Camp USA and the J-1 Visa

The J-1 Visa is the document that allows you to enter the United States and explains why you are in the country. Your visa is sponsored by InterExchange and you are considered an exchange visitor in the U.S. The purpose of the visa is to allow you to enter the United States. Please note that you also must have your DS-2019 form in order to enter the country. You must apply for the J-1 Visa in your country of permanent residence. There are two items on the visa that you should check:

The first is the section labeled “Entries.” Under this heading, there will either be the number “1” or the letter “M.” If your visa has the number “1,” it is a Single Entry Visa. This means you can only enter the United States once. Once you have entered the U.S., you have used your one entry and you may not exit and re-enter the country again for the duration of the program. If your visa has the letter “M,” it is a Multiple Entry Visa, and it allows you to enter the United States several times. You could, for example, go to Canada after camp is over and then come back into the U.S., as long as your visa has not expired.

Important: If you plan to travel outside the U.S. and return back to the U.S., you must re-enter the country before the expiration date on your visa AND have your DS-2019 form signed by InterExchange. Please note that, depending on your home country, you may be required to obtain a visa to travel to Mexico or Canada. Please contact InterExchange for details.

The second important part of your visa is the expiration date. You are only allowed to enter the U.S. until the expiration date stamped into your visa (even if it is multiple entry) or until the end date of your DS-2019 form, whichever is earlier.

The J-1 Visa (along with your DS-2019 form) allows you to:

Work up to 4 months (from the beginning date to the end date listed in Section #3 of your DS-2019 form)
Obtain a Social Security number
Travel for up to 30 days after the end date on your DS-2019

Does not allow you to:

Work as a domestic (i.e. au pair) or in the medical field
Extend your work eligibility
Work for any other employer other than the camp at which you were placed

Remember: Regardless of the dates, the J-1 Visa on its own does not give you the right to work or stay in the U.S. The J-1 visa is only valid with the appropriate DS-2019 form.

Your J-1 Visa is non-extendable, regardless of what anyone tells you. You cannot extend this visa under any circumstances. To change your visa status, you must return to your home country and reapply for a new visa. Please call InterExchange Camp USA if you have questions about your visa.

Important Notes

The InterExchange Camp USA program has a final deadline of October 15th. All participants must return home by then, even if their month travel period extends past this date. InterExchange Camp USA will report all participants who do not return home to the U.S. Department of State and their home country’s embassy.

J-1 Visas issued by American Embassies in some countries may have an expiration date that is later than the end date of this program. For example, you may find that the embassy has given you a visa that expires in 2 years, instead of 4 months. This does NOT allow you to stay in the U.S. for longer than the duration of the Camp USA program, which is indicated on your DS-2019 form. Instead, it means that if you want to come back to camp next year, you will not have to apply to the U.S. Embassy/Consulate for a new J-1 Visa. However, you will still need to get a new DS-2019 form. The J-1 Visa is NOT valid without a DS-2019 form.