Visa for Student Exchange?

J-1 Student exchange visa, can I re-enter the country on an esta without returning back to my home country?

• I have a J-1 visa starting mid June. On the embassy website it says the J-1 visa lasts for a 4 month period and you are allowed to go into the US 30 days before the visa starts and remain 30 days in the US once the visa has expired. I have two questions: 1) The 4 month period that the visa lasts for is it a total of 120 days exactly or is it 4 calendar months? If so I would be able to remain in the country for a total of 180 days 2) I am planning to go to Canada just before I reach the 180 day limit on my J-1 visa. If I have my return flight back from the US I will need to re-enter the country on the esta waiver program. Is this allowed? My worry is that when I originally enter the US at the beginning of the summer the border control officers will not let me into the country because my return flight will be booked for over the 180 days I am allowed to be in the country for. It will be much appreciated if you could provide me with the information I need. If any of the above does not make sense please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be more than happy to reword the questions.

• Answer:

  Going to Canada at the expiration of the J-1 and attempting to reenter under the VWP is almost certainly not going to work. You'll find yourself stuck in Canada.