10052 suspended entry into the United States for certain exchange visitors through December 31, 2020. If the document is needed for either visa issuance or port of entry, the exchange visitor must have the original form - with your original signature in blue ink - on hand to apply for the visa or entry to the United States. Visa applicants can visit the website of the US embassy or consulate where they are applying for a visa for more specific information.". Trump extends ban on J1 and other work visas until 2021 Updated / Tuesday, 23 Jun 2020 07:03 US President Donald Trump speaking at his campaign rally in Tulsa on Saturday This fee is nonrefundable and non-transferrable. TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said the response to the coronavirus outbreak is “complicated” by the North-South divide in Ireland. Trinity College Dublin is encouraging students living in college accommodation to return home and offering them a partial refund. The Department understands that the COVID-19 situation has caused a major disruption in program participation. The Department understands that the COVID-19 situation has caused a major disruption in program participation. U.S. Citizens with emergencies, please call 691-320-2187 ext.2134 or 691-920-2369. Please refer to ECA communication dated April 29, 2020 (Communication to Sponsors:  Vetting Summer Placements) on the “For Sponsors” section of the J1visa.state.gov website. While the Department generally requires SoN letters to be provided by the relevant Ministries of Health, this may not be possible at this time. The Department also asks that sponsors continue to follow all state and local departments of education guidance on this matter. Japan Visitor Hotline. Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials (EPIC) Providing individual physicians with an on-line tool for building a career portfolio of their primary-source verified medical credentials, and for demonstrating the authenticity of those credentials to the entities that register/license, educate, and employ them. If exchange visitors do not need them for formal processing, sponsors may electronically transmit to exchange visitors updated and fully executed Forms DS-2019 reflecting last week's 60-day extension. Please review CIEE’s global Covid-19 health and safety guidelines in practice for students and advisors and individual program modifications can be found on all program pages. Also, as previously noted please do check our website at. ECA is aware some foreign governments are using such sites to provide assistance, including registering citizens who are seeking flights home. In response to the last question on refunds, you can pursue SEVIS fee refunds with SEVP. Emergency visa services will still be available on a case-by-case basis. "We do recognise that this information may change, and are continuing to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs, ECA and US Sponsors to keep everyone abreast of the latest information as we receive it.". "As such, although the Exchange Visitor Program (EVP), including the Summer Work Travel category, is not specifically subject to the ECA-funded programme suspension, ECA strongly recommends that all EVP program sponsors follow ECA COVID-19 guidance, including postponing program start dates for 60 days after March 12, 2020. Please refer to ECA communication dated March 16, 2020 for exchange visitor SEVIS records in Initial or Active status. (A) This is a very common question and one we are looking at very closely. The Department of State is currently working with the sponsor community to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all exchange visitors to the greatest extent possible, which may involve repatriating exchange visitors if it is safe and feasible to do so. The Department notes that a temporary modification along these lines for exigent circumstances beyond a sponsor’s or host entity’s control does not undermine a program’s consistency with the regulations. So we are closely reviewing this question. If your institution has moved to an online environment, please send to AGalert@state.gov a completed Incident Report Form, if you have not already done so. Dec 17, 2020 Immigrant Visa Processing Update. If your designation is up for renewal in the next couple months, please apply in SEVIS online before expiration. (A) The Department of State has no plans to substitute video interviews for the in-person visa interview. For example, college/university student programs must generally take place "at a degree-granting post-secondary accredited academic institution" (2 CFR 62.23(a)); Teachers must teach "in an accredited primary or secondary school" (22 CFR 62.24(d)(5)); and Professors "must conduct their exchange activity at the site(s) of activity" although occasional lectures or consultations are allowable at other locations (22 CFR 62.20(f)). The Department is aware that some trainees and interns who had just started their programs returned home prematurely due to circumstances beyond their control. Please note the situation is changing daily and the information below may be out of date by the time you're reading it. (A) At the appropriate time, the Visa Office will provide guidance to our visa sections worldwide on the resumption of routine visa services. Please be aware that there are a number of different exchange programs available for high school students, and not all are overseen by the State Department. Please note, however, that sponsors must keep their designations current throughout any such a pause in program. In addition, our visa sections worldwide routinely expedite visa interviews for students and exchange visitors upon request if there is a compelling need to expedite visa processing. I do suggest you record or document this event in the exchange visitor's file. Annual report narratives should explain program highlights as well as difficulties, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. J-1 Exchange Visitor programs include au pairs, summer work travel, interns, high school and university student exchanges, physician exchanges and … Sponsors must also closely monitor the health, safety and welfare of each exchange visitor to determine if remaining on the exchange program is truly feasible. 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Sponsors may continue to temporarily allow active students to continue their Academic Training remotely to prevent unnecessary exposure to COVID-19. For the privately funded programs we are asking sponsors of these programs to follow published ECA guidance for the ECA-funded programs and to make decisions based upon what best serves the health, safety, and welfare of exchange visitors, the interests of natural parents or legal guardians, and those of the Americans with whom they interact. For guidance on matters related to visa services, Presidential Proclamations (including those related to travel restrictions), and eligibility for NIEs, please refer to the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) at. Please refer to ECA announcement (March 13, 2020) regarding the pause on ECA-funded programs for 60 days from the date of the announcement on March 12. The sponsor must assess the situation, which may include utilizing alternative ways of maintaining program objectives due to school closures, such as online classes or home schooling. No. SoN letters must bear the seal of the concerned governments and be signed by a duly designated official of the governments. Given the uncertainty of available flights and ongoing travel restrictions, Private Sector Exchange strongly recommends exchange visitors proactively reach out to their respective embassies if they are unable to book return flights home. Yes, sponsors must extend the insurance coverage and fund it as they did during the exchange visitors’ initial programs. US Visa Travel Advisory for Coronavirus. Exchange visitors may continue on programs that, as intended/designed, fully complied with the regulations provided that the deviation is not excessive for the circumstances, and that it occurred due to factors (like the current COVID-19 situation) outside of the sponsors’, hosts’, and exchange visitors control. This is an option for au pairs who are in the USA, and would like to stay with their current host family. Please visit. Despite the challenges the suspension poses, CHI is proactive in supporting … As previously mentioned, if you make responsible decisions that keep the exchange visitors’ health, safety and welfare, as well as U.S. national security and foreign policy implications, at the forefront of your decision-making, then you can expect the Department’s support. Sponsors are strongly encouraged to document all such unique situations. As noted during the conference call with sponsors on March 27th, sponsors are advised to print Forms DS-2019, fully execute them with original signatures in blue ink, and transmit them in accordance with regulatory requirements if exchange visitors need Forms DS-2019 for formal processing. Some of the exchange visitors who are subject to the European Travel Proclamations may be eligible to enter the United States if they qualify for a national interest exception (NIE) to the European Travel Proclamations. (A) This is not within the State Department’s control, so of course we would defer to DHS for any definitive statements. 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