J1 Visa Insurance FAQ

Exchange visitors, visiting scholars, university employees, and anyone else traveling to the United States on a J visa is required to have health insurance that meets all US Department of State Requirements. Read the FAQs below so you have a better understanding of how to get compliant J visa health insurance coverage. 

Can J1 visa holders purchase insurance for just mytheir spouse/child (J2)?

We offer several different plans for J visa holders. The eligibility requirements are different in each plan:

• With some plans, dependents (J2) cannot be covered with or without the primary person (J1).
• Other plans are available to dependents when the primary person has purchased the same insurance plan, or if the primary person has purchased a plan through their sponsoring organization. If the primary person has purchased an individual insurance plan from a competing company, some plans will not allow just the dependent(s) to enroll.

Please visit the J1 visa insurance section. To find out which plans you are eligible for, you just need to enter your criteria to get instant quotes on the available plans.

Is maternity covered for a J1 or J2 insurance plans?

Some of the plans available for J visa holders will provide coverage for maternity, while others will not. Eligibility requirements vary with the plans that provide coverage for maternity. More plans covering maternity will be available if it is the primary person (J1) requiring the coverage. If it is the dependent (J2), then more plans will be available when the primary person is included in quote and purchase of a plan.

In any case, maternity is not covered if the person needing coverage is already pregnant as of the effective date of the policy; some plans may have a waiting period.

Please visit the J1 visa insurance section and enter your criteria to see what plans you are eligible for.

I have insurance through the school and it's too expensive. Can I purchase insurance through you?

Schools will usually have their own minimum J1 visa health insurance requirements that an alternative insurance plan must meet before they will accept it.

Please send the requirements of your school (usually provided as the Waiver Form or the Compliance Form) to us  [email protected]

Can you sign the compliance form before I purchase J1 insurance?

We are happy to assist with completing compliance/waiver forms; however, the insurance plan must be purchased first. After purchase, the insured person must fill out the compliance/waiver form first and then send it to be signed.

If your school has an online compliance/waiver form, or if it follows a different procedure, please follow that procedure instead.

Why can't I purchase Visitors Care if this plan has a $100,000 maximum?

J visa insurance regulations set by U.S. Department of State require that the insurance purchased by J visa holders must provide at least $100,000 policy maximum per incident (illness, injury or accident). However, Visitors Care provides $100,000 lifetime policy maximum; therefore, it is not J visa-compliant insurance.

You can instead purchase Visit USA HealthCare Budget, which is a fixed coverage plan that meets the requirements set by the U.S. Department of State.

My school requires an ACA compliant exchange visitor insurance plan. What plans do you have available?

We do not offer any ACA compliant exchange visitor plans at this time. 

Does any J1 insurance plan cover my prescription for birth control pills?

No. There are no J1 insurance plans that cover birth control prescriptions. 

I am on a J1 visa and just got my green card. Can I keep my current plan?

No. Even though your current plan is not due to expire, the change in status makes you ineligible for your current plan. Therefore, if a claim occurs after your change in status, you will most likely be denied because you were not eligible for the plan when the event occurred.

Does any exchange visitor plan offer intercollegiate sports coverage over $5,000?

No. This seems to be an industry standard for this type of sports coverage.

Can I purchase J1 insurance plan for medical evacuation and repatriation only?

Yes. Keep in mind that eligibility requirements still apply. This means you would still shop for a plan under the J1 Visa Insurance section.

Will your plan cover my child's immunizations?

No. This is considered preventive care and would not be covered under any exchange visitors plan on the market for dependents (J2 Visa). This would be the case for any inoculations, such as the Flu shot.

Can I be seen at the Student Health Center with your insurance?

Yes. Most plans will treat the Student Health Center as being within the PPO network as far as rates and co-pays go. Some may even reduce the co-pay if seen there.

My school requires an annual deductible, do your plans offer that?

J1 visa holders can purchase StudentSecure Insurance.

J2 visa holders can purchase Atlas America or Atlas Essential America or Atlas Premium America. However, please make sure to choose a policy maximum of $100,000 or more and a deductible not to exceed $500 to meet J visa holder requirements.

We had the school's insurance last year for my family, but just learned of your company. Can we switch over?

We would need further details from you and would need to discuss some things before we can advise you of a plan that would be suitable for you, if any at this point.

We have had your insurance plan for the past two years, but we just had a baby. Can we add them to the plan, or do we have to buy a separate one?

If the baby was born in the U.S., then it would be a citizen of the U.S. and therefore, could not be added to the J visa insurance plan. However, most J1 insurance plans automatically provide coverage for a newborn baby for the first 31 days. After 31 days, you will need to find an ACA compliant insurance plan for the baby.

Please contact our office to discuss insurance coverage options for a child born in the U.S.

My wife is visiting her family for the summer in our home country with the kids. We have one insurance plan for the whole family. From what I understand, they will not be covered for those months. Can I cancel the plan for them and keep mine, then just buy them a plan when they get back?

That is possible in most plans.

I already have an ACA compliant plan. Can I cancel and purchase yours?

You can purchase some of the plans, but not all of them. Therefore, it would be best if you call our office. We would be glad to guide you towards the most appropriate plans.

My sponsoring organization requires insurance coverage starting from a particular date, but that date has already passed. Can you backdate the insurance?

No, that is not possible. In fact, some states consider this practice illegal.

Am I required to maintain J visa insurance during summer break?

Yes, as long as you are on J visa, you are required to maintain J visa-compliant insurance for the entire duration of your stay.

Do you have any J1 visa insurance plans that provide an unlimited policy maximum?

Yes. Please look at Geo Blue Navigator Student Insurance. However, please note that it still does not meet ACA requirements, as it has been filed as a limited duration policy for international living.

My school/job provides medical insurance that I want to/must participate in, but it does not satisfy the Department of State's requirements for Medical Evacuation and Repatriation. What should I do?

In order to comply with the U.S. Department of State's requirements for J Visa holders, an insurance plan should include Medical Evacuation and Repatriation in certain amounts. If you would like to purchase insurance that does not include that coverage, you will also need to purchase Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance, which is very affordable and easy to purchase online.