Graduate Visa USA

DGM

Hi,

I'm highly considering going to to the USA early next year as part of the 12 month recent graduate Visa. However, I'm not too sure who to book my visa with. Obviously there are organisations such as USIT and GoForLess, etc. but a few people have said to me that it would be cheaper to book via the US Embassy. I was on their site today and yesterday and, while it's full of information regarding emigrating to the US, I can't seem to locate any information such as how to actually apply and also how much it would cost to book via said route. Is anybody else applying / applied for a similar visa? Did you book via the US Embassy? If so, is there a link / phone number / email address that you could provide me with?

[Apologies if this has been asked already.]

I appreciate any feedback. Cheers.

Corrimbla

There is a large thread on this already and should be helpful to you. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2055381254

You cannot go through the embassy direstly as you need a sponsor such as go4less, USIT, SAYIT or the IIC. The IIC in Boston works out the cheapest and I am currently getting my own visa through them at moment. They let you get your own flights and insurance wheras the others wont plus their programme fee is alot less.

Morf3h

Hey Op,

I'm in exactly the same situation. The embassy's website is so complicated, not helpful really at all and it sounds like you have to know exactly what you're applying for before you make an appointment.

I want to get a visa for 12 months so I can call companies up and go "I have a visa to work in the state please give me a job" then book my flights.

Don't think it's that easy though.

lil_lisa

It is that easy. Once you've graduated recently and can afford the visa and travel. Depending on the company and how busy they are, you can get a visa between 4-8 weeks. So, if you decide that you are going to do it, and you meet all the requirements you can start looking for jobs straight away.

DGM

@ Corrimbla. Thanks a lot for that. I hadn't come across the IIC before so will take a look at them now and also the link you posted.

It's strange that you can't apply to the US Embassy directly, particularly as I know of people heading to Australia [for example] who have applied to the Australian Embassy directly. Not to mention the cost of an Australian Visa being significantly cheaper. Oh well...

Also, if anybody else knows of other organistions or ways of applying then I would love to hear. Cheers.

lil_lisa

Intrax Internships also does this, but only for the visas which require a job BEFORE going out.

Australia and the US are two completely different countries. Every year, millions of people apply for visas in the US and the US must place strict rules on who it lets in, otherwise the country will be overrun. Australia is in a slightly opposite position. They invite people to move there, they're a bit more relaxed.

FYI: This is my opinion, I have not taken stats from anywhere specific, just from myself getting a visa in the US and my sister in AUS.

DGM

The IIC in Boston seems to be the way to go alright.

missKawaii

hi all,
just stumbled upon this thread as i also want to get a 12 month work & travel visa.

@ Corrimbla (as you said you were going with the iic)
& @ DGM (as you said the iic seemed to be the best):
1. do people arranging their visa through the iic have to live in boston? (i want to live in new york.)
2. it says on their site that their fee is $700 if candidates have a job to go over to. otherwise, the cost is $1200 & the iic will prearrange a job for you. was this your experience??
any input would be appreciated. i had never heard of the iic before.

another point -
it was my understanding that following the 12 months of working, there is an extra 30 days grace period for travel/leisure, just like there is with the j1 summer visa. so that people, once they finish up working, may stay on in the country before having to return home.
on usit's site, they state:
"The Programme regulations oblige all participants traveling on an internship to be in possession of a return ticket that covers the duration of his/her stay in the US";
while go4less say on their site:
"Participants on the 12mth Visa are allowed travel on a oneway ticket".
contradictory information! as usit make their applicants book return flights through them when they arrange the visa, and no flights can be bought more than a year in advance, presumably go4less are the better option, as they dont make their applicants buy return flights with them? anyone care to shed any light on this situation?

go4less & usit are both v. expensive, esp considering how i dont need to pay additional insurance as i already have my own. hmm.

Corrimbla

Hi Misskawaii,

The IIC is a sponsor company same as Go4less and USIT so although they are based in Boston you can go anywhere in the US, including New York.

