Graduate Visa USA

DGM

Hi,

I'm highly considering going to to the USA early next year as part of the 12 month recent graduate Visa. However, I'm not too sure who to book my visa with. Obviously there are organisations such as USIT and GoForLess, etc. but a few people have said to me that it would be cheaper to book via the US Embassy. I was on their site today and yesterday and, while it's full of information regarding emigrating to the US, I can't seem to locate any information such as how to actually apply and also how much it would cost to book via said route. Is anybody else applying / applied for a similar visa? Did you book via the US Embassy? If so, is there a link / phone number / email address that you could provide me with?

[Apologies if this has been asked already.]

I appreciate any feedback. Cheers.

Corrimbla

There is a large thread on this already and should be helpful to you. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2055381254

You cannot go through the embassy direstly as you need a sponsor such as go4less, USIT, SAYIT or the IIC. The IIC in Boston works out the cheapest and I am currently getting my own visa through them at moment. They let you get your own flights and insurance wheras the others wont plus their programme fee is alot less.

Morf3h

Hey Op,

I'm in exactly the same situation. The embassy's website is so complicated, not helpful really at all and it sounds like you have to know exactly what you're applying for before you make an appointment.

I want to get a visa for 12 months so I can call companies up and go "I have a visa to work in the state please give me a job" then book my flights.

Don't think it's that easy though.

lil_lisa

It is that easy. Once you've graduated recently and can afford the visa and travel. Depending on the company and how busy they are, you can get a visa between 4-8 weeks. So, if you decide that you are going to do it, and you meet all the requirements you can start looking for jobs straight away.

DGM

@ Corrimbla. Thanks a lot for that. I hadn't come across the IIC before so will take a look at them now and also the link you posted.

It's strange that you can't apply to the US Embassy directly, particularly as I know of people heading to Australia [for example] who have applied to the Australian Embassy directly. Not to mention the cost of an Australian Visa being significantly cheaper. Oh well...

Also, if anybody else knows of other organistions or ways of applying then I would love to hear. Cheers.

lil_lisa

Intrax Internships also does this, but only for the visas which require a job BEFORE going out.

Australia and the US are two completely different countries. Every year, millions of people apply for visas in the US and the US must place strict rules on who it lets in, otherwise the country will be overrun. Australia is in a slightly opposite position. They invite people to move there, they're a bit more relaxed.

FYI: This is my opinion, I have not taken stats from anywhere specific, just from myself getting a visa in the US and my sister in AUS.

DGM

The IIC in Boston seems to be the way to go alright.

missKawaii

hi all,
just stumbled upon this thread as i also want to get a 12 month work & travel visa.

@ Corrimbla (as you said you were going with the iic)
& @ DGM (as you said the iic seemed to be the best):
1. do people arranging their visa through the iic have to live in boston? (i want to live in new york.)
2. it says on their site that their fee is $700 if candidates have a job to go over to. otherwise, the cost is $1200 & the iic will prearrange a job for you. was this your experience??
any input would be appreciated. i had never heard of the iic before.

another point -
it was my understanding that following the 12 months of working, there is an extra 30 days grace period for travel/leisure, just like there is with the j1 summer visa. so that people, once they finish up working, may stay on in the country before having to return home.
on usit's site, they state:
"The Programme regulations oblige all participants traveling on an internship to be in possession of a return ticket that covers the duration of his/her stay in the US";
while go4less say on their site:
"Participants on the 12mth Visa are allowed travel on a oneway ticket".
contradictory information! as usit make their applicants book return flights through them when they arrange the visa, and no flights can be bought more than a year in advance, presumably go4less are the better option, as they dont make their applicants buy return flights with them? anyone care to shed any light on this situation?

go4less & usit are both v. expensive, esp considering how i dont need to pay additional insurance as i already have my own. hmm.

Corrimbla

Hi Misskawaii,

The IIC is a sponsor company same as Go4less and USIT so although they are based in Boston you can go anywhere in the US, including New York.

