J1 Visa Health Insurance

Celebrating Christmas as an Exchange Student in the USA

December 12, 2018 by Chiranth Nataraj

Christmas is a beautiful time of the year. For many, it is a time to spend with family and friends, eat great food, and exchange gifts. However, for an international student studying in the United States, Christmas can be difficult. Plane ticket prices are high, so many students opt to spend their holiday away from their respective countries. However, there are ways to brighten the holiday up if you are an international student.

christmas

Find Out How Americans Celebrate Christmas

As you discover how Americans celebrate Christmas, it may surprise you to find out that many of the Christmas traditions in the U.S. are not much different from those in your native country. You will notice that Americans enjoy preparing food and gathering with family and friends for their Christmas dinner. Some attend church on Christmas Eve while others prefer to stay home. Decorations for Christmas trees and homes are a tradition as is baking cookies.

Staying on Campus

Although many international students go home for Christmas, there are students just like you who remain on campus for Christmas. Perhaps it is time to get together with some fellow students on campus and enjoy this time together? Chances are they are as confused as you are regarding the holiday so why not reach out to them and plan a fun time. Many universities plan Christmas events for students remaining on campus for Christmas so check to see if your school has anything planned. Take the initiative and schedule a Christmas dinner or party for other students staying on campus. Each person can prepare a dish or share a Christmas tradition. Enjoying each other’s company will help in easing the loneliness felt by being away from home.

Take a Christmas Trip

This Christmas could be the perfect time to visit a place you have always wanted to go. A fun trip is an ideal way to spend a memorable Christmas while staying too busy to be homesick. A snowy ski resort, shopping in a major city like New York, or even lying on a beach are all great ways to spend your Christmas away from home. No matter which destination you choose, chances are you will find festive celebrations and good times all over the country.

Go Home With a Friend

As you attend a university, remember that it is the ideal time to make friends with other international and native students. There may be an invitation to spend Christmas with a friend’s family. This invitation is an opportunity to experience new cultural traditions. Not to mention an incredible experience for an international student who has never celebrated Christmas.

Help Someone in Need

Spending Christmas away from home is lonely, and so is spending Christmas on the streets. Life is challenging for the homeless in America and this time of the year only magnifies feelings of isolation and despair. Volunteering this Christmas by helping those who are less fortunate is a fantastic way to spread the spirit of Christmas to all. Food and a place to sleep is something many of us take for granted, but for the homeless, it is the best gift they can receive. Just a few hours of your time could make a person’s entire year. Check in with your local community shelters for information about ways to help the less fortunate this Christmas.

Take Care of Yourself

As an international exchange student, you may find yourself in need of help. The last thing you want to do for your first Christmas abroad is to get sick. Not only will an illness put a stop to your fun time, but it may also cause financial strain. However, if you do become ill, exchange scholar health insurance can help you. J visa insurance provides illness and accident expense protection, can help you locate a doctor, and can pay for the treatment. Check out and be aware of what your health insurance policy covers.

Christmas is coming, and hopefully, your Christmas away from home will be unique. Whether you choose to stay on campus celebrating with friends, take that dream trip, or help those who desperately need help, make this holiday a memorable one. Merry Christmas!

Social Security Numbers for J-1 Visa holders

November 21, 2018 by Chiranth Nataraj

Visas are legal documents that serve to indicate that a person is authorized to enter the issuing country. This fundamental document allows people to travel to a specified area for a specified amount of time. The J-1 is a non-immigrant visa that U.S. immigration uses to allow exchange visitors to participate in science, art, and educational exchange programs. According to the rules of the program, applicants must fulfil eligibility criteria and obtain sponsorship from either a government program or any private sector organization. For those who will receive compensation from their U.S. host organization, a Social Security Number (SSN) is a requirement.