Regarding the question about the prearranged job. As far as I know the IIC offered applicants the program with a prearranged job when the program first came out a few back but with the current economic difficulties they do not offer this any more as they cannot guarantee anybody a job as I’m sure you understand. I paid $650 total to the IIC as my program fee which I thought was reasonable – especially with the favourable current exchange rate. My experience of them was very good I have to say, they also let you book your own flights and insurance letting you shop around to get the best prices. The person that deals with the 12 month IWT visa is Jude Clarke (J1IWT@iicenter.org) he’s Irish himself and I found him very helpful.

Third point – yes you can stay in the US for a further 30 day period after your 12 month work period has finished but you are not allowed to work in that period obviously. You also get thirty days before you start work so basically you can go for 14 months but only allowed work for 12 of them.

Ya, you are correct about the return flights policy. Basically as the majority of air lines won’t let you book a return flight more then 330 days ahead you cannot be expended to produce a return ticket. Basically USIT use this as proof for the US embassy that you will be returning to Ireland - they already have existing relationships with airline carriers so may be in a position to provide you with a 12 month return ticket. But long answer short is that a return ticket is not necessary. What I did personally was book the return leg for the 20th of December so I can come home for xmas and worst case scenario I can just change the date to around February/ March next year if I decide not to come home for xmas.

Regarding the insurance, there is strict criteria regarding what is required to be covered so just because you have health insurance here doesn’t mean it will be sufficient to cover you in the US. As well many health insurers that offer you cover here don’t extend their cover to long term overseas travel. You will have to check with your current insurer if your policy covers the specific requirements of the US State Department.

Hope this is helpful!!

missKawaii

wow Corrimbla, much obliged. loads of helpful info there! thanks. out of interest, are you in america by now? how are you getting on if so - where are you & is it easy or hard to find work?

i have gotten in touch with the iiic & i have to say not having to buy flights/insurance with them definitely appeals, as does the lower programme fee when compared to usit/go4less (on top of the favourable currency exchange which you mentioned).

that's interesting about the 30 days before AND after. i can't seem to find info on this anywhere. did the iiic tell you this or where did you hear about it?

the one thing that concerns me is the iiic's terms & conditions which they just emailed me.
e.g.

• how a candidate must have found work within 90 days or else return home.
• how they have to work at least 32 hours a week.
• how they are "prohibited from seeking additional paid employment during [the] internship"

does anyone know if usit & go4less have similar terms? i am especially surprised by the third point there... i imagined that i would have a number of jobs simultaneously: some paid, some non, some temporary, some infrequent. i want loads of different experience & don't necessarily want to be confined to just the 1 job. what are people's experience who are doing the visa right now, whoever your sponsor agency is - are they strict regrading stuff like hours a week & only having 1 job at a time?

missKawaii

just found the following on USIT's site in its Ts + Cs:

The maximum length of the internship program is 12 months, however, the overall period of time in the US may extend beyond this maximum duration as follows: Participants can enter the US up to 14 days prior to the DS-2019 start date and remain in the US up to 30 days beyond the DS-2019 end date. The 30 days after the program end date represents a 30-day "Grace Period" at the end of the program during which the Participant may travel in the US but is no longer eligible to work/intern.

Corrimbla

Heya, no I’m not in America yet – I had my US Embassy interview last week and have my flights booked for the 2nd of April. I try to answer people’s questions about this visa as obviously I am familiar with the recent requirements and procedures of this visa.

Ya the IIC told me over the phone about the thirty days before and after your DS -2019 twelve month period but I had read this somewhere before this. I thought this was what the Irish companies were using to sell the program – Find job once you arrive!

As far as I know the terms and conditions you mentioned are requirements of the visa and not requirements of IIC – I’m fairly sure of this. These requirements will be in place if you go with USIT and Go4less as well. This visa is not a free for all that allows you to travel and work in any job like what is available for Canada and Australia. It is seen as an extension of your education that you have done in college and it’s why the US authorities don’t want you working in any old job. That’s why you and your employer will be required to fill out a training plan which has to be returned to the US State Department. I have heard though of cases where the person has changed jobs throughout the year (but the new job was still relevant to what she did in college).

Regarding your quote from USIT’s site. Each sponsor may have certain additional criteria for the program. Obviously USIT only want people to enter the US 14 days before the start date of the DS – 2019 but this can be thirty days as I have been assured of this by the IIC.

