J-1 Visa
A J-1 Visa is a non-immigrant, work or study-based exchange visitor Visa offered by the US for cultural understanding, training, and knowledge sharing. The Camp Counsellor program is a J-1 program as it requires a temporary working visitor Visa and is a cultural exchange program.
Your J-1 Camp Counsellor Visa allows you to live and work at a Summer Camp in the US for up to three months. The Visa is inclusive of your work period in the US as well as up to 30 days of travel before and after your contracted work period anywhere in the US.
A J-1 Visa does not authorise residence in the US and cannot be used to emigrate to the US permanently. On the J-1 Camp Counsellor Visa you cannot work in any role other than as a Camp Counsellor meaning you are not authorised to:
- Work anywhere outside of Camp e.g. a hotel, bar or restaurant
- Work as support staff
- Work at Camp full time year-round
In order to be ready to apply for your Visa, you need to have completed your application in full and be placed with a Camp. If you need to find out if you are Visa Ready or what you may be missing to be ready please contact the AmeriCamp team.
The majority of Visa fees (including the DS-2019 and SEVIS fees) are covered by your AmeriCamp program fees. The only fee you need to pay for during the Visa process is directly to the US embassy to book an interview. This is currently a fee of $185 (approx. £140 or €160) but is variable at the will of the US Government.
You can apply for your Visa once you have been placed at Camp and completed your documentation in full. Appointments for J-1 Camp Counsellor Visas at the US Embassies in the UK and Ireland usually take place between December and July.
Once you are Visa ready we will issue your DS-2019 form, the document that confirms your eligibility for a J-1 Visa, and send you detailed step-by-step instructions of how to apply for your Visa. This will involve an online application on the US government website, called a DS-160, and an interview at your closest US embassy.
Please note, you should not attempt to apply for a Visa before we send you instructions as it is possible you could apply for the wrong Visa type.
Yes, AmeriCamp provide fully detailed Visa Instructions via email to all eligible applicants with a full run through of:
- How to complete your DS-160 form
- How to book your US embassy appointment
- What documents you will need to take with you to the US embassy
All applicants must attend an in person interview at the US embassy in order to obtain a J-1 Visa, including First Timers, Returners and Direct Placements.
No, we strongly advise against completing a postal Visa, on the rare occasion that it is available, as it can cause major delays to your Visa processing.
The time frame for your Visa will depend on you and how quickly you are able to complete your documentation. Once you have completed the DS-160 and your US embassy appointment is booked, the process will usually be quite straightforward. At the London and Belfast US embassies, the turnaround time is usually between 5-10 working days. The embassy will take your passport at your interview and post it back to you within this time frame with the Visa printed inside.
Delays can occur, due to social media checks and process changes by the US government, so it is advised to complete your Visa application as early as possible and in a timely manner.
The dates listed on your Visa are the dates you are permitted to work at Camp. You are still permitted to arrive up to 30 days before the start date on your Visa and leave up to 30 days after the end date on your Visa. However, you are not permitted to work outside of the dates listed on your Visa. For more information about the regulations and limitations of your Visa see our Post-Camp Travel page.
No, you do not need an ESTA (tourist visa) in addition to your J-1 Visa. The only exception to this is if you travel outside of the US after Camp, and decide to re-enter the country, you would need an ESTA for this. For more information about the regulations and limitations of your Visa see our Post-Camp Travel page.