VISA Faqs
Before you can apply for a J-1visa, a properly designated United States, (“U.S.”) organization must sponsor you. GreatCampJobs, a division of CampGroup, LLC, (“GreatCampJobs”) is a properly designated sponsor.
The first step in obtaining visa sponsorship is to complete the sponsorship application and return it to GreatCampJobs. Be sure that all of the information on the application matches the information on your passport.
After you submit your visa sponsorship application, GreatCampJobs will verify your employment with your camp employer. The information on your application will then be entered into the Student Exchange and Visitors Information System otherwise known as SEVIS. GreatCampJobs, as a designated sponsor, will then issue a DS 2019 form to you.
The DS 2019 form verifies that you have sponsorship and that your information has been entered into the SEVIS system. It contains general biographical information, employment information, program dates, and your assigned SEVIS ID number.
SEVIS is the acronym for Student Exchange and Visitors Information System which is the internet-based system implemented by the United States Government to facilitate the reporting and monitoring of all international students and exchange visitors in the U.S.
Immediately review the DS 2019 form for accuracy. If you find any errors on the form, immediately contact GreatCampJobs. Errors can be easily corrected but an error on the DS 2019 form may delay the processing of your visa at the embassy or at the port of entry. This form is very important! You will need it in order to obtain your J-1 visa. You will need it to enter the U.S. and you will need it in order to obtain a social security number so that you can get paid for your summer employment.
Follow instructions at www.greatcampjobs.com/hired. If you have further questions after reading, consult your Staffing Coordinator.
If you are a citizen of any country other than Canada and you are applying for a J-1 visa for the first time, you must schedule a personal interview at the closest U.S. embassy in your home country. If you are a returning staff member, you may be able to apply for a visa by mail depending on your country of residence.
If you are a Canadian citizen, you do not need to visit an embassy to receive a J-1 visa. The DS 2019 form, the receipt for the I-901 $35 SEVIS fee and your passport are all you need to present at the port of entry.
If you need to schedule an interview at the embassy in your home country, you should call the embassy immediately after you have received and inspected your DS 2019 form from the staffing office! Many countries require in-person interviews and it can take weeks to arrange an interview appointment.
You will need to take the DS 2019 form, the I-901 SEVIS Fee receipt, your passport, a copy of your camp contract, and any documents proving your ties back to your home country such as university enrollment, a car payment, a letter indicating you will be employed when you return, etc.
The consular officer will inspect your documents to determine whether you meet the requirements for issuing the J-1 visa. After inspecting your documents, the consular officer will either grant or deny the J-1 visa. Denials are unusual but can happen if the information on the DS 2019 form is incorrect or if the consular officer believes that there is insufficient evidence presented to guarantee that you will return to your home country. If the J-1 visa is granted, the DS 2019 form and your passport will be mailed back to you. Attached to your passport will be an envelope that contains immigration documents. Do not open this envelope. A Customs and Border Protection Officer at the U.S. port of entry will open it when you enter the U.S.
Some camps may incur a visa sponsor fee (which includes insurance) that will automatically be deducted from your contracted summer salary. Please discuss this directly with your Staffing Coordinator. There may be additional fees imposed by the embassy for the visa application and issuance. You are responsible for any additional expenses regarding the acquisition of the J-1 visa.
Air travel and fees incrued for background checks are also your responsibility. Some camps may provide reimbursement. Please speak directly with your Staffing Coordinator.
You will automatically be covered under the CampGroup Exchange Visitor Medical Insurance Policy. All participants MUST be enrolled in this policy in order to meet the federal guidelines for the Exchange Visitor Program. Medical coverage is provided for your entire stay in the U.S. as long as you maintain your legal status as a J-1 Exchange Visitor.
If you travel outside of the U.S. as part of your camp duties, you will need the Responsible Officer for your camp to sign the DS 2019 form and to indicate on that form that you are traveling and are still in “good standing” with your employer who is expecting you to return. If you leave the U.S. without this signature of “good standing” you may not be permitted to reenter the U.S. under the J-1 visa and you will forfeit your insurance coverage.
The J-1 visa allows you to travel within the continental U.S. for not more than thirty days before and after your camp employment ends.
When traveling to the U.S., you should carry important documents with you. You will need to have access to: Your passport (including attached envelope of immigration documents) with visa, DS 2019 form, Booklet with emergency contact information and a pen. DO NOT CHECK ANY OF THESE FORMS IN YOUR BAGGAGE!
You will go through an initial inspection with a Customs and Border Protection Officer. It is important that you tell the inspector that you will be working in the U.S. for the summer as an Exchange Visitor. The officer MUST sign and return your DS 2019 form to you. You will also be directed to a place where your index fingers will be scanned and you will be digitally photographed.
If you are issued an I-515A form, you will need to obtain the proper documentation and mail it to the address indicated on the form. Do not mail original documents unless instructed. After the documents are processed by the Customs and Border Protection Office, they are mailed back to the camp address. Contact GreatCampJobs for additional assistance.
The State Department has activated a helpline to ensure the health and safety of its exchange participants. Among other prohibitions, no sponsor may threaten program termination, or otherwise retaliate against a participant solely because he or she has instituted a complaint or taken action to gain assistance from an outside entity regarding a complaint. Participants can contact the State Department at any time via the hotline 1-866-283-9090 or at jvisas@state.gov.
On-site housing and meals are provided for the exchange visitor throughout the entire period of employment.
Yes, orientation will cover camp policies and rules, job position training and expectations, work schedule review, social time and time off, housing, laundry, meals, use of camp activities and grounds, local off-camp opportunities, U.S. laws, community resources, health care, emergencies, salary and pay structure, paying U.S. taxes, etc.
All of our CampGroup camps are ACA (American Camp Association) Accredited. Our host sites are also inspected, evaluated and approved by the sponsor.
For additional questions, please visit the State Department’s FAQ website here.
