Q. Are there different types of J-1 visas? Do J-1 visas qualify for interview waiver?

A: Yes, there are 15 exchange categories that qualify for J-1 “exchange visitors” visas to include au pair, camp counsellor, intern, international visitor, professor, summer work travel (SWT), teacher, and trainee. J-1 visas do NOT qualify for the interview waiver process; applicants must have in-person interviews. The US Embassy Kingston interview waiver programme is only currently available for H2 workers, C1/D transit, and B1/B2 tourist visas.

Q. What are the requirements to be eligible for the J-1 camp counsellor visa?

A: Camp counsellors must be bona fide youth workers, students, teachers, or individuals with specialised skills. Please be prepared to provide proof of your experience in any of these occupations at the time of your interview.

Q. What are the requirements to be eligible for the J-1 intern visa?

A: You must be currently enrolled in and pursuing studies at a degree- or certificate-granting post-secondary academic institution outside the United States, or you must have graduated from such an institution no more than 12 months prior to your exchange visitor programme start date. You will participate in a structured and guided work-based internship in your specific academic field; your programme must not exceed twelve months; your internship cannot be casual labour. Please be prepared to present your unofficial progress report or official transcript to the consular officer at the time of your interview.

Q. What are the requirements to be eligible for the J-1 SWT visa?

A: US Embassy Kingston adjudicates the highest number of SWT applicants worldwide. The following are required to be eligible:

You must be currently enrolled as a full-time student and participating in studies at an accredited, post-secondary, classroom-based academic institution; you must have completed at least one semester; and your programme must not exceed four months.

Please be prepared to present your unofficial progress report or official transcript to the consular officer at the time of your interview.

Q. What are the requirements to be eligible for the J-1 teacher visa?

A: You must meet the qualifications for teaching at the primary (including pre-kindergarten) or secondary level in schools in your home country; you must be working as a teacher in your home country at the time of application; and you must have at least two years of full-time teaching experience.

OR

If you are not working as a teacher in your home country at the time of application but you otherwise meet the qualifications for teaching at the primary (including pre-kindergarten) or secondary levels in schools in the home country, you must have at least two years of full-time teaching experience within the past eight years; and, within 12 months of your application submission date for the programme, you must have or will have completed an advanced degree (beyond a degree equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree) in education or in an academic subject matter in which you intend to teach or that is directly related to your teaching subject field.

Please be prepared to present your official degree that is equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree in either education or the academic subject field in which you intend to teach.

Q. What are the requirements to be eligible for the J-1 trainee visa?

A: You must have a degree or professional certificate from a post-secondary academic institution outside the United States and at least one year of prior related work experience in your occupational field acquired outside the United States; or five years of work experience outside the United States in your occupational field.

Please be prepared to present your degree and/or employment letters addressing your related work experience to the consular officer at the time of your interview.

Q. What is 212(e)?

A: 212(e) prohibits certain exchange visitors from applying for an immigrant visa, or for adjustment of status to that of a legal permanent resident, or from changing status, or receiving a visa as a temporary worker (H), non-immigrant fiancé (K) or intra-company transferee (L) until the applicant has established that he or she has resided and been physically present in the country of nationality or last legal permanent residence for an aggregate of at least two years following departure from the United States. J-1 Summer Work and Travel programme and Au Pairs programme participants are not subject to 212(e), however, other J-1 visa categories like J-1 Camp Counsellor, J-1 Intern, J-1 Teacher, and J-1 Trainee are subject to 212(e).

Q. What do I need for my visa application?

A: You will receive a DS-2019 form that supports your application for a J-1 “exchange visitor visa”. All applicants must fill out the DS-160 visa application, pay the application fee and the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee, schedule a visa appointment, and bring the following documentation to the interview:

Passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity

Previous passports/visas

DS-160 confirmation sheet

Appointment confirmation page

Passport photo

Proof of visa fee payment

Confirmation of payment of the SEVIS fee, which can be paid through Western Union or online at www.fmjfee.com. (The embassy is not authorised to collect this fee).

Recent transcripts, standardised test scores and other evidence are needed to prove that you are a bona fide student and/or graduate of a post-secondary institution.

You should wait until you have all of the required documentation before scheduling your visa interview. We have increased the number of J-1 “exchange visitor” visa appointments for the coming months to try to accommodate as many applicants as possible. It is best to apply well in advance of your scheduled departure date. We will not approve emergency appointments for the purposes of vacations, employment, business or other non-emergency travel, so plan accordingly. Those seeking visas for travel for dire family emergencies or demonstrable medical necessity (that is, NOT the J1 programme – most commonly on the B1/B2 visa class) may seek expedited appointments in our system but should be advised that only cases of life-saving medical need or an emergency involving a direct family member (parents, siblings, spouses and children) will be honoured.

You can find more information about how to travel to the United States on our website, jm.usembassy.gov/ and the website of our authorized service provider at www.usvisa-info.com. Keep on top of Embassy news on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/pages/US-Embassy-Jamaica and by following @USEmbassyJA on Twitter. We also answer general visa questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

For safety and security reasons, the US Embassy asks that all individuals be masked and observe proper social distancing.