J1 intern visa ? America, the country of opportunity, ah! There are plenty of internships available in the US, whether your goal is to work in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley, explore the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, or get into fashion in New York City.
Once you’ve found your dream internship the next step is to navigate the internship visa process for your time in the U.S.
Firstly, can international students do internships in the USA? The answer is yes. Internships are available in the US for international students. In fact, according to Forbes, there has been a steep increase in the number of international students doing internships in the U.S. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be one of these people.
Even though postgraduate students and non-students can still find internships in the US, being a current student frequently facilitates the application process. You can apply straight to internship programmes that are already in place through the partners your old or present university may have in the US. Additionally, a lot of US businesses provide internship programmes designed especially for students in exchange for academic credit.
So, which visa do I need to apply for? Getting the right visa for internships in the US is often the most tedious yet intimidating aspect of interning in the US. To do an internship in the US, you’ll likely need an F1 visa or a J-1 visa.
How does the J1 intern visa work?
Foreign nationals may enter the US on a J-1 intern or J-1 trainee visa in order to intern there.
Students and recent graduates can work as interns in the US with the J-1 intern visa. Graduates and students must have graduated within the last 12 months or be enrolled in a foreign college or university at this time. The maximum duration of this visa is 12 months.
The internship must be closely related to the student’s field of study and must be approved in writing by the J-1 Responsible Officer at the sponsoring institution for students requesting a J-1 intern visa.
The J-1 trainee visa is for those who have a degree or professional certificate from an academic institution and at least one year of professional work experience. This visa can be valid for up to 18 months.
Check this link: We’ve put together a detailed guide for the J-1 Visa which which outlines the eligibility requirements.
How To Apply for a J1 intern visa?
To apply for a J-1 visa, you must fill it out online and print the confirmation sheet. When you go to your visa interview, you must carry the confirmation paper.
You must also upload a photo for your visa with your online application; if this doesn’t work, please bring a duplicate of your photo.
Organize an interview with the embassy/consulate
To attend your visa interview, you must make an appointment with your local embassy or consulate after completing the application; you can locate the closest visa office by clicking this link. A number of variables, including the volume of applications, the availability of staff, the time of year, and the location, affect how long it takes to schedule an interview.
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Pay the application fee and provide the requested documents
In certain situations, you might need to pay the visa fee in advance of your interview; in these situations, you’ll need to produce your receipt to the visa office. Before you pay the cost, you should confirm the program with your sponsor, though, as occasionally the program will also pay for your visa fees.
You need to prepare a few documents before the visa interview. Every document you submit needs to be in English and, if necessary, stamped with an apostille.
How much is the J1 intern visa application fee?
A J-1 visa typically costs $1125 for a 6 month internship period. However, this charge varies by country and is likely to vary based on the J-1 visa category for which you have applied.
The J1 intern visa lets you stay in the U.S for 2-3 years
A J-1 visa allows you to stay for a maximum of two or three years. However, depending on the programme you applied for, your maximum stay in the US under a J-1 visa varies.
If you are a university student, for instance, your visa is valid for the duration of your study programme; but, if you are a short-term scholar, your stay is limited to six months. After their visa ends, J-1 visa holders typically have 30 days to make travel arrangements return home.
How InternshipFinder can help you to apply for the J1 intern visa
At InternshipFinder we can help you to apply for your J-1 Visa and ensure the process goes smooth and pain free. We are proud to partner with a visa agency based in the U.S who works directly with the government for a speedy process. We are also proudly the cheapest J1 Visa service provider in Europe !
So how can we help? We can assist with sponsorship from most countries, for most industries and for any time of the year. If you’ve already found your host company (the business who will provide you with your internship) we can still provide you with our internship services.
We assist by reviewing the timely program and evaluation including DS-7002 (Training Plan) and application assistance.
We also provide an option for expedited application processing (5 or 10 business days) in case your application is urgent.
We assist with issuing the “Certificate of Eligibility for J-1 Visa” (Form DS-2019) to successful applicants. As well, as comprehensive health and medical insurance coverage which is required for all international students.
To ensure your first days go smoothly, we provide arrival and acculturation assistance, including comprehensive orientation materials. And our 24-hour emergency support for exchange visitors and host organizations provides peace of mind for all parties. So to avoid unnecessary stress, sign up for our visa service today and let us assist you with the entire process.
Apply today by filling out the application form HERE.
