
Program. Where used herein, ``reciprocity'' will be interpreted 
broadly; unless otherwise specified, reciprocity does not require a 
one-for-one exchange or that exchange visitors be engaged in the same 
activity.
    Responsible Officer. An employee or officer of a sponsor who has 
been nominated by the sponsor, and approved by the Department of State, 
to carry out the duties outlined in Sec.  62.11. A Responsible Officer 
must be a citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident 
of the United States.
    Secretary of State. The Secretary of State or an employee of the 
U.S. Department of State acting under a delegation of authority from 
the Secretary of State.
    SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). The 
statutorily mandated system designed to collect information on non-
immigrant students (F and M visas), exchange visitors (J visas), and 
their spouses and dependents (F-2, M-2, and J-2 visas). SEVIS enables 
schools and program sponsors to transmit information and event 
notifications electronically, via the Internet, to the Department of 
Homeland Security and the Department of State throughout a student's or 
exchange visitor's stay in the United States.
    Site of activity. The physical, geographic location(s) where an 
exchange visitor participates in his or her exchange program.
    Sponsor. A legal entity designated by the Secretary of State to 
conduct an exchange visitor program.
    Staffing/employment agency. A U.S. business that hires individuals 
for the express purpose of supplying workers to other businesses. 
Typically, the other businesses where workers are placed pay an hourly 
fee per employee to the staffing/employment agency, of which the worker 
receives a percentage.
    Student internship program. A structured and guided work-based 
learning program for a post-secondary student intern as set forth in an 
individualized Training/Internship Placement Plan (Form DS-7002) that 
partially or fully fulfills a student's post-secondary academic degree 
requirements; recognizes the need for work-based experience; provides 
on-the-job exposure to American techniques, methodologies, and 
technologies; and enhances the student intern's knowledge of American 
culture and society.
    Third party. A person or legal entity with whom a sponsor has 
executed a written agreement for the person or entity to act on behalf 
of a sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's exchange visitor program. 
All entities that act on behalf of the sponsor in the conduct of the 
sponsor's exchange visitor program must execute written agreements with 
the sponsor that outline the full relationship between the entity and 
the sponsor on all matters involving the administration of the exchange 
visitor program. A sponsor's use of a third party does not relieve the 
sponsor of its obligations to comply, and to ensure third party 
compliance, with the provisions of this Part. Failure by any third 
party to comply with the regulations set forth in this Part or with any 
additional terms and conditions governing administration of the 
Exchange Visitor Program that the Department of State may from time to 
time impose will be imputed to the sponsor. Sponsors are required to 
ensure that third parties know and comply with all applicable 
provisions of these regulations.
    Training program. A structured and guided work-based learning 
program for a trainee as set forth in an individualized Training/
Internship Placement Plan (Form DS-7002), that develops new and 
advanced skills in a trainee's occupational field through exposure to 
American techniques, methodologies, and technologies; and enhances a 
trainee's understanding of American culture and society.
    United States person (individual). A person who is born within or 
is a national of the United States or any of its territories or 
outlying possessions. A U.S. person is a citizen or an individual who 
has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence, within the meaning 
of section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101).
    United States Person (legal entity).
    (1) A general or limited partnership created or organized under the 
laws of the United States, or of any state, the

[[Page 60310]]

District of Columbia, or any territory or outlying possession of the 
United States, of which a majority of the partners are United States 
persons:
    (i) Which has its principal place of business in the United States; 
and
    (ii) In instances where the partnership is additionally governed by 
a Board, the majority of whose officers are United States persons.
    (2) A for-profit corporation, association, or other legal entity 
created or organized under the laws of the United States, or of any 
state, the District of Columbia, or a territory or outlying possession 
of the United States, whose principal place of business is located in 
the United States, and
    (i) Whose shares or voting interests are publicly traded on a U.S. 
stock exchange; or
    (ii) A majority of whose officers, a majority of whose 
shareholders, and a majority of whose members of its Board of Directors 
are United States persons and collectively hold a majority of the 
shares or stock (i.e., the de jure controlling interest); or
    (3) A non-profit corporation, association, or other legal entity 
created or organized under the laws of the United States, or any state, 
the District of Columbia, or any territory or outlying possession of 
the United States; and
    (i) Whose principal place of business is located in the United 
States; and
    (ii) A majority of whose officers and a majority of whose members 
of its Board of Directors, Board of Trustees or other like body vested 
with its management are United States persons; or
    (4) An accredited college, university, or other post-secondary 
academic institution in the United States created or organized under 
the laws of the United States, or of any state, county, municipality, 
or other political subdivision thereof, the District of Columbia, or of 
any territory or outlying possession of the United States; or
    (5) An agency of the United States, or of any state or local 
government, the District of Columbia, or any territory or outlying 
possession of the United States.
    Validation. The process by which a Responsible Officer or Alternate 
Responsible Officer updates the SEVIS record of an exchange visitor to 
show he or she has entered the United States, and that the exchange 
visitor reported to his or her sponsor and is participating in the 
exchange visitor program at the site of activity identified on his or 
her Form DS-2019.


Sec.  62.3  Sponsor eligibility.

    (a) The following types of entities are eligible to apply for 
designation as a sponsor of an exchange visitor program:
    (1) U.S. local, state, and federal government agencies to include 
the District of Columbia; and government agencies of any U.S. 
territories and outlying possessions;
    (2) International agencies or organizations of which the United 
States is a member and that have an office in the United States; or
    (3) Reputable organizations that are United States Persons.
    (b) To be eligible for designation as a sponsor, an entity is 
required to:
    (1) Demonstrate, to the Department of State's satisfaction, its 
ability to comply and remain in continual compliance with all 
applicable provisions of this part;
    (2) Meet at all times its financial obligations and 
responsibilities attendant to successful sponsorship of its exchange 
visitor program; and
    (3) Demonstrate that the organization or its proposed Responsible 
Officer has no fewer than three years' experience in international 
exchange.


Sec.  62.4  Categories of participant eligibility.

