J-1 Visa FAQ

The FACC-NY can sponsor any foreign nationals deemed eligible by the US Department of State to participate in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program.

Yes, the FACC-NY sponsors J-1 visa candidates nationwide.

J-1 visa participants must possess a sufficient level of English that allows them to successfully communicate in day-to-day life in the US and during their Internship/Traineeship.

Yes, you may participate in a second J-1 visa program if you meet the following requirements.

• Intern Program to Intern Program – Candidate must abide by the 90-day wait period per US Department of State regulations. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate academic progression for the second J-1 mission.
• Intern Program to Trainee Program – Candidates must abide by a 2 year wait period per US Department of State regulations.
• Trainee Program to Trainee Program – Candidates must abide by a 2 year wait period per US Department of State regulations.

Yes, the J-1 visa application will begin once you’ve secured an Intern/Trainee position at a US Host Company.

Congratulations on your upcoming mission in the US! Next, refer to our Contact Us Page to notify the FACC-NY’s International Career Development Programs team (ICDP). Once you have notified us, you will fill out the Application Start Form, and an Account Manager will be assigned to your case.

Yes, the FACC-NY can sponsor your dependents (spouse or child) under the J-2 visa category. Please contact us for more information.

Once the FACC-NY receives your J-1 visa application, it takes 6-8 weeks to review your application and your Host Company documents, complete your Pre-Departure Orientation Interview in English, receive your DS-2019 document (Certificate of Eligibility), and SEVIS number.

Once your J-1 visa application has been approved by the FACC-NY, you are responsible for filling out the DS-160, paying the MRV Fee and SEVIS Fee to book the US Embassy appointment. The FACC-NY can only provide tips on how to obtain an earlier embassy appointment.

The VIE Program is an international internship experience for French citizens or citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) between the ages of 18 and 28 supported by Business France and the French Embassy.

Yes, all J-1 visa participants must enroll in an insurance plan that meets the US Department of State (DoS) requirements for the entire duration of the program. The DoS requirements are below:

• • Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
• • Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
• • Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000
• • A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.

Non-VIE participants are encouraged to use our insurance partner, Envisage Global Insurance. VIE participants will be provided insurance by Business France.

In some cases, Host Companies assist J-1 visa Exchange Visitors with temporary housing accommodations, you will have to discuss this with your Host Company directly. In other cases, J-1 visa Exchange Visitors are responsible for finding their own housing. The FACC-NY advises J-1 visa Exchange Visitors to not sign any lease until they have viewed the apartment in person or through video and have received approval of the J-1 visa application from the FACC-NY.

Housing Resources in NEW YORK & NEW JERSEY: Our partner Cohabs offers co-living solutions that are well located and accessible to foreigners without a credit score. If you want to learn more about what they have to offer, contact faccnyc@cohabs.com.

Don’t forget to specify that you are coming from the FACC-NY to receive 10% off your first month of rent! Use the code: FACC2024 to benefit from this offer.

The FACC-NY encourages all J-1 visa Exchange Visitors to budget before arrival in the US and participants should consider the following:

• Financial preparation upon arrival, in case of housing or medical emergency- The FACC-NY recommends J-1 Exchange Visitors bring $1,500-4,000 upon arrival.
• Medical Insurance for Non-VIEs – ~$65.00/Month
• Cost of housing, dependent on location in the US – Exchange Visitors should thoroughly research the average rate of rent, utilities, and internet in the city of their J-1 visa mission.
• Transportation costs – Determine costs of public transportation or car expenses in your location before arrival in the US

Yes, you are allowed to enter the US a few days before the start date of your J-1 visa program with the sole purposes of finding housing accommodations and getting acclimated to US culture. You cannot begin interning or training at your Host Company before the start date on your DS-2019 document.

