Archives for October 2012

Host Family Experiences

October 25, 2012 by Chiranth Nataraj

The enriching experience of hosting an exchange visitor brings a better understanding and tolerance of other cultures and life-long friendships.

Learning from host family experiences is indeed enriching. There are several instances of host family experiences in the US that one can learn from. It is an indisputable fact that experience is the best teacher. You can become a better host by learning from other hosts rewarding and enlightening family experiences.Friendship and Unity among the different nations of the world.

The main rationale behind the exchange visitors program initiated by the US government was to enhance mutual understanding and knowledge with the many countries of the world. Another reason is the establishment of a lasting friendly relationship with those countries. This program truly makes the vast world a small place and promotes goodwill and familiarity between the people of different nations.

The US government believes that it is best to share knowledge as the first step towards establishing strong inter-country relationship. Under this exchange program, many participants from different countries visit the US annually. This gives them an opportunity to see, experience and understand the American culture.Some US citizens have been given opportunities to host some exchange program participants. A family needs to apply and get approval of their application to qualify as a host family.

Useful tips to successfully host exchange students

Hosting exchange students is a unique opportunity that broadens mindsets and which leaves memories cherished for a lifetime. Here are a few useful pointers.
Prepare a room for them keeping in mind their preferences and tastes. You need not spend on expensive stuff; make sure the room is roomy and comfortable.
AS soon as you learn about the person who is going to be your guest in student exchange programs, obtain his contact details. You will be able to communicate and learn more about the person.
Be diplomatic and hospitable. Take special efforts to make them comfortable. After all a visit to a different country and culture can be bewildering and daunting experience.
Do not assume that they do not speak English fluently. You will be pleasantly surprised that some exchange students speak English as well as native speakers.
You cannot wash away cultural differences. Try to break down cultural barrier subtly and in a non-aggressive way. Make special efforts to learn more about the culture of your guest.
Include them in the household chores. This helps in bonding and instilling the feeling of belonging. Make it a point to introduce them to all your family and friends.

A host family experience

A certain family were lovers of the French culture. They wanted their two young sons to have the same attributes. They were benefited by the Au Pair exchange program. Au pair literally means on par or equal. They are international visitors who come to the US on J-1 visa to get a better insight and appreciation of American life by living with American families and caring for their young children. Incidentally the term “au pair” varies depending upon the country. They hosted three full time au pair programs over three years. As a result, their two sons started speaking French fluently.

According to the family, their host family experiences ignited interest in their children about other countries culture. Also the Au Pairs were exposed to American Culture, traditions and household roles.

The exchange program works well with those families that genuinely have the desire and are passionate about understanding other cultures and beliefs. They would be willing to shower love and affection on the participants of exchange programs. The host family must also offer support to the participants throughout the year.

Exchange Program Adjustment/Extension

October 22, 2012 by Chiranth Nataraj

Learn how to extend your J1 visa and extend your stay in the US legally. Make sure to fill out USCIS Form I-539 well before your visa expires.

Usually, the J-1 visa or an exchange visitor visa issued to applicants who are already admitted to work, take part in educational or cultural exchange programs in the US is legal binding for the interval of the exchange period only, but with a grace period of just 30 days offered by the Immigration and Naturalization Service – NIS for the participant to prepare for returning back to his or her country of residence.

However, assuming that the situation or schedule of an applicant’s program justifies an adjustment or extension in the opinion of the responsible immigration officer, J-1 Visa can be adjusted or extended for such applicant to remain in the country longer than required. Therefore, the responsible officer can use his discretion to adjust or extend a program to the limit imposed by the regulations that is specific to a sponsor’s designation or the program category. As an evidence of the exchange program adjustment and extension, a new form DS-2019 reflecting the adjustment is issued to the participant.

In some program categories however, extensions beyond the maximum program duration are allowed for unusual or exceptional circumstances, but with the authorization from the Department of State. Therefore, the responsible officer must submit a written request that justifies the petition as well as provides necessary supporting documentation to the Department of State on behalf of the participant for approval, for such exchange program adjustment or extension to be obtained upon payment of a non-refundable sum of $246 to the United States Department of State.