    Sponsors select foreign nationals to participate in exchange 
visitor program(s) in the United States. Participation is limited to 
foreign nationals who meet the following criteria for each of the 
following categories:
    (a) Student. A foreign national who is:
    (1) Studying in the United States and:
    (i) Pursuing a full course of study at a secondary accredited 
academic institution;
    (ii) Pursuing a full course of study leading to or culminating in 
the award of a U.S. degree from a post-secondary accredited academic 
institution; or
    (iii) Engaged full-time in a prescribed course of study of up to 24 
months (non-degree) duration conducted by:
    (A) A post-secondary accredited academic institution; or
    (B) An institute approved by or acceptable to the post-secondary 
accredited academic institution, where the student is to be enrolled 
upon completion of the non-degree program;
    (2) Engaged in academic training as permitted in Sec.  62.23(f);
    (3) Engaged in English language training at:
    (i) A post-secondary accredited academic institution, or
    (ii) An institute approved by or acceptable to the post-secondary 
accredited academic institution where the college or university student 
is to be enrolled upon completion of the language training; or
    (4) Engaged full-time in a student internship program conducted by 
a post-secondary accredited academic institution.
    (b) Short-term scholar. A foreign national who is a professor, 
research scholar, or person with similar education or accomplishments 
who enters the United States for a short-term visit for the purpose of 
lecturing, observing, consulting, training, or demonstrating special 
skills at research institutions, museums, libraries, post-secondary 
accredited academic institutions, or similar types of institutions.
    (c) Trainee. A foreign national participating in a structured and 
guided work-based training program in his or her specific occupational 
field (in an occupational category for which a sponsor has obtained 
designation) who has either:
    (1) A degree or professional certificate from a foreign 
ministerially-recognized post-secondary academic institution and at 
least one year of prior related work experience in his or her 
occupational field acquired outside the United States; or
    (2) Five years of work experience in his or her occupational field 
acquired outside the United States.
    (d) Teacher. A foreign national with the equivalent of a U.S. 
Bachelor's degree in either education or the subject matter (or related 
subjects) he or she intends to teach and a minimum of the equivalent of 
two years of post-degree full-time teaching experience, who is employed 
as a teacher at the time of application for the program, for the 
purpose of teaching full-time in a primary or secondary accredited 
academic institution.
    (e) Professor. A foreign national whose primary purpose is 
teaching, lecturing, observing, or consulting at post-secondary 
accredited academic institutions, museums, libraries, or similar types 
of institutions. A professor also may conduct research where authorized 
by the sponsor.
    (f) Research scholar. A foreign national whose primary purpose is 
conducting research, observing, or consulting in connection with a 
research project at research institutions, corporate research 
facilities, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited academic 
institutions, or similar types of institutions. A research scholar also 
may teach or lecture where authorized by the sponsor.
    (g) Specialist. A foreign national who is an expert in a field of 
specialized knowledge or skills who enters the United States for the 
purpose of

[[Page 60311]]

observing, consulting, or demonstrating special knowledge or skills.
    (h) Other person of similar description. A foreign national of 
description similar to those set forth in paragraphs (a) through (g) of 
this section coming to the United States as a participant in an 
exchange visitor program designated by the Department of State under 
this category, for the purpose of teaching, instructing or lecturing, 
studying, observing, conducting research, consulting, demonstrating 
special skills, or receiving training. The programs designated by the 
Department of State in this category consist of:
    (1) Alien physician. A foreign national who is a graduate of a 
school of medicine who comes to the United States under a program in 
which he or she will receive graduate medical education or training 
conducted by accredited U.S. schools of medicine or scientific 
institutions.
    (2) International visitor. A foreign national who is a recognized 
or potential leader, selected by the Department of State for the 
purpose of consulting, observing, conducting research, training, or 
demonstrating special skills in the United States.
    (3) Government visitor. A foreign national who is an influential or 
distinguished person, selected by a U.S. federal, state, or local 
government agency for the purpose of consulting, observing, training, 
or demonstrating special skills in the United States.
    (4) Camp counselor. A foreign national selected to be a counselor 
in a summer camp in the United States (e.g., during the U.S. summer 
months).
    (5) Au pair. A foreign national who comes to the United States for 
the purpose of residing with an American host family and participating 
directly in their home life, while providing limited childcare 
services, and fulfilling an educational requirement.
    (6) Summer Work and Travel. A foreign national who is a bona fide 
foreign post-secondary student, who at the time of application is 
enrolled in and actively pursuing a degree or a full-time course of 
study at a foreign ministerially-recognized post-secondary academic 
institution and whose purpose is work and travel in the United States 
for up to four months during his or her break between academic years.
    (7) Intern. A foreign national participating in a structured and 
guided work-based internship program in his or her specific academic 
field and who either:
    (i) Is currently enrolled full-time in and actively pursuing 
studies at a foreign ministerially-recognized degree- or certificate-
granting post-secondary academic institution outside the United States, 
or
    (ii) Graduated from such an institution no more than 12 months 
prior to the exchange visitor program begin date reflected on Form DS-
2019.


Sec.  62.5  Designation application procedure.