The Need For A Social Security Number
If you plan on receiving compensation by your U.S. host organization, you will need an SSN. The reason is that you will pay taxes on all of the income you earn in the U.S. as a J-1 trainee or intern. The card serves many purposes including employment eligibility. Your employment eligibility verification takes place when your host organization enrolls you into their payroll system. Even if the program is unpaid, an SSN is excellent to have because the SSN may be a requirement to open a bank account, rent an apartment, or to make a large purchase. Be sure to speak with your host organization in advance to determine if they require an SSN.

Applying For Your Card
There are instructions for applying for your SSN on the Social Security Administration website. You must go to a local Social Security office and apply in person for your Social Security number. The process is straightforward, and the office can assist you with any questions that you may ask of them. Although it is a simple process, it can take two weeks so plan accordingly. The following steps are required to obtain an SSN:

1. Validation of a visa is a requirement for getting an SSN. Upon arrival to the U.S., participants must submit a U.S. residential address.
2. Go to a local Social Security office with the required documentation to apply. The following are required documents:
• Form SS-5. The SSN application form is available here.
• Form DS-2019
• Letter of sponsorship
• I-94 Record
• Passport with J-1 visa
• Form DS-7002
• Offer letter from the host company
3. Wait for SSN processing which may take up to two weeks. The agency will mail the card to the residential address provided. Your host organization can add you to their payroll without an SSN. A participant can show a receipt of having applied for a card, or the host organization can provide a temporary number for the payroll until the number arrives. An individual must submit their SSN to their host organization as soon as it comes.

Social Security Card Type
Social Security offers three types of cards. You will receive the number two card that is valid for work only with DHS authorization. This particular card is for people with temporary admittance to the U.S. for employment. If you feel that the card you receive is incorrect, contact your visa sponsor and go to a local Social Security office to correct the problem. If you have an SSN from prior work experience, know that it is a lifelong number and you do not need to apply for a new SSN.

J Visa Medical Insurance
As you prepare for your work experience, remember that you are required to purchase medical insurance for your visit. J visa insurance plans meet the requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of State. You can buy exchange visitors insurance for five days up to one year at a time. This insurance will keep you compliant with J-1 visa requirements and may cover:
• Emergency medical expenses
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Accidental death and dismemberment
• Prescription drugs
• Return of mortal remains

Protect Your Identity
It is vital to keep your number safe. Remember there is a connection between your number and your tax information, payroll information, bank account, driver’s license, and other sensitive information. Identity theft is common, and people steal numbers to use identities to engage in criminal activity. The American Immigration Council will not need to know your information for any reason, and neither do most people. Protecting your information is your responsibility.

New Blood Pressure Guidelines and Tips to Prevent and Treat High Blood Pressure

August 8, 2018 by Chiranth Nataraj

What is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure (HBP) is also called Blood pressure is the force with which blood flows through your blood vessels. This includes the network of veins, arteries and capillaries.

Doctors are able to diagnose high blood pressure with a simple test. They use an inflatable upper arm cuff. This device comes with a gauge attached. The cuff is slid above the elbow of your arm. As the cuff fills with air it tightens around your upper arm and a reading is taken. The cuff then deflates and can be removed.

Blood pressure readings provide two numbers that may appear in fraction form. The systolic pressure number appears first. It indicates the pressure your heart exerts to push blood through your vessels. A reading of 120 or less is normal.

The second number is the diastolic pressure. This is a measure of the pressure between heartbeats. A reading of 80 or below is normal.

If the reading falls between 120/80 and 129/80 the patient falls within an ‘elevated’ blood pressure category. This means the individual is beginning to exhibit symptoms of HBP.

Doctors have now identified a ‘prehypertension’ It presents as ‘higher than normal’ blood pressure readings that are not within the true HBP range.

True HBP may fall within a Stage 1 or Stage 2 category. Stage 1 readings may be any combination of the numbers 140/90 to 159/99. This condition may be treatable through lifestyle changes. A Stage 2 HBP reading would begin at 160/100 and go upward. If an individual is in Stage 2 he or she will need immediate intervention in the form of medication to reduce the likelihood of an adverse health event.

