J1 visa for internship in the United States?
VisaVersa is able to assist with J1 applications!
The J1 Exchange Visitor Program is an exchange program that was set up by the American government. The goal of this program is to allow foreign students and young professionals to gain on-the-job experience in the US.
There are various categories for the J-1 visa. For students and recent graduates the 'intern' category is applicable, for young professionals (who have graduated more than one year before their start date) the 'trainee' category applies.
Requirements J1 visa
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Minimum age for the J1 intern/trainee program is 18.
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The internship or training will have to take place in the field of education and/or work experience. For trainees without relevant education a minimum of 5 years of experience in the field must be shown.
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The J1 visa is not a regular work visa, but an intern/trainee visa aimed at gaining experience. It should be used as a temporary visa, not as a step towards a permanent stay in the U.S. You must intend to return to your home after completion of your training.
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The maximum duration of the program is 12 months for interns (students or recent graduates) and in most cases 18 months for trainees (applicants who have graduated more than 12 months prior to the start date of the training).
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At this moment we are only able to assist if the employer has 5 full-time employees at the internship/training location. If the employer has 5 full-time employees but does not meet other requirements, a site visit may have to take place.
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After completion of the program, the J1 visa holder will be able to stay in the US for another 30 days.
Application Process J1 visa
This is what the process will look like if we assist with a J1 application:
1. Collecting the required documents specified on our checklist
2. We will put together all the documents and compose the necessary forms.
3. When the application is complete, we will send it to one of the sponsor organizations that we co-operate with. This organization acts as the sponsor of the J1 visa and will compose the required form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility) after approval.
4. After receiving the necessary documents, the J1 visa can be applied for at the U.S. Consulate in Amsterdam. The applicant has to apply for the visa in person at the U.S. Consulate.
5. If the application is approved, the passport (with visa) will be send back by post.
Restrictions
Some fields of study are excluded from the J1 Intern/Trainee Program. This generally concerns fields of study in which the intern/trainee has direct contact with patients or children (for example physiotherapy, pedagogy, psychology, speech therapy, etc).
Costs
The total costs of a J1 visa application is dependent on the sponsor organization where the application will be submitted, the duration of the internship/training and the size of the company. This varies for every application. To make an estimate for the total costs of the application we will need to have more information. For an estimation, please call us at +31 (0)78 7518450.
Each application is different. VisaVersa has assisted with many applications and is familiar with the procedure and regulations. We co-operate with multiple sponsor organizations to be able to submit the application at the organization that suits it best.
Are you interested in our assistance in applying for a J1 visa? Please contact us!