DGM

@missKawaii

It seems Corrimbla has answered everything adequately for you! All I will say is that I got my visa through the IIC around 2 weeks back, and I would have no problem in recommending them. They're cheaper than the other organisations such as USIT, let you do your own thing, and they are just very helpful in general.

I should hopefully be booking my flights in a few days time, then fly out at the end of this month.

Also, re: 32 hours. I was talking to Jude about this. If you can't obtain a job that gives you this amount of hours, an option would be to work say the 25 hours that you are given by an employer and then make up the rest voluntarily.

missKawaii

thanks guys, you're both awesome for the info. i wish you the very best! its very exciting! i'm going with the iiic, cheap n cheerful.

Padington

@missKawaii
I stumbled upon this thread while looking for information on the graduate visa. This thread has been very useful, thanks!
I'd love to hear any experiences that you had across there. I'm a final year engineer, thinking of biting the bullet and going for it after the summer. Did you get on ok getting a job within the 90 days? Did you feel under pressure to get a job that was strictly relevant to your degree?
I appreciate that this thread is over a year old, but here's to hoping you'll catch this!

redzer100

hey this is a great thread thanks for all the help just waiting for the IIIC to get back to me where you guys waiting long for a reply from them iv'e emailed them bout a week now and no word did you guys have to ring them???

Corrimbla

J1 IWT Students <j1iwt@iicenter.org>; i know Jude was back in Ireland there for a few weeks so thats probably why its taking a bit longer to get back to you.

freema

Hey,
I've just graduated from college and i've Been offered a fully paid internship in arizona for 12 weeks with a pharmaceutical company and I have to arrive back in Ireland in september to start my full time job here and I need to be in Arizona within the next two weeks to avail of this internship. I was wondering would it be possible to get a visa by then.

Penny77

Freema,
they say 6-8 weeks..i'd get down to USIT or go4less tomorrow morning and then the american embassy with evidence of you offer to see could you skip the line..best of luck and let us know how u got on

ShaneByrneQS

I am going on a 12month US visa programme with Go4Less and I already had my own flights booked to New York. Is there anyway I can change these flights to suit the programme or will Go4Less not allow it?

goo goo doll

This is a great thread with lots of very useful information. Thanks to all, you are so helpful!

wanderlust1

Hi all,

How strict is the requirement to work in a field related to your degree? Does it make a difference if you go on the intern visa or the training visa?

Basically, I'm heading over to Martha's Vineyard this summer for the second time on a J1 visa (waiting tables and working in Jack Wills). I would absolutely love the opportunity to live in the US on a more permanent basis and really experience it fully! I'm will be graduating in Law at the end of October. I'm not really looking to further my career in the area of law though, I'd much prefer to become more involved in the music scene (work with a record label, booking agency etc)

I'm planning on working until the end of September and using my grace period in October to meet prospective employers and meet people face to face/make contacts and then come home for graduation. I've worked in retail here in Ireland for the past 5 years and have 3 years experience in event organisation on a pretty large scale... I'm wondering whether this would allow me to apply for jobs that aren't related to the legal field or am I completely ineligible? Sayit/Usit haven't been able to give me an answer apart from that any employment would have to be related to my degree so just looking for advice from people who have actually done it!

Cheers!

Williewell

Does anyone still know if the IIC is still up and running. Cannot seem to access their website, www.iicenter.org. Im desperate to get a year visa but USIT are looking for 2300 for the package, total rip off,

Thanks for any help

Williewell

Found the new website www.iiicenter.org with some help.

Does anyone know anyone who has used the IIIC recently?

Are they still supplying sponsorship and visas??

osullm36

Yeah I've just gone through the IIICenter for the last few months and will be starting my visa in the US in Oct. I found them excellent. You do need to do some extra paper work yourself compared to USIT but I think it's definitely worth it for the cheaper cost and more flexibility.

Corrimbla

Ya, they are still going. Crazy busy though. You should should email Jude or Megan at J1IWT@iicenter.org I went with them over a year ago and counldn't recommend them highly enough. A non-profit company so their fee only covers their costs!