As your J-1 visa sponsor, the FACC-NY must be updated on any major changes to your life in the US and your J-1 visa program. The following changes must be reported to your Account Manager:

• Change in US home address and US phone number
• Change in J-1 visa supervisor at Host Company
• Early end of J-1 visa mission
• Change of Host Company address
• Transfer to a different location of your Host Company
• Travel out of the US territory
• Any medical emergencies
• Any issues with US law
• Dissatisfaction with J-1 visa mission at Host Company
• Loss or theft of documents related to your visa

Yes, J-1 visa Exchange Visitors can extend their J-1 visa and program if you meet the following criteria:

• For Interns – Your current program is under the maximum duration of 12 months
• For Trainee – Your current program is under the maximum duration of 18 months

All extensions must be approved by your US Host Company.

Yes, J-1 visa participants must file US taxes for the year(s) they were interning or training even if they won’t have to pay any taxes (most VIEs). The FACC-NY encourages all J-1 visa Exchange Visitors to refer to Sprintax as they specialize in the J-1 visa category and have a variety of resources.

Yes, all J-1 visa Exchange Visitors are granted a 30-day grace period at the end of their J-1 visa program. Once the J-1 visa program is completed, you can travel in the US, relax, and take time to move out of your apartment for up to 30 days before you must leave the US. Note, if you leave the US territory during the 30-day grace period, you cannot reenter the US on the J-1 visa, your visa is considered expired.

The FACC-NY offers member companies a recruiting platform called CareerConnect. If your company wishes to post a J-1 visa position on our Career Connect job board, please reach out to icdp@faccnyc.org.

Once your company has recruited a J-1 candidate, please reach out to FACC-NY to initiate the New Host Company application process:

• Prescreen email confirming figures and information about your company
• New Host Company Call with Account Manager
• Site Visit (if applicable) by Account Manager or FACC chapter to the office location. Companies with fewer than 25 employees or less than three million dollars in annual revenue require a site visit

Training provided to Interns/Trainees must be in-person minimum 3 days a week and Host Companies must have a physical location in the US. You must ensure that you have at least 1 full time employee per J-1 Intern/Trainee and that the designated supervisor is trained in the same field as the Intern/Trainee.

The FACC-NY can sponsor J-1 visas in the following occupational categories:

• Information, Media and Communications
• Management, Business, Commerce and Finance
• Public Administration and Law
• The Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics and Industrial Occupations
• Hospitality and Tourism

The FACC-NY is a designated J-1 visa sponsor by the US Department of State (DoS) through the Bridge USA in the Intern and Trainee category. Companies cannot sponsor J-1 visas without the designation from the US Department of State.

Please contact the FACC-NY by reaching out to icdp@faccnyc.org to receive the Application Start Form to initiate the J-1 visa process.

The process for obtaining the J-1 visa requires 6-8 weeks for our account managers to provide J-1 visa candidates with their DS-2019 document (Certificate of Eligibility). Please ensure you reach out to us approximately two months prior to the planned start date in the US to allow for enough time to prepare the application.

The J-1 visa category is strictly for cultural and professional exchange and not for immigration purposes. Per U.S. Department of State guidelines, the FACC-NY strongly discourages US companies from engaging in hiring the J-1 Intern/Trainee immediately after completion of the program. J-1 visa holders who overstay their J-1 visa are at risk of negative consequences for future US visa applications and the FACC-NY does not support change of visa status for J-1 Interns/Trainees.

For Non-VIE contracts, the FACC-NY requires Host Companies to pay their Intern/Trainee at least the legal minimum wage. For VIE contracts, please contact Business France directly for the most recent stipend amount.

Yes, the FACC-NY can sponsor J-1 candidates nationwide. We have J-1 candidates coming to train across the US.

Yes, the FACC-NY welcomes all companies based in the US that meet our eligibility criterias for Non-VIE contracts. Different rules apply to VIE contracts, we invite you to reach out to Business France if you intend to hire a J-1 Intern/Trainee.

Yes, J-1 Interns/Trainees can travel for business in the US if the following criteria are met:

• Business trips must be supervised, or the Intern/Trainee must travel with colleagues
• Travel expenses must be reimbursed to the Intern/Trainee
• Business travel cannot extend beyond a duration of 5 days consecutively.

At FACC-NY, we strongly recommend that the Host Company pay the administrative fee for J-1 Intern/Trainee. However, the J-1 Intern/Trainee has discretion over fees related to the US Embassy appointment. Additional program fees can be discussed with the Exchange Visitors directly.