Health insurance is essential for everyone, especially for those who may be visiting US on a J1 visa. Whether you are visiting as an exchange student, trainee or au pair, you must have health insurance for your visa to be valid. Unlike other countries, health care in US is quite expensive and in case of an emergency, you will have to care of all the medical expenses on your own; J1 visa health insurance is the only way to deal with such expenses when you are visiting the US. It should be a part of your arrangements as you make plans for living in a new country; exchange visitors traveling with their spouses and minor children are especially vulnerable to unforeseen medical bills during their visit. You do not want to be caught off guard when your domestic health insurance plan will not cover your medical needs in a foreign country.
If you are a foreign national visiting the U.S. on a J-1 visa to participate in an educational, training or cultural program such as a trainee, research scholar or a college or university student, you should consider J-1 visa health insurance. J-1 visa health insurance comes in handy when dealing with unexpected emergencies; it will protect you from high medical costs that may arise during your stay. However, you must ensure that your health insurance plan meets the specific rules and regulations set by the Department of State.
If you are visiting US as an exchange visitor, you must have insurance not only for yourself but also for your J2 dependent for the entire duration of your program. In case you fail to carry the required health insurance, your sponsor will have no choice but to terminate your program and you will be ineligible for an extension of stay or employment.
/div>Au Pair program offers affordable child care
The Au Pair program is a popular exchange visitor program in the J-1 visa category. People from all countries can become Au pairs in the United States after obtaining a J-1 visa. To become Au pairs, participants have to through one of the government approved agencies and work for a family for a period of 12 months, after which they can apply to extend their stay for another 6, 9 or 12 months. They can live with the host families while providing child care up to 45 hours per week and can also study for academic credit at post secondary educational institutions. In order to work as an Au pair in the US, participants must produce certificates of health, good conduct and experience in child care.
Au pairs are screened by sponsors to fulfill some requirements; they must be between the ages of 18 and 26, proficient in spoken English and should be a secondary school graduate or equivalent. Usually students participate in this program for the educational and cultural exposure it gives them. Sponsoring organizations choose host families according to some selection criteria; Au pairs are given a private bedroom, meals and a full weekend off each month, two weeks paid vacation, up to $500 for attending an educational institution and a cash stipend. They are not allowed to work for more than 10 hours a day and are not expected to take care of housekeeping tasks other than child care. They are required to enroll for a minimum of 6 semester hours of classes at a post secondary institution.
Au pair program provides both participants and host families a rewarding opportunity to experience each other’s culture. Participants are free to pursue their education while experiencing the American’s way of life and hosts are happy to get reliable childcare from persons who become a part of family.