Williewell

thanks for the response guys, i have to up NOvember to get my visa sorted, do you know if the IIC usually get you processed in a quick time ( 4-6 weeks)

Many Thanks :D

Corrimbla

Ya usually can get it done in up to 6 weeks but i wouldnt leave it till the last minute as i know from my experience some of my paperwork got lost in the post so you never know!

delaney001

Hey,

If anyone could answer this question for me, I would appreciate it a lot.

I graduated in December 2011.

So I assume I have until December 2012 to get my visa (I understand ill need to book it at least 8 weeks early to ensure I get it in time)

If I get the visa, for example on the 1st of November this year, when do I have to start using the visa?

Do i Have to head to USA before December 2012 or can I wait till the new year and start my 12 months in February for example and stay there working until Feb 2013?

Thanks

osullm36

delaney001 wrote: »

Hey,

If anyone could answer this question for me, I would appreciate it a lot.

I graduated in December 2011.

So I assume I have until December 2012 to get my visa (I understand ill need to book it at least 8 weeks early to ensure I get it in time)

If I get the visa, for example on the 1st of November this year, when do I have to start using the visa?

Do i Have to head to USA before December 2012 or can I wait till the new year and start my 12 months in February for example and stay there working until Feb 2013?

Thanks

Yes you have until Dec to get your visa but it must be before the exact date of your graduation. You need to decide a date that your visa will start.

Once that date is agreed you can then enter the US up to 30 days before that date but cannot begin working

I'm pretty sure you need to enter the country within 30 days of your visa starting but that part I'm not sure about.

Remember you only have 90 days from the start date of your visa to guarantee a job and if not you need to come home so the earlier you can go out the better.

delaney001

osullm36 wrote: »

Yes you have until Dec to get your visa but it must be before the exact date of your graduation. You need to decide a date that your visa will start.

Once that date is agreed you can then enter the US up to 30 days before that date but cannot begin working

I'm pretty sure you need to enter the country within 30 days of your visa starting but that part I'm not sure about.

Remember you only have 90 days from the start date of your visa to guarantee a job and if not you need to come home so the earlier you can go out the better.

I understand that I need to get the visa before the exact date of my graduation. Thanks for clearing that for me.

But what I really want to know is, do I have to physically be on American soil before that same date in December. Or can I get the visa in november and then wait until, say February, and head then.

I have commitments in Ireland till end of Jan and I would really like to see them out and head to USA then, is this possible or will my Visa be invalid if i dont activate it pre december. Sorry if I'm making this sound more confusing than it is

Thanks again

osullm36

delaney001 wrote: »

I understand that I need to get the visa before the exact date of my graduation. Thanks for clearing that for me.

But what I really want to know is, do I have to physically be on American soil before that same date in December. Or can I get the visa in november and then wait until, say February, and head then.

I have commitments in Ireland till end of Jan and I would really like to see them out and head to USA then, is this possible or will my Visa be invalid if i dont activate it pre december. Sorry if I'm making this sound more confusing than it is

Thanks again

I'm nearly sure you have to be in the country within 30 days of you visa date, so for example if you visa starts on 1st Dec you need to be in the country by 1st Jan? But for a technicality query that important I'd check with your visa sponsor - USIT, Goforless, IICenter etc. Just to be sure

delaney001

Ya i intend on contacting them, but I was hoping I'd somehow be able to hold off heading to US till February but doesnt seem likely now, oh well

SarahT25

Hi All,

have to say very informative thread fair play to all. I am a bit late in reading this though as I have already booked my visa with USIT. Heading out in Febraury on a graduate visa. Going it alone I think I must be mad??? Any tips on accomodation in New York? Have any of you reloctaed to NYC in the meantime?

Im thinking a room share is the best option to start with. I have a BA in Real estate and three years experience in the market here in Ireland...am so nervous I mightn't get a job in that field straight away.

Any advice on what to do if you cant get a job within the 90 days?

Are they strict about it?

Thanks guys :-D

Corrimbla

SarahT25 wrote: »

Hi All,

have to say very informative thread fair play to all. I am a bit late in reading this though as I have already booked my visa with USIT. Heading out in Febraury on a graduate visa. Going it alone I think I must be mad??? Any tips on accomodation in New York? Have any of you reloctaed to NYC in the meantime?