    (a) An entity meeting the eligibility requirements set forth in 
Sec.  62.3 may apply to the Department of State for designation as an 
Exchange Visitor Program sponsor. An applicant must first complete and 
submit Form DS-3036 in SEVIS. The complete application must consist of:
    (1) A completed copy of Form DS-3036 signed by the applicant's 
Chief Executive Officer, President, or other executive with legal 
authority to make commitments on behalf of the sponsor (as identified 
in the organization's governing documents);
    (2) Required supporting documentation and certifications as set 
forth in paragraph (c); and
    (3) Confirmation of payment of the required non-refundable 
application fee through pay.gov as set forth in Sec.  62.17.
    (b) A complete application must set forth, in detail, the 
applicant's proposed exchange program activity and must demonstrate, to 
the Department of State's satisfaction, the applicant's ability to 
comply and remain in continual compliance with all the provisions of 
this part, and, in particular, to meet the sponsor eligibility 
requirements set forth in Sec.  62.3 and the general obligations of 
sponsors set forth in Sec.  62.9.
    (c) An application must be accompanied by the following supporting 
documentation and certifications, as relevant:
    (1) Evidence of sponsor eligibility as set forth in Sec.  62.3(a), 
including evidence of legal status (e.g., charter, proof of 
incorporation, by laws, partnership agreement);
    (2) Evidence of experience in operating a successful business, 
including a minimum of three years of experience in international 
exchange by the organization or by the proposed Responsible Officer;
    (3) Evidence of the applicant's ability to meet at all times its 
financial obligations and responsibilities attendant to successful 
sponsorship of its exchange visitor program, and evidence that it can 
comply with Sec.  62.9(e) and provide any supplemental or explanatory 
financial information the Department of State may request. In addition:
    (i) An established entity must present a current audit report with 
audit notes prepared by an independent certified public accounting 
firm.
    (ii) A newly formed entity must present a compilation (i.e., a 
balance sheet, statement of cash flows and all disclosures, revenues, 
expenditures, and notes to financial statements) prepared by an 
independent certified public accounting firm demonstrating that the 
entity has been capitalized with sufficient funds to cover general 
operating expenses and costs associated with an exchange program.
    (4) A current Certificate of Good Standing (see Sec.  62.2);
    (5) An Employer Identification Number (EIN), which specifies the 
date of issuance;
    (6) Evidence of current accreditation if the applicant is a 
secondary or post-secondary academic institution;
    (7) Evidence of current licensure, if required by local, state, or 
federal law, to carry out the activity for which the applicant is 
seeking designation;
    (8) A statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer, President, 
or other executive with legal authority to make commitments on behalf 
of the sponsor (as identified in the organization's governing 
documents), certifying that:
    (i) The applicant is a United States Person as defined in Sec.  
62.2;
    (ii) The proposed Responsible Officer and all proposed Alternate 
Responsible Officers are United States citizens or lawful permanent 
residents of the United States;
    (iii) The sponsor has completed a criminal background check on the 
potential Responsible Officer and all Alternate Responsible Officers, 
and has determined their suitability for these positions; the criminal 
background checks must be no older than four years at any time for re-
designated sponsors and must be newly conducted as part of the 
designation application for new sponsors and the redesignation 
application for sponsors designated for only one year; and
    (iv) The Responsible Officer will be provided sufficient staff and 
resources to fulfill his or her duties and obligations on behalf of the 
applicant;
    (9) A completed SEVIS-generated Citizenship Certification for the 
proposed Responsible Officer and all proposed Alternate Responsible 
Officer(s) along with evidence that they are citizens of the United 
States or lawful permanent residents (e.g., copy of passport, birth 
certificate, green card); and
    (10) Such additional information or documentation that the 
Department of State may deem necessary to evaluate the application. In 
addition, the Department may decide, in its

[[Page 60312]]

discretion, to conduct a pre-designation site visit of a first-time 
applicant.


Sec.  62.6  Designation.

    (a) Upon its favorable determination that an applicant meets all 
statutory and regulatory requirements, the Department of State may, in 
its sole discretion, designate the applicant as an Exchange Visitor 
Program sponsor.
    (b) Initial designations are effective for one or two years at the 
sole discretion of the Department of State.
    (c) Designation will confer upon a sponsor the authority to engage 
in one or more activities specified in Sec.  62.4. A sponsor may engage 
only in the activity or activities specifically authorized in its 
written letter of designation.
    (d) The Department of State may, in its sole discretion, require a 
sponsor to secure a payment bond in favor of the Department of State 
guaranteeing the sponsor's obligations hereunder.
    (e) Designations are not transferable or assignable.


Sec.  62.7  Redesignation.

    (a) Sponsors must file for redesignation no more than six months 
and no fewer than three months before the designation expiration date 
as set forth in the sponsor's letter of designation or its most recent 
letter of redesignation.
    (b) A sponsor seeking redesignation as an Exchange Visitor Program 
sponsor must first complete and submit Form DS-3036 in SEVIS. The 
complete application must consist of:
    (1) A completed copy of Form DS-3036, signed by the sponsor's Chief 
Financial Officer, President or other executive with legal authority to 
make commitments on behalf of the sponsor (as identified in the 
organization's governing documents);
    (2) Required supporting documentation and certifications as set 
forth in paragraph (c); and
    (3) Confirmation of payment of the required non-refundable 
application fee through pay.gov as set forth in Sec.  62.17.
    (c) The complete application must include the following supporting 
documentation and certifications:
    (1) A copy of the most recent year-end financial statements;
    (2) A copy of the most recent letter of accreditation if the 
sponsor is a secondary or post-secondary academic institution;
    (3) A list of the names, addresses and citizenship or legal 
permanent resident status of the current members of its Board of 
Directors or the Board of Trustees or other like body, vested with the 
management of the organization or partnership, and/or the percentage of 
stocks/shares held, as applicable;
    (4) For a non-profit organization, a signed copy of the sponsor's 
most recent Form 990 filed with the Internal Revenue Service;
    (5) A statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer, President, 
or other executive with legal authority to make commitments on behalf 
of the sponsor (as identified in the organization's governing 
documents) certifying that the sponsor has completed timely criminal 
background checks since the date of the last designation or 
redesignation letter on the Responsible Officer and all Alternate 
Responsible Officers and has determined their suitability for these 
positions; and
    (6) Such additional information or documentation that the 
Department of State may deem necessary to evaluate the application.
    (d) Upon its favorable determination that a sponsor meets all 
statutory and regulatory requirements, the Department of State may, in 
its sole discretion, redesignate the organization as an Exchange 
Visitor Program sponsor for one or two years. A sponsor seeking re-
designation may continue to operate its program(s) until such time as 
the Department of State notifies it of a decision to approve, amend or 
terminate its designation.


Sec.  62.8  General program requirements.

    (a) Size of program. A sponsor, other than a federal government 
agency, must have no fewer than five actively participating exchange 
visitors during the annual reporting cycle (e.g., academic, calendar or 
fiscal year), as stated in its letter of designation or redesignation. 
The Department of State may, in its sole discretion, waive this 
requirement.
    (b) Minimum duration of program. A sponsor, other than a federal 
government agency, must provide each exchange visitor, except those 
sponsored in the short-term scholar category, with a minimum period of 
participation in the United States of no less than three weeks.
    (c) Reciprocity. In conducting its exchange visitor program, 
sponsors must make a good faith effort to develop and implement, to the 
fullest extent possible, reciprocal exchanges of persons.
    (d) Cross-cultural activities. In addition to category specific 
requirements, sponsors must:
    (1) Offer or make available to exchange visitors and the 
accompanying spouses and dependents, if any, a variety of appropriate 
cross-cultural activities. The extent and type of the cross-cultural 
activities will be determined by the needs and interests of the 
particular category of exchange visitor. Sponsors will be responsible 
for determining the appropriate types and numbers of such cross-
cultural programs, unless otherwise specified by the Department. The 
Department of State encourages sponsors to give their exchange visitors 
the broadest exposure to American society, culture and institutions; 
and
    (2) Encourage exchange visitors to participate voluntarily in 
activities that are for the purpose of sharing the language, culture, 
or history of their home country with Americans, provided such 
activities do not delay the completion of the exchange visitors' 
program.