A blood pressure reading of 180/120 or higher places the patient in a category of hypertensive crisis. Immediate medical intervention is advised.

HBP

HBP is an indication that the heart is working harder to pump blood through your network of vessels. It can result in a variety of problematic health conditions including stroke, atherosclerosis, heart disease and kidney failure. Some research is revealing a connection between HBP and dementia as well.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

The causes of HBP are not known. Instead, medical professionals point to a number of instigators that may result in any of the forms of HBP. They are:

Excessive salt in the diet
Excessive weight to obesity
Overindulgence in alcohol
Genetics, ancestry, and age
Smoking & sedentary lifestyle
Kidney, thyroid & adrenal disorders

Despite advances in medicine it should be noted that in 95% of HBP cases the cause cannot be identified.

Why are There “New” Guidelines for High Blood Pressure?

New guidelines for many disorders including HBP do not necessarily occur on a continual basis. They are updated only when evidence from new studies suggests the previous guidelines were not accurate or relevant any more.

Recent research indicates a much greater portion of the population should be diagnosed with high blood pressure or hypertension.

What Does the Latest Research Suggest for the Prevention of High Blood Pressure?

Multiple esteemed resources offer the same advice for the prevention of HBP. The greatest inhibitor of HBP is making healthy lifestyle choices. This includes the following:

Eat a healthy diet. It should include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat or another protein source. DASH – or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension is an excellent resource for ensuring you are getting the proper nutrition.
Exercise regularly. This does not have to be in the form of running marathons or intensive workouts. Instead, work with your physician to find a regimen that fits you and your needs.
Avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits including smoking, and the excessive intake of alcohol, pharmaceuticals or other drugs, and stress.

What Does the Latest Research Suggest for the Treatment of High Blood Pressure?

A treatment protocol for HBP comes in various forms. If there is an early indication of the disease then your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes to prevent further progression of the ailment and perhaps reverse symptoms. However, at a certain point, any number of medications may be prescribed according to the presentation of symptoms. These may be diuretics, enzyme inhibitors, and multiple forms of ‘blockers’.

It is important to have regular checkups and follow your doctor’s advice to ensure HBP is controlled. It is the road to a healthier, longer life.

Know the Difference Between Travel Insurance Types Before Traveling Abroad

June 29, 2017 by Chiranth Nataraj

Having the right type of insurance when heading on a trip abroad can mean the difference between traveling with confidence and worrying about potential costly expenses. But there are many types of policies available, so how can you know how each type differs and which is right for your needs? It is important to understand the differences between trip insurance, travel insurance, and global medical insurance before planning your next international trip.

Travel Insurance Types

Trip Insurance: Trip insurance helps cover the expenses related to a trip in the event that something unexpected happens. For instance, let’s say you miss a connecting flight to your end destination because your original flight was delayed. After all, less than 80% of flights in 2017 depart on time. Then because you miss your flights, you wind up missing a night or more of hotel expenses that you have already paid for. Trip insurance can help recoup that.

Or imagine that you have a cruise planned, but the cruise is cancelled due to a hurricane. Again, trip insurance can save the day by allowing you to recover the costs of the cruise tickets and related expenses. Considering that the average cost of a cruise starts at $50 per person per day, that is a significant amount to save.

Travel Medical Insurance: Like a trip insurance plan, a travel medical insurance plan is designed to save you from potentially exorbitant costs during a trip. But rather than focusing on the cost of travel itself, a travel medical insurance plan focuses on the cost of healthcare should medical needs arise on a trip.

While you may have a comprehensive medical insurance plan in your country, there is no guarantee that the plan will be honored in other countries. In fact there is a very good chance that it will not. And if it is not, then you could be faced with hundreds of dollars in medical expenses on the low end, and thousands on the high end. If your medical treatment requires you being sent back to the United States, the cost of medical evacuation could be $50,000.