Im thinking a room share is the best option to start with. I have a BA in Real estate and three years experience in the market here in Ireland...am so nervous I mightn't get a job in that field straight away.

Any advice on what to do if you cant get a job within the 90 days?

Are they strict about it?

Thanks guys :-D

Hi Sarah,
I might be able to help you alot here as I went on this visa in 2010 as a property grad to Boston. First thing - going on your own, not mad at all as you will meet loads of people anyway but saying that its a huge advantage to know people over there before going i.e. friends or family cuz your going to need contacts. Secondly as you may know the property game in the states is complete opposite to the rest of the world. First thing you will need is apply for your real estate license - this entails of approx 24-40 classroom hours then a two part exam (federal & state).. don't be fooled its not as easy as you think but with a property background you should pass it with a bit of study. You need that for basic property stuff over there and it cost me around $500 between class & exams fees. Are you looking to go the commercial or resi route? Professional services & getting into the big companies such as cbre and the JLL's is next to impossible unless your connected as all the american college students fight tooth & nail to work for FREE summer and grad positions. The resi side of things isn't too hard to get into it and you can make good money. However it is extremely competitive. The good news is it can be done. I went over there on my own in the same situation as you - property grad with a couple of years experience and I ended up working for a national REIT letting luxury apartments on a 50K salary in Boston. Don't be thinking its easy and once your in the door your there for life - chances are you wont get further than the year as sponsorship is not something that is done in the RE sector over there. I know of other property grads that went over and it blew up in their face but they ended up working in banks as cashiers so wasn't too bad i suppose. I have a really good contact for the company I worked with in their NYC portfolio (they owned like 4/5 skyscrapers in Manhattan) and he has a soft spot for the irish as his dad is from co. Down, send me a PM with any other questions you may have and I will try and help + give you that contact info for that lad if you want!

Orla.B

Hi All,

I'm going through the IIIC for my graduate visa and was looking for advise on insurance. Many of the Irish insurance companies (including multitrip.ie and backpackertravelinsurance.ie) are coming in cheaper than the US ones but the policy documents don't seem to be specific enough in regards to the IIIC's requirments, ie repatriaton of remains in the sum of $7,500 and expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $10,000. Could anyone recommend an insurer and if you used an Irish one, did it pose any problems with the IIIC or the embassy?

Thanks

prescar

Wow, I've just read the info on the thread here and thanks so much for all the input guys!

I'm currently in my final year myself and defo gonna head out next year once I've maxed out my summer J1 in October and then apply for the graduate one when I get back!

I was in USIT last week and after I spoke to yer man I was unsure whether to go with them for the graduate one...they suited me grand for my summer one gone by, however I seemed to know more on the graduate visa requirements than he did which I thought was strange?? Anyways thanks for the info on IIIC and I must look it up

SarahT25

Hi,

To be honest I used USIT, i know it might work out slightly more expensive but I just found it so hassle free. They arrange everything for you. I was told it is going up in price next year though. I booked early this year and got it for c.€2000 in total, flights and all inc in that. I think its averaging out at about €2400 now depending on how much the flights cost. Wherer are you thinking of going?

Sarah.

amymariac

I feel the same way about USIT to be honest. The girl at USIT, Lucianne, who handled my stuff was so nice and so helpful. I left 6 weeks to the day after submitting my application form and there wasn't a hitch. I really wanted to go quickly and was happy to pay the extra money. My total cost was around €2000 as well, incl. flights. I already had a US Sim card and stuff so didn't have to pay for that.
Sarah are you still in the US?

SarahT25

Hi Amy,

No I am not mooving until the 17th Feb...fear is starting to set in now! i am going it alone! Are you there now if so what part?

amymariac

Yup I've been here for three weeks now. I'm in Los Angeles. Where are you heading?

