Embassy Interview
It is a requirement of the J-1 Visa application process that all applicants attend an interview at a US embassy or consulate. As a participant of the AmeriCamp program, you will need to attend an interview at your closest US embassy, in support of your Visa application.
In the UK, there are US embassies in London and Belfast. In Ireland the US embassy is in Dublin.
You must be a permanent or temporary resident of the country in which you attend the embassy. This means you cannot go to the embassy in a country that you are only a tourist in.
If you’re on a working holiday visa, such as in Australia, you can go to an embassy or consulate in that country, but we can’t provide specified support or advice for this and you could be at a slightly higher risk of Visa denial.
You will be able to book an embassy appointment once you have completed your DS-160 Visa application. The link to schedule this appointment will be included in your AmeriCamp Visa instructions.
When you book your appointment you will be required to pay $185 to the US embassy (which is approx. £140 or €160 but varies with changes to exchange rates).
No, all fees paid to the US embassy are non-refundable.
Yes, you can reschedule your booking up until 2 business days before the appointment.
Processes will vary from embassy to embassy, however you should expect the following:
- Check-in: You will have an assigned check-in time and must arrive on time to show your documentation.
- Bags and Security: You will be required to go through airport-style security and must follow bag regulations closely.
- Interview: You will be asked questions about your placement and program and must provide all required documentation.
- Approval: You may find out on the day if your Visa has been approved, or will be told approval is pending a social media check. The embassy will take your passport so they can print the Visa inside and will send it back to you. In the event of Visa denial please contact AmeriCamp as soon as possible.
The embassy officer may ask you a number of questions, but stay calm, answer honestly, and you will be fine! Here are a few examples:
- Where is your Camp?
- What job will you be doing?
- Who is your Visa Sponsor? (AmeriCamp)
- Have you been to Camp before?
- Are you planning to return to your home country?
Proof of return can be anything that shows significant ties to your home country. This should not be a return flight as a plane ticket does not show strong enough evidence that you will return. Appropriate proof could be something like:
- A bank statement or utility bill in your name - showing you have financial ties to your home country
- Student loan letter or enrollment letter for a university term upon arrival
- Letter from your employer confirming your return to work and continued employment
No, you will not be able to enter the embassy with any accompaniment. There will be plenty of places nearby that they can wait for you, but they will not be allowed into the embassy building.
The embassy will post your passport back to you, in one of the following ways:
- OUR RECOMMENDATION: It is best to pay the additional fee when booking your embassy appointment to have your passport posted to your home address. This will avoid delays to delivery and means your passport will arrive safely and directly to you at home.
- Free option: You can also have your passport delivered to a Depot in a selected city. For this option you will be required to travel to the depot collection center with ID to collect your passport, which can cause delays.
At the London and Belfast US embassies, the turnaround time is usually between 5-10 working days. However, there can be delays in the case of administrative processing or social media checks.
You can check your Visa Status and see when your Visa has been approved and dispatched at THIS LINK.
Yes, the US embassy conducts social media checks on all J-1 applicants to ensure you are not a political threat to the country. They will be reviewing your active social media accounts to check you have not posted anything offensive, hateful or threatening.
You should make your social media public the week before your appointment, up until your Visa has been officially approved.
You need to include any social media that you have an active account on (including TikTok which is not currently on the drop down list of social media options).