You may be qualified to extend your stay if you are visiting the United States on a valid immigrant visa that has not yet expired. Exchange program adjustment or extension can be up to the maximum program duration or beyond the maximum duration of the program. You must note that there are certain procedures that you must follow for your application for exchange program adjustment to be approved.

How to Apply for Exchange Program Adjustment/Extension
1. Part of the instructions for the exchange program adjustment or extension is for you to download and fill the U, S, Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-539 which is application for the extension or change Nomination Status. You can do the downloading from the “Form” section at the website of USCIS – uscis.gov.

2. Upon completion of the form, submit it to USCIS with a filing fee of $300 in check.

3. You may be contacted by the USCIS for further documentation, information or interview. Make sure that you respond to in a timely manner. After all said and done, you will be notified by mail if and when your application for exchange program adjustment is approved.

However, your application for exchange program adjustment or extension must be forwarded to the appropriate department within a minimum of 45 days prior to the expiration of your visa as recommended by the USCIS to allow for enough time to process the extension before the expiration of your current visa.

How to Become an Exchange Program Sponsor and Administer a Program

October 20, 2012 by Chiranth Nataraj

J1 exchange program sponsors must comply with government regulations, ensure a selection process is in place and appoint a Responsible Officer.

What to do to become a J1 exchange program sponsor
The United States Department of State welcomes fresh associations to be part of the exchange program sponsors to administer a program. At the onset you need to understand how to become an exchange program sponsor and administer a program. It’s important to have a comprehensive insight into all the regulations and system.

What is J1 Visa?
J-1 Visa is a non immigrant visa issued by the US government to exchange visitors. Electronic records on J-1 visitors have to be maintained in SEVIS by the program sponsors. Any change in name or address has to be intimated within 10 days.

Eligibility of J1 Visa Sponsor

Everyone cannot become a J-1 Visa sponsor. Aspiring program sponsors must meet the following eligibility criteria.

• The sponsor must have a process in place to screen and shortlist potential exchange participants.

• The exchange visitors must be provided with deliverables containing pre-arrival information.

• It is mandatory that sponsors hold an orientation program for exchange visitors.

• It is the responsibility of the SEVIS sponsors to safeguard form DS-2019.

• Sponsors must devise a system which has the capability to effectively monitor the exchange participants.

• Insurance coverage as per the requirements of the J1 Visa regulations must be provided to the exchange participants.

What is Form DS-2019?

It is the main document used in the administration of the exchange visitor program. It’s known as the Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status. It contains the names of the exchange visitor and their designated sponsor. It has details of the exchange visitor’s program including the cost, category of exchange and the commencement and finishing date of the program.

How to Administer a Program

Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind if you want to become a sponsor of the visitor exchange program.

Exchange Visitor Regulations: Firstly, you must comply with the Exchange Visitor Regulations as in 22 CFR Part 62. In addition you must comply with the general administrative requirements of subpart “A” and all the relevant program category requirements in subpart “B” according to the designated categories.
General Administrative Requirements Accreditation and Licensure:You must comply with the local, state, federal as well as the professional requirements applicable to the program category and to their designated activity. Accreditation and requisite licenses must be always current as in 22 CFR 62.9 (c)).
Staffing and Support Services:It is mandatory that you appoint support services and staff with the requisite training and qualification to administer a program in compliance with the Exchange Visitor Program Regulations of 22 CFR 62.9 (f)
Appointment of Responsible and Alternate Responsible Officers: You must appoint a RO – Responsible Officer and ARO – Alternative Responsible Officer. They must be legal permanent residents or citizens of the US. Also they must be officers or employees of the sponsoring organization. Only the RO and ARO can sign the form DS-8019 and are accountable for all the forms issued to the sponsor by the department.
Screening and Selection of Program Participants: The sponsors should have a criteria as well as a process in place for selecting participants for their programs. All sponsors need to determine adequate English proficiency of the participants and whether their program is suitable for prospective participants irrespective of category.
Insurance: All program participants and their dependents must have comprehensive medical insurance coverage. It is the responsibility of the sponsor of the exchange program to verify if the participants and his dependents meet the regulatory criteria specified in 22 CFR62.14. If the participant is interested in obtaining an extension of medical insurance coverage in case he plans to extend his J-1 visa he should contact the officer who is in charge of his sponsorship program. If the participant or his dependents fail to maintain active insurance coverage, it may lead to the termination from the exchange program.