SarahT25

Im heading to New York, my boyf is just back from LA he was in Huntington said it was very hard to get work how are you finding it? Did you go alone or with friends

prescar

SarahT25 wrote: »

Hi,

To be honest I used USIT, i know it might work out slightly more expensive but I just found it so hassle free. They arrange everything for you. I was told it is going up in price next year though. I booked early this year and got it for c.€2000 in total, flights and all inc in that. I think its averaging out at about €2400 now depending on how much the flights cost. Wherer are you thinking of going?

Sarah.

I totally agree with you about the hassle free thing as I started off my J1 process last year with go4less and I had a terrible experience with them...like it was really bad and I'm not even exaggerating!! So when I went to USIT I was in total shock at how nice they were and they handled everything so well for my summer in USA gone by and no complaints about them considering how late it was to be booking!! But to be fair, last week someone I had never dealt with and he didn't know the answers to a few things.

However upon learning about the 14 month thing I am very tempted to leave USIT now and go with the likes of IIIC...I don't know what to do! I have a sister in Boston and also close family in Chicago so I'm thinking of there or even NYC but again, the 14 month thing is really appealing to me!

Are you currently there? How you getting on?

prescar

Sorry just after seeing the rest of the posts there!! May I ask what line of work you're in amymariac? How is LA?

amymariac

I came alone technically but have friends here who I moved in with so it was okay. LA is nice! The weather is still lovely. Prescar I did law for undergrad and then a masters so am now clerking at a law firm in LA. As far as the 14 months go, you can stay up to 13 I think with USIT, but no matter who you go with you can only work for 12.

prescar

Sounds good, that's nice to know you're living with people you know then. It's just with USIT making you book the return flights is the problem...I want to stay for 13/14 and not just 12 please god!

And also, do you know any good websites for jobs info or did you get lucky and pick up your work after arriving? My undergraduate is in Social Care (it's a similar profession to Social Work but not technically the same) and the man in USIT was telling me because my core modules for the last 3 years have been the like of psychology/law/social policy/governmental issues and so on, that I would be able get a job no prob...however I don't think it's as easy as that! I have heard a lot of people cannot find work/internships upon arrival. Well done and hope you're getting on good there

amymariac

You'll have to book return flights with everybody though. When you go to the embassy to get the visa you need to show that you're planning on coming home, so you'd have to have booked a return flight, otherwise you might not get the visa at all you know?

I was actually so lucky w/ my job. I started telling people I was going months and months in advance and built up a list of people to call and ask for a job/internship. I got the phone number of my current boss and cold called him and asked for an interview, and just got lucky. There are some good websites for sure, like monster.com or idealist.org. Another thing I did for like law/social policy stuff was to go on college websites and find lists of internships that they offer for their students, and then look them up and apply. The best advice I could give is to start looking early, find a list of companies you want to apply to, and then just talk to absolutely everybody. You'll definitely find something but it is much easier if you do the ground work before you go. I'd say the 90 days to find a job would go pretty fast if you were starting from scratch. Hope this helps!

prescar

That's great advice, thanks a mill! I won't be going until after Christmas next year because I've been told if I don't return from my J1 until October 2012 then I have to wait 90 to enter the US again waiting for a new visa.

Loads of people have been telling me I need to relax if it's not going to be until next year that I'm heading but to be honest, the earlier the better I suppose or when I know exact detail of when I'll be there I'' be able to plan better! I'm defo gonna get searching companies soon and have a gawk round.

Thanks and best of luck over there

Rosita Flangita

Hey guys! I need HELP!

This forum has been very useful, but basically I went with the iii center, and I'm near the end of my 90 days and I havent secured a job in my field.
Has this happened anyone? What do I do? Will I have to leave or is there a way around this? Please say yes I don't want to leave!
I know USIT let you stay on if you show a bank statement every 30 days as proof that you have money. Do iii do this?
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm stressing!

amymariac

I'm not sure, but I would think that if USIT allow you to stay with proof of financial security, then maybe the IIC would do the same? I thought that the IIC could provide help with finding a job? Have you tried asking them for help? What field and what city are you in?

Rosita Flangita

Im in New York. The IIC send me 6 places to look for jobs yesterday - 3 months in. From what I see USIT are a way better company, even if they are a tad more expensive. I don't know anyone else that has went with the IIC so I can't ask anyone what happened to them! IN the middle of a black hole!