Your J1 Visa Sponsor
If you have received an offer from an American company for an internship, traineeship, summer job or camp counselor position, then you have already accomplished the most challenging task. However, in order to complete an internship or work a summer job in the USA, you will need the J1 visa. The J1 is a non-immigrant visa designed to enable foreign nationals to participate in educational and cultural programs in the United States. The U.S. Department of State has designated a few cultural exchange organizations as J1 visa sponsors. Intrax has been a J1 sponsor for 30 years for our various exchange programs such as Au pair, High School, Work and Travel, Internships and Trainings. We take care of all legal formalities of your stay in the USA and help you realize your professional ambitions.
Our internship placement service can help you find a U.S. host company seeking interns or trainees. Find out more about your Work and Travel options in the USA like summer job placements or our Camp Counselor program.
DS-2019 - Your Path Abroad
In order to apply for a J1 visa at your closest American consulate or embassy, you will need to present a Certificate of Eligibility, called the DS-2019. We provide the DS-2019 form which serves as a confirmation of your eligibility to do your internship or your summer job. Is shows that you and your host company fulfill all requirements. The requirements are determined by the U.S. Department of State and aim to ensure that the criteria for a professional cultural exchange program are met.
We ensure that your placement and your host company fulfill all requirements
We confirm your placement with your host company
We verify your eligibility to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program
We process and issue your DS-2019 form
Why Choose Intrax
Intrax has been a renowned organization and J1 sponsor for 30 years for our various exchange programs such as Au pair, High School, Work and Travel, Camp Counselor, Internships and Trainings. By choosing us as your J1 visa sponsor, you enjoy many advantages and benefits from our extensive experience.
Get your DS-2019 for your internship within 2 weeks of approval of your application
Submit everything online
No application fee
Fair and transparent costs
Regular check-ins during your stay abroad
Medical insurance in compliance with J1 regulations
No program fee for the grace period/travel time
How to Get Your J1 Visa
Choosing the Right Visa Category
The J1 visa can be issued for interns, trainees, camp counselors or summer work travel students. Please decide which category is right for you and mark the appropriate option when you apply. If you are still unsure, we are happy to advise you. Feel free to contact us.
If you are married and/or have children, you can apply for a J2 visa for your family to accompany you. Find more information in our FAQ section.
The J1 Internship visa is for students who are enrolled full-time in a university or college outside of the U.S. or for recent graduates who have received their degree within 12 months prior to the start of the internship. The J1 Internship Visa is issued for a maximum of 12 months. The internship must be directly related to the field of studies.
To be eligible for a J1 internship visa you need to:
have an internship position in the USA which relates to your field of study
have proof that you have funding of at least $1500 per month
be enrolled fulltime at an accredited university or college student outside the USA or have not graduated more than 12 months before the internship start date
limit the internship duration to 12 months or less
be at least 18 years old
have completed at least two semesters by the time your internship starts
have advanced English language skills
The J1 training visa is for young professionals who possess a degree or certificate from a university or college outside of the U.S. and 1 year of related professional experience; alternatively, trainees have 5 years of related professional experience. The training must be in a field which relates to the degree and professional experience.
To be eligible for a J1 training visa you need to:
have a training position in the USA which relates to your field of study and your work experience
limit the training duration to 18 months or less (12 months if it is training in a hotel, restaurant or in tourism)
have proof of funding of at least $1500 per month
have graduated from a university or college outside the USA
have at least 1 year of professional work experience in your field of study
have acquired 5 years of professional work experience (in lieu of an academic degree)
be at least 20 years old
have advanced English language skills
The J1 Summer Work Travel Visa is for full-time and post-secondary university students (exception: participants in the Camp Counselor program) from outside of the USA who want to pursue temporary work and travel opportunities during their semester break from university. The goal is to get to know American culture and experience every day life in the USA. The duration of the work and travel program is limited to 1-4 months.
We do regret that this program is only directed at university or college students. If that does not apply to you, we may still support your goal to go abroad with our work and travel programs in Canada, Australia and New Zealand or our Camp Counselor program in the USA. Please contact us for more information.