Who Can Get J-1 Visas/Different Programs

October 16, 2012 by Chiranth Nataraj

The different types of J1 visa programs and the eligibility criteria are examined. Education and research exchange programs are popular.

It is quite imperative to understand J-1 Visas before examining; who can get J-1 Visas and different programs available. Hence, J-1 visas are non-immigrant visas issued by the US government to exchange visitors taking part in various programs that encourage cultural exchange, particularly to get business or medical schooling in the United States. To qualify for J-1 visa therefore, apart from being sponsored by either a government or private sector program, you must meet the eligibility criteria.

J-1 Visa Program began by getting scholars into the US on short-term basis for an unambiguous educational intention like carrying out research as well teaching. It was later extended to some other Exchange Visitor Programs that have similar intention. Furthermore, J-1 Exchange Visa Program was initiated and administered by the United States Information Agency (USIA) under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act – Fulbright-Hays Act of 1966.

Who Can Get J-1 Visas?
There are many eligible applicants that can get J-1 Visas. These categories of people are as highlighted below.

Trainees who are receiving on-the-job training with firms, agencies and institutions.
Various students at all scholastic levels.
Teachers of specialized schools, secondary and primary schools
Professors or University lecturers coming to do research or teach at institutions of higher learning in the US.
Research intellectuals
Specialized trainees who are in the allied and medical fields.
All international visitors coming for the intention of observation, travel, consultation, training, research, sharing or demonstrating specialized expertise or knowledge, or taking part in organized people-to-people programs.
The summer camp counselors and au pairs

Different J-1 Visa Programs
The following are the different programs available for J-1 Visas. The Au Pair Program, Government Visitor Program, Intern Program, Trainee Program, Teacher Program, Summer Work Travel Program, International Visitor Program, Physician Program, Professor and Research Scholar Program, Secondary School Student Program, Short-Term Scholar Program and Summer Work Travel Program.

However, for all these different J-1 visa programs above, there are some requirements you must fulfill as an applicant before you can be granted J-1 Visa. For instance, Au Pairs must be secondary school graduate or equivalent, proficient in English and be between 18 and 26 years of age. Therefore, before you apply for any type of program, make sure you are eligible or qualify for such program.

Why J1 Visa Health Insurance is Vital to Your Trip to US

October 1, 2012 by Chiranth Nataraj

Foreign nationals visiting the US should be covered for accidents and sicknesses with insurance that meets or exceeds government specifications.

If you are planning to travel to the United States of America, you need to consider J1 Visa Health Insurance, not only because it has been made compulsory by the United States Department of State, but also for the fact that J1 visa health insurance will accommodate all your medical emergencies that may occur while you are in the US. Consequently, it is now mandatory for post graduate research students, exchange visitors, au-pairs, scholars, trainees as well as all other J1 visa insurance holders to possess a J1 visa health insurance which is never an option but a requirement for all J1 visa holders.

For this reason therefore, the first thing you must put into consideration before applying for your J1 or Au-pair visa is the J1 visa health insurance whenever you are applying for US visa as an exchange visitor. The people who are involved in cultural or academic programs and sponsored by businesses, schools, institutions and organizations are issued J1 exchange visitor visa by the United States government.

On the other hand, all individuals visiting the US such as nanny, au-pair, scholar, student, trainee, professor, teacher, medical graduate, research assistant or international visitor and taking part in a program of research or cultural enhancement are granted a J1 Exchange Visitor Visa.

