jolindbe

Alright, thank you! So the DS-2019 will be valid even though it is (less than 30 days) past its expiry date?

US visas are only for entry to the US. The visa's expiration date is simply the last date on which you can use the visa to enter. The visa is irrelevant to your ability to stay in the US. Do you mean that the DS-2019 for your current program will expire in September?

Yes, the DS-2019 and the visa both expire on September 1st.

I have a J-1 visa and my wife a J-2 visa which expire in September. After this, I have understood that we have a 30 day grace period before we return to our home country, during which we are allowed to remain in the U.S., but not re-enter.

We were planning a road trip for these few weeks, and it would tentatively take us past El Paso, TX (not going into Mexico), and then through New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

I have understood that there are many "United States Border Patrol interior checkpoints" along that route, and I wonder what would happen when we declare that we are Swedish citizens, and present our passports with expired visas in such checkpoints. Would they know about the 30 day grace period?

Another question: If we instead choose to actually cross the border and go into Mexico (or Canada, later on the journey), could we then enter U.S. (the same day) as a tourist (with ESTA)?