Sec.  62.9  General obligations of sponsors.

    (a) Adherence to Department of State regulations. Sponsors are 
required to adhere to all regulations set forth in this part.
    (b) Legal status. A sponsor must maintain the legal status it had 
when it was designated. A sponsor's change in legal status (e.g., from 
partnership to corporation, non-profit to for-profit) requires the 
submission of a new application for designation of the successor legal 
entity within 45 days of the change in legal status.
    (c) Accreditation and licensure. A sponsor must remain in 
compliance with all local, state, and federal laws, and professional 
requirements necessary to carry out the activities for which it is 
designated, including accreditation and licensure, if applicable.
    (d) Representations and disclosures. Sponsors must:
    (1) Provide accurate, complete, and timely information, to the 
extent lawfully permitted, to the Department of State and the 
Department of Homeland Security regarding their exchange visitor 
program(s), exchange visitors, and accompanying spouses and dependents 
(if any);
    (2) Provide accurate information to the public when advertising 
their exchange visitor program(s) or responding to public inquiries;
    (3) Provide accurate program information and materials to 
prospective exchange visitors, host organizations, and host employers, 
if applicable, at the time of recruitment and before exchange visitors 
enter into agreements and/or pay non-refundable fees. This information 
must clearly explain program activities and terms and conditions of 
program, including the terms and conditions of any employment 
activities (job duties, number of work hours, wages and compensation, 
and any typical deductions for housing and

[[Page 60313]]

transportation), have itemized list of all fees charged to the exchange 
visitor (i.e., fees paid to the sponsor or a third party, including the 
host employer), insurance costs, other typical costs, conditions, and 
restrictions of the exchange visitor program(s), and the type, 
duration, nature and importance of the cultural components of the 
program. Program recruitment information and materials also must make 
clear to prospective exchange visitors in the exchange categories with 
a work component that their stipend or wages might not cover all of 
their expenses and that they should bring additional personal funds.
    (4) Not use the program number(s) assigned by the Department of 
State at the time of designation on any advertising materials or 
publications, including sponsor Web sites; and
    (5) Not represent that its exchange visitor program is endorsed, 
sponsored, or supported by the Department of State or the U.S. 
Government, except for U.S. Government sponsors or exchange visitor 
programs financed directly by the U.S. Government to promote 
international educational exchanges. A sponsor may, however, represent 
that it is designated by the Department of State as a sponsor of an 
exchange visitor program.
    (e) Financial responsibility. (1) Sponsors must maintain the 
financial capability to meet at all times their financial obligations 
and responsibilities attendant to successful sponsorship of their 
exchange visitor program.
    (2) The Department of State may require non-government sponsors to 
provide evidence satisfactory to the Department of State that funds 
necessary to fulfill all obligations and responsibilities attendant to 
sponsorship of their exchange visitor programs are readily available 
and in the sponsor's control, including such supplementary or 
explanatory financial information as the Department of State may deem 
appropriate, such as, for example, audited financial statements.
    (3) The Department of State may require a non-government sponsor to 
secure payment bonds in favor of the Department of State guaranteeing 
all financial obligations arising from its exchange visitor program 
when the Department has reasonable doubt about the sponsor's ability to 
meet its program and other financial obligations.
    (f) Staffing and support services. Sponsors must ensure that:
    (1) Adequate staffing and sufficient support services are provided 
to administer their exchange visitor program; and
    (2) Their employees, officers, agents, third parties, volunteers or 
other individuals or entities associated with the administration of 
their exchange visitor program are adequately qualified, appropriately 
trained, and comply with the Exchange Visitor Program regulations and 
immigration laws pertaining to the administration of their exchange 
visitor program(s).
    (g) Appointment of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers. (1) Sponsors must appoint and maintain a Responsible Officer 
and between one and ten Alternate Responsible Officers to assist the 
Responsible Officer in performing the duties set forth in Sec.  62.11. 
Upon written sponsor request, the Department of State may, in its sole 
discretion, permit a sponsor to appoint more than ten Alternate 
Responsible Officers. A sponsor redesignated for two years must ensure 
that the proposed Responsible Officer and Alternate Responsible 
Officer(s) have undergone a criminal background check within the past 
four years to determine their suitability for these positions. 
Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers must be U.S. 
persons.
    (2) Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers must be 
employees or officers of the sponsor. Upon written sponsor request, the 
Department of State may, in its sole discretion, authorize the 
appointment of an individual who is not an employee or officer to serve 
as an Alternate Responsible Officer.
    (3) In the event of the departure of a Responsible Officer or 
Alternate Responsible Officer, the sponsor must file a request in SEVIS 
for the approval of a replacement and forward the required 
documentation to the Department of State within ten calendar days from 
the date of the Responsible Officer's or Alternate Responsible 
Officer's departure.
    (4) Requests to replace the Responsible Officer or add an Alternate 
Responsible Officer must be submitted in SEVIS, and a signed Form DS-
3037 must be either mailed or emailed to the Department of State with 
the required completed Citizenship Certification, along with 
certification that the individual has undergone a criminal background 
check conducted at the time of such Certification.
    (5) The Department of State reserves the right to deny the 
appointment of a Responsible Officer or an Alternate Responsible 
Officer.


Sec.  62.10  Program administration.