If that is a risk you are not comfortable taking, then travel medical insurance is an investment you will likely want to make.

Global Medical Insurance: How then does a global medical insurance plan differ from a travel medical insurance program? After all, both are created to help cover medical costs while you are overseas. The big difference though is that while a travel medical insurance policy is designed to protect you while you are temporarily traveling (perhaps for work or business) the global medical insurance policy was designed with the expatriate in mind.
So if you are living abroad or staying abroad for a long period of time, this is the type of insurance policy you will want to look into. This means that not only will you be able to obtain affordable medical care in the event of an emergency while living abroad, you will also be able to enjoy in your home country as well.

Preventative care like periodic checkups are covered under this type of plan. Dental care, prescription medication, and maternity-related care are other examples of non-emergency needs covered by a global medical insurance plan.
This plan type will help ensure that you can maintain good health while living abroad.

Even though these three types of coverage have very similar names, the truth is they are very different in regards to what types of coverage they provide. In order to understand which one is the best fit for your unique needs as a traveler, you will need to ask yourself questions such as:

How long am I traveling abroad for – short or long term?
Do I have an insurance policy that already covers me in the country I am visiting?
Am I seeking a policy that covers me for medical emergencies only, or I am looking to secure a plan that offers coverage for preventative procedures, regular office visits, prescriptions, and more.

These are just a few of the considerations to keep in mind. If you begin thinking about which type of insurance policy you need by answering these simple questions, you will find it easier to reach your decision. Remember, making an educated purchase of the right type of travel insurance will save you money in the long run!

High School Exchange Programs for International Students

May 22, 2014 by Chiranth Nataraj

High school exchange programs for international students helps students improve their English Skills

For international students, a high school exchange program in the U.S. can be an extremely rewarding and exciting experience. For most students, studying abroad is their first experience of visiting a foreign country and living away from home. An exchange program offers a great opportunity for international students to experience the American way of life. As an exchange student, it is interesting to go and live with a new family in another country and get exposed to the American language and culture. A great plus with a U.S. high school exchange program is that international students can greatly improve their English language skills as they are always immersed in an English speaking environment.

High school exchange student programs in the U.S.For exchange students, starting to study at any school in the U.S. is a major step in life, more so for students who speak English as a second language. Whether it is choosing their subjects in school, interacting with their teachers or making friends, these are challenges that many international students face.

school teacher

For this reason, high schools in the U.S. are putting greater emphasis on English communication. Many exchange programs are designed so that international students can improve their English proficiency for academic and professional purposes. Through such programs, students develop their English skills while experiencing life in the U.S. It gives them a great opportunity to learn firsthand about the culture of the country and to improve their communication skills. The English skills of students may vary and may depend upon a number of factors such as the length of time the language has been studied, the student’s native language and so on. In the U.S., there are many academic programs whose objective is to enable foreign students to attain a level of English fluency that allows them to function in an American high school soon after arrival. It is often observed that a student may have poor English skills on arrival; learning a second language takes time but a semester or a year exchange program gives students enough time to refine their English skills; in fact, there is a noted improvement in the language skills of students just after a few days of adapting to their new environment.

How host families can help exchange students with their English skills

As a part of their exchange program, international students are required to live with a host family for the period of their stay in the U.S. Host families have a major role to play in helping the exchange students improve their English that will help them throughout their lives. The main goal of visiting exchange students is to practice and improve their English skills. This happens naturally by living with their host families. Since foreign students are encouraged to express themselves in English as much as possible, they pick up the language faster in a very practical way. During their months together, the student’s English proficiency will improve remarkably, something that the host family will find extremely gratifying.

How students can improve their language skills

It is often seen that though most international students are quite comfortable reading and writing in English, they are not as comfortable speaking in the language. Once students arrive in the U.S., they realize that their level of English is not enough to get by in a U.S. school environment.