To be eligible for the J1 summer work travel visa you need to:
be a full-time student in an EU country (exception: Camp Counselor program)
be sufficiently proficient in the English language
have completed at least one semester of your studies and not be a final year student
be between 18 and 28 years old
have proof of funding of at least $1,000 for the first month
have not already participated in the Work and Travel program three times
The Camp Counselor program allows young adults to experience the culture and everyday life in the United States in summer camps throughout the country.
To be eligible for the J1 Camp Counselor visa you need to:
be at least sufficiently proficient in the English language
be a post-secondary student, youth worker, or teacher. High school leavers can apply as well. Specialized skills would be a plus!
be at least 18 years old
be offered a camp counseling position which may include non-counseling duties as part of camp life, but does not serve as staff (e.g. NOT work as a janitor, dishwasher, cook, etc.)
Your Application Process
The individual steps below outline the application process for the J1 visa service. Please keep in mind that some of our programs such as summer job, camp counselor or Internship placements, already include the J1 visa service. Therefore, some steps might be slightly different for some programs.
Your registration begins with creating your secure profile on the MyIntraxPortal and providing all necessary documents. We will contact your host company and exchange important information and documents.
We will conduct an interview with you to answer your questions and assess your level of English to confirm that you meet the language requirements. We will invoice the program fees and your registration becomes binding.
We will confirm all placements details with your host company. If no on-site visit is required (internships only), the DS-2019 will be issued within two weeks after the call. For our Work and Travel programs, the processing time varies.
Upon receiving your DS-2019, you can schedule your visa interview appointment. 5-7 days after your appointment, you will receive your passport with the visa and the DS-2019 back.
Once you have your J1 visa, you can book your flight. There will be an online pre-departure orientation and we will also provide you with an Intrax manual with important information. Then it's time to go to the USA!
Your Program Fees and Benefits
J1 Visa Service for Internships and Trainings
Please use our J1 pricing calculator to find out your program fees. Intrax calculates calendar program months by first and last day of your internship and not according to the length of your stay. Thus, if you arrive beforehand and stay in the U.S. for the grace period after the internship, we do not charge you for this time. Please note that you will have to purchase an extra month of insurance if you plan to use the 30-day grace period.
For the "Trainee" category, please take into account an additional processing fee of 100€/$120 for multiple training phases and additional review. Otherwise, we charge the same affordable program fees for interns and trainees.
J1 Visa Service for Summer Jobs and Camp Counselor Positions
Please note that the prices listed below are for our J1 visa service only.
Prices for our summer job placement services as well as our CampCare USA placement services can be found on the work and travel program page.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
| Length | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Work and Travel USA Visa | 1-4 months | 860 € |
| Camp Counselor Self Placement for EU Residents | 2 months | 590 € |
Your Costs and Benefits
The following costs and benefits are for the J1 visa service only. For other programs (which may have the visa service included), find more information on the respective program pages.
The following items are included in your program fee:
$220 SEVIS fee (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System monitored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) for Internships, $35 for Summer Jobs and Camp Counselor
Medical insurance according to J1 regulations for the duration of your internship, training, camp counselor or work and travel program
Issuance of the visa form DS 2019 required for the visa application
Advisory services on application and visa procedures
Pre-departure orientation
Online participant handbook
24-hour emergency support during your stay in the USA
Certificate upon completion of the program upon request
The following items are not included in the J1 visa service:
Embassy fee for visa application interview at the U.S. embassy (currently $160)
Airfare, housing (exception: Camp Counselor program), personal expenses etc.
Additional costs that may occur:
Trainees only: processing fee of 100€/$120 for multiple training phases and additional review
Interns and Trainees only: 215€ / $245 for a potential on-site visit (non-refundable)
DS form reprint fee (if necessary): 125€ / $140 (non-refundable)
Interns and Trainees only: J2 visa for family members: 595€ for the first month + 95€ per additional month / $675 for the first month + $105 per additional month
Fee for expedited service
Interns and Trainees only: Program extension fee
Interns and Trainees only: Multiple Sites of Activity (per site) : 170€ / $200 (non-refundable)
Please refer to our FAQs for more info on these costs.