    Sponsors are responsible for the effective administration of their 
exchange visitor program(s). These responsibilities include:
    (a) Selection of exchange visitors. Sponsors must establish and 
utilize a method to screen and select prospective exchange visitors to 
ensure that they are eligible for program participation, and that:
    (1) The program is suitable to the exchange visitor's background, 
needs, and experience; and
    (2) The exchange visitor possesses sufficient proficiency in the 
English language, as determined by an objective measurement of English 
language proficiency, successfully to participate in his or her program 
and to function on a day-to-day basis. A sponsor must verify an 
applicant's English language proficiency through a recognized English 
language test, by signed documentation from an academic institution or 
English language school, or through a documented interview conducted by 
the sponsor either in-person or by videoconferencing, or by telephone 
if videoconferencing is not a viable option.
    (b) Pre-arrival information. At the pre-arrival stage, sponsors 
must provide exchange visitors clear information and materials on, but 
not limited to, the following topics: Program activities, cultural 
goals and components of the program, employment information and terms 
and conditions of employment (including employer name and address, 
position duration, job duties, number of work hours, wages, other 
compensation and benefits, deductions from wages, including those taken 
for housing and transportation), insurance costs, and other conditions 
and restrictions of their exchange visitor. In addition, sponsors must 
provide clear information and materials on:
    (1) The purpose of the Exchange Visitor Program;
    (2) The home-country physical presence requirement;
    (3) Travel to and entry into the United States (e.g., procedures to 
be followed by exchange visitors and accompanying spouses and 
dependents in paying SEVIS fees and obtaining visas for entry to the 
United States, including the information and documentation needed for 
the interview; travel arrangements to the United States, and what to 
expect at the port of entry, including the necessity of having and 
presenting travel documents at the port of entry);
    (4) Housing, including specific information on what housing is 
provided by the program or otherwise available and the expected cost to 
the exchange visitor;
    (5) An itemized list of all fees to be paid by a potential exchange 
visitor (i.e.,

[[Page 60314]]

fees paid to the sponsor or a third party);
    (6) Description and amount of other costs that the exchange visitor 
will likely incur (e.g., insurance, living expenses, transportation 
expenses) while in the United States;
    (7) Health care and insurance description, costs, and requirements 
for exchange visitors and their accompanying spouse and dependents, as 
applicable;
    (8) Arrival notification requirements (e.g., procedures that 
exchange visitors, spouses and dependents are to follow upon entry into 
the United States in reporting their arrival to the sponsor and 
reporting to the location of their program); and
    (9) Other information that will assist exchange visitors to prepare 
for their stay in the United States (e.g., how and when to apply for a 
social security number, if applicable; how to apply for a driver's 
license; how to open a bank account; employee rights and laws, 
including workman's compensation; and how to remain in lawful non-
immigrant status.
    (c) Orientation. A sponsor must offer and record participation in 
an appropriate orientation for all exchange visitors. Sponsors are 
encouraged to provide orientation for the exchange visitor's 
accompanying spouse and dependents, especially for those exchange 
visitors who are expected to be in the United States for more than one 
year. Orientation must include, but is not limited to, information 
concerning:
    (1) Life and customs in the United States;
    (2) Local community resources (e.g., public transportation, medical 
centers, schools, libraries, recreation centers, and banks), to the 
fullest extent possible;
    (3) Available healthcare, emergency assistance, and health 
insurance coverage;
    (4) A description of the exchange visitor program in which the 
exchange visitor is participating such as information on the length and 
location of the program; a summary of the significant components of the 
program; information on any payment (i.e., stipend or wage) an exchange 
visitor will receive; and deductions from wages, including for housing 
and transportation;
    (5) Sponsor rules that exchange visitors are required to follow 
while participating in their exchange visitor program;
    (6) Name and address of the sponsor and the name, email address, 
and telephone number of the Responsible Officer and Alternate 
Responsible Officer(s);
    (7) The Office of Designation's address, telephone number, 
facsimile number, Web site and email address, and a copy of the 
Exchange Visitor Program brochure or other Department of State 
materials as appropriate or required;
    (8) Wilberforce Pamphlet on the Rights and Protections for 
Temporary Workers; and
    (9) The requirement that an exchange visitor must report to the 
sponsor or sponsor designee within ten calendar days any changes in his 
or her telephone number, email address, actual and current U.S. address 
(i.e., physical residence), and site of activity (if the exchange 
visitor is permitted to make such change without prior sponsor 
authorization).
    (d) Monitoring of exchange visitors. Exchange visitors' 
participation in their exchange program must be monitored by employees 
of the sponsor. Monitoring activities must not include any retaliation 
or discrimination against exchange visitors who make adverse comments 
related to the program. No sponsor or employee of a sponsor may 
threaten program termination, remove from the program, ban from the 
program, adversely annotate an exchange visitor's SEVIS record, or 
otherwise retaliate against an exchange visitor solely because he/she 
has filed a complaint; instituted or caused to be instituted any 
proceeding; testified or is about to testify; consulted with an 
advocacy organization, community organization, legal assistance program 
or attorney about a grievance or other work-related legal matter; or 
exercised or asserted on behalf of himself/herself any right or 
protection. Sponsors must:
    (1) Ensure that the activities in which exchange visitors are 
engaged are consistent with the category and activity listed on their 
Forms DS-2019;
    (2) Monitor the physical location (site of activity), and the 
progress and welfare of exchange visitors to the extent appropriate for 
the category;
    (3) Require that exchange visitors report to the sponsor within ten 
calendar days any changes in their telephone numbers, email addresses, 
actual and current U.S. addresses (i.e., physical residence), and 
site(s) of activity (if the exchange visitor is permitted to make such 
change without prior sponsor authorization);
    (4) Report in SEVIS within ten business days of notification by an 
exchange visitor any change in the exchange visitor's actual and 
current U.S. address, telephone number, email address, and/or primary 
site of activity; and
    (5) Report the email address for each accompanying spouse and 
dependent.
    (e) Requests by the Department of State. Sponsors must, to the 
extent lawfully permitted, furnish the Department of State within the 
Department-requested timeframe all information, reports, documents, 
books, files, and other records or information requested by the 
Department of State on all matters related to their exchange visitor 
program. Sponsors must include sponsor's program number on all 
responses.
    (f) Inquiries and investigations. Sponsors must cooperate with any 
inquiry or investigation that may be undertaken by the Department of 
State or the Department of Homeland Security.
    (g) Retention of records. Sponsors must retain all records related 
to their exchange visitor program and exchange visitors (to include 
accompanying spouse and dependents, if any) for a minimum of three 
years following the completion of each exchange visitor program.


Sec.  62.11  Duties of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers.