On their part, international students need to realize that the fundamental purpose of an exchange is to learn a new language and experience a different culture. This will pretty much decide how well they will succeed as exchange students. The big fundamental is that students should prioritize learning English. It is good to make English speaking friends, as there is no substitute for talking with a native speaker; it also helps one pick up cultural and social cues. It is a good idea to read books and listen to CD’s to improve one’s language skills. Watching TV shows and movies is also a good way to get familiar with the language. Reading news and entertainment in English can help with some common conversational topics; there is a better chance of understanding and expressing oneself thereby overcoming both language and cultural barriers. As English language has a huge vocabulary, it helps to note new words and look up their definitions and meanings before using them in a conversation. As always, practice makes perfect; students can start practising their English skills even before they arrive on campus.

All in all, high school exchange programs give international students a wonderful opportunity to go to another country, learn a new language, improve their communication skills and come back home with a better perspective of the world.

J Visa – The Foreign Residence Requirement Waiver

December 10, 2013 by Chiranth Nataraj

Non immigrants can enter the U.S. under a J visa category to take up teaching, studying or other internship and training programs. The main aim of a J visa is to promote cultural exchanges between the U.S. and other foreign nations, giving a unique opportunity to foreign nationals to acquire new skills and get a new set of experiences. However, the new immigration regulations stipulate that exchange visitors entering the U.S. on a J visa, will have a two year foreign residence requirement imposed on them after their visa expires.The argument behind enforcing this requirement is that, since the J visa holder was able to enjoy the use of public funds to gain experience in the U.S. it should be put to use in his or her home country. The reason behind granting these funds is to encourage non immigrants to come to the U.S., pick up new skills and go back to their home country to share their knowledge.

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What is the foreign residence requirement?
According to the two year foreign residence requirement, exchange visitors are expected to return to their home country for a period of two years before they are eligible to obtain a different type of non immigrant visa or a green card. However, such exchange visitors may be able to avoid having to leave the U.S. for two years through the grant of a waiver. The primary reason for granting a J visa is to provide an outlet for American cultural exchange. But with a waiver, an opportunity for a cultural exchange would be lost and would go against the purpose for which the J visa was approved.

It is not easy to acquire a waiver of the foreign residence requirement, because one must obtain an exemption from the government of the home country as well as the American Government, neither of which are keen on granting such a reprieve easily. The exchange visitor will need to submit a waiver application that is professionally prepared to ensure a good chance of success. It is good to consult an immigration lawyer with experience in the area of J visa waivers.

How to get a waiver from the foreign residence requirement?
A foreign exchange visitor can apply for a waiver based on three statutory bases, the most common among them being the “No objection” letter from the visitor’s home country. The foreign residency requirement may be waived if the visitor’s home country issues a “No objection” letter to the U.S. State Department declaring that it has no objection to the granting of the waiver. However, there is an exception; a waiver is generally not available to medical residents or interns who received their medical training in the U.S.

A hardship waiver may be granted if the exchange visitor can establish that he or his family members would suffer exceptional hardship if the waiver was denied. The exchange visitor must provide evidence that his qualifying relatives would suffer financial, medical or emotional hardship in their home country if they were required to return without the exchange visitor for the two year period. It must also be established that the family would suffer exceptional hardship if they remained in the U.S. without the J visa holder for two years.

A waiver may also be granted if it is determined that the exchange visitor is not in a position to return to his or her home country due to a threat of persecution based on race, religion or political opinion.
If the departure of an exchange visitor would prove to be adverse to a program or activity conducted by a government agency in the U.S., then, a waiver may be granted. Such waivers are usually granted to medical school graduates of other countries who come to the U.S. as interns or residents to work in medically undeserved areas.

But how does one find out if he or she is subject to the two year foreign residence requirement? First, one should check the Certificate of Eligibility which was received from the program sponsor and also the J visa which will state one’s foreign residence requirement. It is good to seek the help of an immigration lawyer in case of any doubts, to avoid the risk of losing any benefits.