J-1 FAQ & Links Superthread (Read first before posting) **UPDATED 11/7/2011**

Howdy Y'all,

UPDATE 11/7/2011
US Embassy have recently opened a new official site dedicated to J-1 information. This can be found at j1visa.state.gov

So I have decided to put a FAQ thread together to help you on your J-1 visa path. These are questions which pop up in a lot of threads and from now on this will be the place to ask.

I want to assure you, you are not alone. As scary as all the paperwork and technicalities may seem, it is not impossible. We are here to help. Have a read through these FAQ first to see if anything answers your questions, if not feel free to ask HERE AND ONLY HERE.

Of course, be sure to come back here and let us know how everything went in the US.

As explained in the Forum Charter, illegal recommendations/advice is strictly forbidden and will not be tolerated.

FAQ:

Q. Can I obtain a J-1 visa on my own?

A. No. To apply for the J-1 visa, you must first obtain a DS-2019 form. The US Government has designated specific sponsors to provide this.

Q. Who are these sponsors?

A. The most popular US sponsors work with Irish travel partners.

SAYIT, USIT and GO4LESS (Irish partners) affiliate with Interexchange, CIEE and Intrax (sponsors) respectively.

For the summer J-1 visa, you CANNOT go through these sponsors directly, only their Irish travel partners.

IICenter in Boston is also a popular company to go through. A full list is at the bottom of this thread.

Q. When can I apply for a J-1 visa?

A. For the summer J-1 visa, companies usually open their programmes in late December/early January.
For the IWT, internship and training visa you can apply year round.

Q. How much does the J-1 visa cost?

A. As with a lot of things, the price of J-1 visas fluctuate. Here is a rough guide for the different visas:

Summer J-1 visa

• Flights €300-€900 (depending on location)
• Programme Fee €0-€300 (depending on when you book)
• Insurance €100-€200
• Embassy Fee $140/€100
• SEVIS Fee €30

There are also optional costs like Exam Failure Cover, sim card, US bank account etc.

IWT/Internship J-1 visa

• Flights €300-€900 (depending on location and time of year)
• Programme Fee €600-€1200 (depending on how long you go for-12month max)
• Insurance €300-€600
• Embassy Fee $140/€100
• SEVIS Fee €130

Training J-1 visa

• Flights €300-€900 (depending on location and time of year)
• Programme Fee €600-€1800 (depending on how long you go for 18 month max)
• Insurance €300-€900
• Embassy Fee $140/€100
• SEVIS Fee €130

Q. Am I eligible?

A. You are eligible if you fit the following criteria for each visa:

Summer J-1 visa:

• 18 years old + on date of travel
• Currently enrolled in full time post secondary studies leading to a degree
• Either:
  • Irish, Northern Irish or International student studying in Ireland or
  • Irish or Northern Irish student studying in Great Britain or on Erasmus/Socrates program abroad
• Final year students may apply with proof of return to Ireland

IWT J-1 visa:

• 18 years old + on date of travel
• Either:
  • Currently enrolled in full time or part time post secondary studies leading to a degree or
  • Graduated from a third level college within the last 12 months.
• Hold an Irish Passport

Internship J-1 Visa:

• 18 years old + on date of travel
• Either:
  • Currently enrolled in full time or part time post secondary studies leading to a degree or
  • Graduated from a third level college within the last 12 months.
• Hold an Irish Passport or International student graduated from Ireland college
• Have an Internship offer from a US Host Company in your field of work

Training J-1 Visa:

• 20 years old + on date of travel
• Either:
  • Hold a post secondary degree with 1 year experience or
  • 5 years of professional experience
• Hold an Irish Passport or International student graduated from Ireland college
• Have a Training offer from a US Host Company in your field of work

All visas can be taken as many times as you like as long as you are eligible each time and are not subject to the two-year home rule. The Training Visa requires a 2 year gap between visas.

Q. How long does the process take?

A. For summer J-1 visas, it can take 1-5 months, depending on when you originally book your place.

For IWT/Internship/Training J-1 visas, it can take 4-8 weeks depending on how busy the embassy is and how quickly your sponsor company can get the DS-2019.

Q. Where can I find a job?

A. One of the most popular places to find jobs is craigslist.org. Remember that times are not the easiest and finding a job may be more difficult than you might expect. Look at your proposed location for summer work, theme parks, summer camps, hotels, temp agencies etc. Monster.com can also be resourceful.Look for an Irish center in your city and see if they can help. They are usually able to find temporary or short term work.
If you arrive in the US with no jobs (on IWT or summer J-1 visa) don't be afraid to hand in resumes (yes, resumes, not CVs) to businesses. For this reason, bringing a professional suit might come in handy.

Q. Where can I find accommodation?

A. Again, craigslist.org is also very popular for accommodation. Irish centers can also help with accommodation. Have a search for short term rentals in your city (month-to-month leases).

Be very careful when looking online. If you find accommodation, do a background check on the person/company renting to you. Never pay more than 50% deposit (even this is a lot) and never wire money through Western Union etc.

Also, know that most rental accommodation in the US comes unfurnished. You will have to either rent furniture or buy some cheap furniture. Second hand furniture is great and can be sold again when you are leaving (except mattresses).

Q. How long will it take before I can actually start working in the US?

A. Once you arrive in the US, you will have to apply for a Social Security Number. This can be done at any local Social Security Office. Your SSN can be received anywhere from 1 week to 6 weeks from date of application (some have reported longer) depending on how busy the Social Security Office is.


Links:

US Government List of Designated Sponsors

SAYIT

USIT

Travel Bug Ltd

GO4LESS

IICenter, Boston

Official Summer J-1 Visa

Official Internship J-1 Visa

Official IWT J-1 Visa

Official Training J-1 Visa

Two Year Home Rule

Craigslist

Monster

Summer Computer Camp Jobs

Locate your nearest Social Security Office

Boardsies Destination Opinions

Remember, you can always contact your sponsor/travel company for more details and questions. They can be quite helpful too.

This is just the beginning of the FAQ and useful links. I hope to update this frequently and think of more over time. If there is something you would like added, feel free to ask.

If you think there is information I have missed, please bring it to my attention.

Lisa