    Responsible Officers must train and supervise Alternate Responsible 
Officers and ensure that these officials are in compliance with the 
Exchange Visitor Program regulations. Responsible Officers and 
Alternate Responsible Officers must:
    (a) Be thoroughly familiar with the Exchange Visitor Program 
regulations, relevant immigration laws, and all federal and state 
regulations and laws pertaining to the administration of their exchange 
visitor program(s), including the Department of State's and the 
Department of Homeland Security's policies, manuals, instructions, and 
guidance on SEVIS and all other operations relevant to the Exchange 
Visitor Program; if Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers work with programs with an employment component, they also 
must have a detailed knowledge of federal, state, and local laws 
pertaining to employment, including the Fair Labor Standards Act;
    (b) Monitor that the exchange visitor obtains sufficient advice and 
assistance to facilitate the successful completion of his or her 
exchange visitor program;
    (c) Conduct all official communications relating to their sponsor's 
exchange visitor program with the Department of State and the 
Department of Homeland Security. A sponsor must include its exchange 
visitor program number on all

[[Page 60315]]

correspondence submitted to the Department of State and to the 
Department of Homeland Security;
    (d) Monitor to ensure that that sponsor spam filters do not block 
receipt of SEVIS or Department of State and Department of Homeland 
Security notices; and
    (e) Control and issue Forms DS-2019 as set forth in Sec.  62.12.


Sec.  62.12  Control of Forms DS-2019.

    (a) Issuance of Forms DS-2019. Sponsors must:
    (1) Grant access only to Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers and ensure that they have access to and use SEVIS 
to update required information;
    (2) Ensure that Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers input into SEVIS accurate, current, and updated information in 
accordance with these regulations; and
    (3) Issue Forms DS-2019 only for the following authorized purposes:
    (i) To facilitate the initial entry of the exchange visitor and 
accompanying spouse and dependents, if any, into the United States;
    (ii) To extend the duration of participation of an exchange 
visitor, when permitted by the regulations and authorized by the 
Department of State;
    (iii) To facilitate program transfers, when permitted by the 
regulations and/or authorized in writing by the Department of State;
    (iv) To replace lost, stolen, or damaged Forms DS-2019;
    (v) To facilitate the re-entry into the United States of an 
exchange visitor and accompanying spouse and dependents, if any, who 
travel outside the United States during the exchange visitor's program;
    (vi) To facilitate a change of category, when requested in SEVIS 
and authorized by the Department of State;
    (vii) To update information when significant changes take place in 
regard to the exchange visitor's program (e.g., a substantial change in 
funding, a change in the primary site of activity or a change in actual 
and current U.S. address);
    (viii) To facilitate the correction of a minor or technical 
infraction; or
    (ix) To facilitate a ``reinstatement'' or a ``reinstatement update 
SEVIS status'' when permitted by the Department of State.
    (b) Verification. (1) Prior to issuing Forms DS-2019, sponsors must 
verify that each prospective exchange visitor:
    (i) Is eligible and qualified for, and accepted into, the program 
in which he or she will participate;
    (ii) Possesses adequate financial resources to participate in and 
complete his or her exchange visitor program; and
    (iii) Possesses adequate financial resources to support an 
accompanying spouse and dependents, if any.
    (2) Sponsors must ensure that:
    (i) Only Responsible Officers or Alternate Responsible Officers who 
are physically present in the United States or in a U.S. territory may 
print and sign Forms DS-2019; and
    (ii) Only the Responsible Officer or the Alternate Responsible 
Officer, whose name is printed on the Form DS-2019, is permitted to 
sign the document. The Form DS-2019 must be signed in blue ink to 
denote that it is the original document.
    (c) Distribution of Forms DS-2019. Sponsors must ensure that 
completed Forms DS-2019 are distributed directly to the exchange 
visitor and accompanying spouse and dependents, if any, or to an 
individual designated by the exchange visitor only via the sponsor's 
employees, officers, or third parties in the administration of its 
exchange visitor program.
    (d) Allotment requests. (1) Annual Form DS-2019 allotment. Sponsors 
must submit an electronic request via SEVIS to the Department of State 
for an annual allotment of Forms DS-2019 based on the annual reporting 
cycle (e.g., academic, calendar or fiscal year) stated in their letter 
of designation or redesignation. Sponsors should allow up to four weeks 
for the processing of allotment requests. The Department of State has 
the sole discretion to determine the number of Forms DS-2019 to be 
issued to a sponsor.
    (2) Expansion of Program. A request for program expansion must 
include information such as, but not limited to, the source of program 
growth, staff increases, confirmation of adequately trained employees, 
noted programmatic successes, current financial information, additional 
overseas affiliates, additional third party entities, explanations of 
how the sponsor will accommodate the anticipated program growth, and 
any other information requested by the Department. The Department of 
State will take into consideration the current size of a sponsor's 
program and the projected expansion of the program in the coming 12 
months and may consult with the Responsible Officer and/or Alternate 
Responsible Officer prior to determining the number of Forms DS-2019 to 
issue to a sponsor.
    (e) Safeguards and controls. (1) Responsible Officers and Alternate 
Responsible Officers must secure their SEVIS logon Identification 
Numbers (IDs) and passwords at all times (i.e., not share IDs and 
passwords with any other person or permit access to and use of SEVIS by 
any other person).
    (2) Sponsors, their employees, officers, agents, or other third 
parties acting on behalf of the sponsor, may not forward to any 
unauthorized party (via facsimile or other electronic means) copies or 
Portable Document Formats (PDFs) of signed or unsigned Forms DS-2019. 
However, sponsors must forward such copies and/or PDFs to the 
Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security upon 
request.
    (3) Sponsors must use the reprint function in SEVIS in the event 
the exchange visitor's Form DS-2019 has been lost or stolen.
    (4) Sponsors must destroy any damaged and/or unusable Form DS-2019 
on the sponsor's premises after making a record of such forms (e.g., 
forms with errors or forms damaged by a printer).


Sec.  62.13  Notification requirements.