However, for a J1 visa health insurance to be met, quite a number of criteria must be fulfilled. Such criteria are repatriation, medical coverage as well as evacuation benefits. For this reason, make sure that you obtain a J1 visa health insurance that is in compliance with the related regulations whenever you are traveling to US on a J1 visa. At this point, you must understand that there are a lot of insurance providers such as AIG, Lloyds, Sirius and many more that have their own editions of J1 visa health insurance plans that fulfill the comprehensive J1 visa health insurance prerequisites.

The period of the J1 visa health insurance must be for the whole term of your program and it is essential for J1 exchange visitors as well as their J2 dependants to carry J1 visa health insurance while traveling to the United States of America. Therefore, all exchange visitors must not overlook this serious clause for any reason whatsoever as the sponsor of your exchange program will be forced by the government to terminate such program should you fail to buy the appropriate J1 visa health insurance.

Nevertheless, to be in the United States with no satisfactory J1 visa health insurance is predominantly unsafe because the US government is not responsible for the expense of health care for visitors to the country. Also, it is extremely expensive looking for medical care in the US because one single day hospitalization and treatment can cost a lot of dollars. More importantly, if you don’t have adequate J1 visa health insurance, you may be refused medical treatment by doctors and hospital all over the US.

On a final note therefore, it is absolutely vital for you to be covered by appropriate J1 visa health insurance when you are traveling to the United States of America. As soon as you make the purchase, the evidence and confirmation of the insurance will be made available to you.

Benefits of J1 Visa Health Insurance

October 1, 2012 by Chiranth Nataraj

J1 visa health insurance covers costs related to the treatment of injuries and illnesses, while meeting the US Dept of State’ s requirements.

As the J1 Visa program is designed for those who are taking part in one work and study-based exchange visitors program or the other, J1 Visa health insurance aka Visa insurance is a binding requisite by the United States Department of State for all exchange visitors, summer interns, trainees, au-pairs, scholars, post graduate research students as well as every other J1 Visa insurance holders. Consequently, if you are a holder of J1 Visa traveling to the US, you must show the evidence that you have J1 Visa health insurance before you can be issued a US Visa.

However, this insurance for the holders of J1 Visas must comply with definite prerequisites as laid down by the US Department of State.

Insurance policies including J1 Visa health insurance covers were introduced to assist you in keeping away from problem caused by specific illnesses and accidents. Nevertheless, as important as as J1 Visa health insurance is to the US government, many nations are still not aware of the benefits attached to this type of Visa.

Hence, you must understand that there are certain rules and regulations laid down by the US Department of State as far as J1 Visa health insurance is concerned. For this reason, the first rule stipulated is that if you and your dependents are traveling to the US on J1 Visa, you must carry along with you your health insurance plan.

You must ensure that the following J1 visa health insurance requirements are fulfilled by your policy to make it valid and acceptable.

In case where the J1 Visa health insurance policy holder dies in the US, the policy must make available $7,500 minimum in repatriating the remains of such person back to his home country.
Furthermore, the policy must provide at least $50,000 for an illness or accident. This implies that no acceptable policy will set a maximum that is less than $50,000 as benefit for each illness or accident.
The policy is obliged to pay $10,000 for all the expenses of your travel for medical emigration if you have any reason to be sent back to your home country for medical treatment on the advice of a doctor as a result of serious injury or illness.
The policy must be supported by the full credit and faith of the government if you choose to satisfy the insurance requirement through a policy issued in your home country.
No deductible must exceed $500 for a single illness or accident.
J1 Visa health insurance must be underwritten with the best rating by some specific insurance companies.

J1 Visa health insurance is quite useful in terms of dealing with unanticipated accidents just like other types of insurance policies. Considering the benefits attached to this type of insurance therefore, you need to buy it a soon as possible if you don’t have it already as it will help you to cover certain medical expenses including repatriation and evacuation.