    (a) Valid program status of exchange visitor. Sponsors must notify 
the Department of State via SEVIS of the following:
    (1) Validation of program participation. Sponsors must promptly 
validate an exchange visitor's participation in their program. This 
will change the status of the exchange visitor's SEVIS record from 
``Initial'' to ``Active.'' SEVIS records with program durations (e.g., 
the period between the ``Program Begin Date'' and ``Program End Date'') 
of 30 days or more must be validated within 30 days following the 
``Program Begin Date'' identified in SEVIS. SEVIS records with program 
durations that are less than 30 days must be validated prior to the 
``Program End Date'' reflected in SEVIS. As part of the validation 
process, sponsors may amend the program begin date and must update the 
SEVIS record to reflect the actual and current U.S. address and site of 
activity in SEVIS. The status of SEVIS records that are not validated 
according to this schedule will automatically change to ``Invalid'' or 
``No Show''. Accompanying spouses and dependents' SEVIS records are 
automatically validated upon validation of the exchange visitors' SEVIS 
records.
    (2) Failure of an exchange visitor to begin program. Sponsors must 
report in SEVIS, no later than 30 calendar days after the ``Program 
Begin Date'' listed in SEVIS, the failure of an exchange visitor to 
report to his or her sponsor upon entry in the United States (i.e., 
failure of exchange visitor to begin an exchange visitor program as 
scheduled). This will change the status of the exchange

[[Page 60316]]

visitor's SEVIS record from ``Initial'' to ``No Show.''
    (3) End of an exchange visitor's program. Sponsors must report in 
SEVIS any withdrawal from or early completion of an exchange visitor's 
program that occurs prior to the ``Program End Date'' listed in SEVIS 
on the exchange visitor's Form DS-2019. Sponsors must not alter the 
``Program End Date'' field, but should enter the date of program 
completion in the ``Effective Date of Completion'' field. This will 
change the status of the exchange visitor's SEVIS record from 
``Active'' to ``Inactive.'' Such notification in SEVIS ends a sponsor's 
programmatic obligations to the exchange visitor and/or his or her 
accompanying spouse and dependents.
    (4) Accompanying spouse and dependent records. Sponsors must report 
in SEVIS if accompanying spouses and/or dependents depart from the 
United States prior to the exchange visitors' departure dates.
    (5) Termination of an exchange visitor's program. Sponsors must 
promptly report in SEVIS the involuntary termination of an exchange 
visitor's program. Sponsors must not alter the ``Program End Date'' 
field, but should enter the date of program termination in the 
``Effective Date of Termination'' field. This will change the status of 
the SEVIS record from ``Active'' to ``Terminated''. Such notification 
in SEVIS ends a sponsor's programmatic obligation to the exchange 
visitor and his or her accompanying spouse and dependents, if any, and 
prevents the sponsor from thereafter extending the exchange visitor's 
duration of participation, transferring the exchange visitor to another 
program, or changing the exchange visitor's category. Sponsors must not 
terminate the program of an exchange visitor who voluntarily ends his 
or her program.
    (b) Change of circumstance of an exchange visitor. Sponsors must 
promptly notify the Department of State via SEVIS of any of the 
following circumstances:
    (1) Change in the actual and current U.S. address. Sponsors must 
ensure that the actual and current U.S. addresses of an exchange 
visitor are reported in SEVIS:
    (i) Sponsors must report the U.S. mailing address (i.e., provide a 
P.O. Box number) in SEVIS in those limited cases where mail cannot be 
delivered to the exchange visitor's actual and current U.S. address 
(e.g., the exchange visitor resides in a campus setting); and
    (ii) If a U.S. mailing address is reported to SEVIS, sponsors must 
also maintain records in SEVIS of actual and current U.S. addresses 
(e.g., dormitory, building and room number) for such exchange visitors.
    (2) Change in site of activity. Sponsors must report in SEVIS any 
change to an exchange visitor's site of activity by entering the new 
site within ten business days of notification of such a change where 
sponsor rules or regulations permit such a change. Sponsors must 
promptly enter any change in the site of activity in those instances 
where the sponsor is responsible for the placement. Sponsors must 
identify the ``primary'' site of activity of an exchange visitor if 
multiple sites of activity are reported in SEVIS.
    (c) Change in sponsor's circumstance. Sponsors must report within 
ten business days in SEVIS or directly to the Department of State, if 
appropriate, any material changes to their exchange visitor program as 
follows:
    (1) Change of business and/or mailing address, telephone number, 
facsimile number, or email address;
    (2) Change in the composition of the sponsor organization that 
affects its status as a United States Person as defined in Sec.  62.2, 
which includes a new Employment Identification Number (EIN);
    (3) Change of Responsible Officer or Alternate Responsible Officer;
    (4) Major change of ownership or control of the sponsor's 
organization as defined in Sec.  62.60(e);
    (5) Change of the sponsor's principal place of business to a 
location outside the United States;
    (6) Change in financial circumstances that may render the sponsor 
unable to comply with its obligations as set forth in Sec.  62.9(e);
    (7) Loss of licensure or accreditation;
    (8) Loss or theft of Forms DS-2019, in which case a sponsor must 
notify the Department of State promptly by telephone or email of the 
SEVIS identification numbers of such Forms DS-2019 that have been lost 
or stolen;
    (9) A decision by the sponsor to voluntarily cancel (withdraw) its 
exchange visitor program designation; or
    (10) Any other material facts or events that may have an impact on 
the sponsor's ability to properly administer or conduct its exchange 
visitor program.
    (d) Serious problem or controversy. Sponsors must inform the 
Department of State on or before the next business day by telephone 
(confirmed promptly in writing by facsimile or email) of any 
investigations of an exchange visitor's site of activity or serious 
problem or controversy that could be expected to bring the Department 
of State, the Exchange Visitor Program, or the sponsor's exchange 
visitor program into notoriety or disrepute, including any potential 
litigation related to a sponsor's exchange visitor program, in which 
the sponsor or an exchange visitor may be a named party.


Sec.  62.14  Insurance.

    (a) Sponsors must require that all exchange visitors have insurance 
in effect that covers the exchange visitors for sickness or accidents 
during the period of time that they participate in the sponsor's 
exchange visitor program. In addition, sponsors must require that 
accompanying spouses and dependents of exchange visitors have insurance 
for sickness and accidents. Sponsors must inform all exchange visitors 
that they, and any accompanying spouse and dependent(s), also may be 
subject to the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.
    (b) The period of required coverage is the actual duration of the 
exchange visitor's participation in the sponsor's exchange visitor 
program as recorded in SEVIS in the ``Program Begin Date,'' and as 
applicable, the ``Program End Date,'' ``Effective Program End Date,'' 
or ``Effective Date of Termination'' fields. Sponsors are not 
authorized to charge fees to their sponsored exchange visitors for the 
provision of insurance coverage beyond any demonstrable and justifiable 
staff time. Sponsors are not required to, but may, offer supplemental 
``entry to exit'' coverage (i.e., coverage from the time the exchange 
visitor departs his or her home country until he or she returns). If 
the sponsor provides health insurance, or arranges for health insurance 
to be offered the exchange visitor, via payroll deduction at the host 
organization, the exchange visitor must voluntarily authorize this 
action in writing and also be given the opportunity to make other 
arrangements to obtain insurance. These authorizations must be kept on 
file by the sponsor. Minimum coverage must provide:
    (1) Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness;
    (2) Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000;
    (3) Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of exchange 
visitors to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000; and
    (4) Deductibles not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.
    (c) Insurance policies secured to fulfill the requirements of this 
section:
    (1) May require a waiting period for pre-existing conditions that 
is reasonable as determined by current industry standards;

[[Page 60317]]

    (2) May include provisions for co-insurance under the terms of 
which the exchange visitor may be required to pay up to 25% of the 
covered benefits per accident or illness; and
    (3) Must not unreasonably exclude coverage for perils inherent to 
the activities of the exchange program in which the exchange visitor 
participates.
    (d) Any policy, plan, or contract secured to fill the above 
requirements must, at a minimum, be:
    (1) Underwritten by an insurance corporation having an A.M. Best 
rating of ``A-'' or above; a McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor's 
Claims-paying Ability rating of ``A-'' or above; a Weiss Research, Inc. 
rating of ``B+'' or above; a Fitch Ratings, Inc. rating of ``A-'' or 
above; a Moody's Investor Services rating of ``A3'' or above; or such 
other rating as the Department of State may from time to time specify; 
or
    (2) Backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the 
exchange visitor's home country; or
    (3) Part of a health benefits program offered on a group basis to 
employees or enrolled students by a designated sponsor; or
    (4) Offered through or underwritten by a federally qualified Health 
Maintenance Organization or eligible Competitive Medical Plan as 
determined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
    (e) Federal, state or local government agencies; state colleges and 
universities; and public community colleges may, if permitted by law, 
self-insure any or all of the above-required insurance coverage.
    (f) At the request of a non-governmental sponsor of an exchange 
visitor program, and upon a showing that such sponsor has funds readily 
available and under its control sufficient to meet the requirements of 
this section, the Department of State may permit the sponsor to self-
insure or to accept full financial responsibility for such 
requirements.
    (g) The Department of State may, in its sole discretion, condition 
its approval of self-insurance or the acceptance of full financial 
responsibility by the non-governmental sponsor by requiring such 
sponsor to secure a payment bond in favor of the Department of State 
guaranteeing the sponsor's obligations hereunder.
    (h) Accompanying spouses and dependents are required to be covered 
by insurance in the amounts set forth in paragraph (b) of this section. 
Sponsors must inform exchange visitors of this requirement, in writing, 
in advance of the exchange visitor's arrival in the United States.
    (i) Exchange visitors who willfully fail to maintain the insurance 
coverage set forth above while a participant in an exchange visitor 
program or who make material misrepresentations to the sponsor 
concerning such coverage will be deemed to be in violation of these 
regulations and will be subject to termination as an exchange visitor.
    (j) Sponsors must terminate an exchange visitor's participation in 
their program if the sponsor determines that the exchange visitor or 
any accompanying spouse or dependent willfully fails to remain in 
compliance with this section.


Sec.  62.15  Reporting requirements.

    (a) Sponsors must submit annual reports to the Department of State 
that are generated through SEVIS on Form DS-3097. Such reports must be 
filed on an academic, calendar, or fiscal year basis, as directed by 
the Department of State in the sponsor's letter of designation or 
redesignation, and must contain the following:
    (1) Program report and evaluation. A summary of the activities in 
which exchange visitors were engaged, including an evaluation of 
program effectiveness, program difficulties, and number of staff used 
in the administration of the exchange visitor program;
    (2) Reciprocity. A description of the nature and extent of 
reciprocity occurring in the sponsor's exchange visitor program during 
the reporting year;
    (3) Cross-cultural activities. A description of the cross-cultural 
activities the sponsor provided for its exchange visitors during the 
reporting year;
    (4) Proof of insurance. Certification of compliance with insurance 
coverage requirements set forth in Sec.  62.14;
    (5) Certification. The following certification:
    ``I certify that the information in this report is complete and 
correct to the best of my knowledge and belief; and, that the above 
named program sponsor has complied with all health and accident 
insurance requirements for exchange visitors and their accompanying 
spouses and dependents (22 CFR 62.14).''
    (i) For exchange visitor programs classified as ``Government 
Programs,'' this certification will be signed by the Responsible 
Officer.
    (ii) For exchange visitor programs classified as P-1 or P-2 
``Academic Programs'' this certification will be signed by the 
institution's Chief Executive Officer or Responsible Officer.
    (iii) For exchange visitor programs classified as P-3 and P-4 
``Private Sector Programs,'' this certification will be signed by the 
organization's Chief Executive Officer or Responsible Officer.
    (6) Program participation. A numerical count of all exchange 
visitors participating in the sponsor's program for the reporting year 
(i.e., by category, form usage, active status at one point during the 
annual cycle, and by other status).
    (b) Sponsors of P-3 and P-4 ``Private Sector'' programs must file a 
program specific management review (in a format and on a schedule 
approved by the Department of State).


Sec.  62.16  Employment.

    (a) An exchange visitor may receive compensation from the sponsor 
or the sponsor's appropriate designee, such as the host organization, 
when employment activities are part of the exchange visitor's program.
    (b) An exchange visitor who engages in unauthorized employment 
shall be deemed to be in violation of his or her program status and is 
subject to termination as a participant in an exchange visitor program.
    (c) The acceptance of employment by the accompanying spouse and 
dependents of an exchange visitor is governed by Department of Homeland 
Security regulations.

Subpart F--[Removed and Reserved]


0
3. Subpart F, consisting of Sec. Sec.  62.70 through 62.79, is removed 
and reserved.

Appendices A, B, C and D to Part 62 [Removed and Reserved]

0
4. Appendices A, B, C and D to Part 62 are removed and reserved.

    Dated: September 25, 2014.
Robin J. Lerner,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Exchange, Bureau of 
Educational and Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-23510 Filed 10-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P