Regarding the question about the prearranged job. As far as I know the IIC offered applicants the program with a prearranged job when the program first came out a few back but with the current economic difficulties they do not offer this any more as they cannot guarantee anybody a job as I’m sure you understand. I paid $650 total to the IIC as my program fee which I thought was reasonable – especially with the favourable current exchange rate. My experience of them was very good I have to say, they also let you book your own flights and insurance letting you shop around to get the best prices. The person that deals with the 12 month IWT visa is Jude Clarke (J1IWT@iicenter.org) he’s Irish himself and I found him very helpful.

Third point – yes you can stay in the US for a further 30 day period after your 12 month work period has finished but you are not allowed to work in that period obviously. You also get thirty days before you start work so basically you can go for 14 months but only allowed work for 12 of them.

Ya, you are correct about the return flights policy. Basically as the majority of air lines won’t let you book a return flight more then 330 days ahead you cannot be expended to produce a return ticket. Basically USIT use this as proof for the US embassy that you will be returning to Ireland - they already have existing relationships with airline carriers so may be in a position to provide you with a 12 month return ticket. But long answer short is that a return ticket is not necessary. What I did personally was book the return leg for the 20th of December so I can come home for xmas and worst case scenario I can just change the date to around February/ March next year if I decide not to come home for xmas.

Regarding the insurance, there is strict criteria regarding what is required to be covered so just because you have health insurance here doesn’t mean it will be sufficient to cover you in the US. As well many health insurers that offer you cover here don’t extend their cover to long term overseas travel. You will have to check with your current insurer if your policy covers the specific requirements of the US State Department.

Hope this is helpful!!

missKawaii

wow Corrimbla, much obliged. loads of helpful info there! thanks. out of interest, are you in america by now? how are you getting on if so - where are you & is it easy or hard to find work?

i have gotten in touch with the iiic & i have to say not having to buy flights/insurance with them definitely appeals, as does the lower programme fee when compared to usit/go4less (on top of the favourable currency exchange which you mentioned).

that's interesting about the 30 days before AND after. i can't seem to find info on this anywhere. did the iiic tell you this or where did you hear about it?

the one thing that concerns me is the iiic's terms & conditions which they just emailed me.
e.g.

• how a candidate must have found work within 90 days or else return home.
• how they have to work at least 32 hours a week.
• how they are "prohibited from seeking additional paid employment during [the] internship"

does anyone know if usit & go4less have similar terms? i am especially surprised by the third point there... i imagined that i would have a number of jobs simultaneously: some paid, some non, some temporary, some infrequent. i want loads of different experience & don't necessarily want to be confined to just the 1 job. what are people's experience who are doing the visa right now, whoever your sponsor agency is - are they strict regrading stuff like hours a week & only having 1 job at a time?

missKawaii

just found the following on USIT's site in its Ts + Cs:

The maximum length of the internship program is 12 months, however, the overall period of time in the US may extend beyond this maximum duration as follows: Participants can enter the US up to 14 days prior to the DS-2019 start date and remain in the US up to 30 days beyond the DS-2019 end date. The 30 days after the program end date represents a 30-day "Grace Period" at the end of the program during which the Participant may travel in the US but is no longer eligible to work/intern.

Corrimbla

Heya, no I’m not in America yet – I had my US Embassy interview last week and have my flights booked for the 2nd of April. I try to answer people’s questions about this visa as obviously I am familiar with the recent requirements and procedures of this visa.

Ya the IIC told me over the phone about the thirty days before and after your DS -2019 twelve month period but I had read this somewhere before this. I thought this was what the Irish companies were using to sell the program – Find job once you arrive!

As far as I know the terms and conditions you mentioned are requirements of the visa and not requirements of IIC – I’m fairly sure of this. These requirements will be in place if you go with USIT and Go4less as well. This visa is not a free for all that allows you to travel and work in any job like what is available for Canada and Australia. It is seen as an extension of your education that you have done in college and it’s why the US authorities don’t want you working in any old job. That’s why you and your employer will be required to fill out a training plan which has to be returned to the US State Department. I have heard though of cases where the person has changed jobs throughout the year (but the new job was still relevant to what she did in college).

Regarding your quote from USIT’s site. Each sponsor may have certain additional criteria for the program. Obviously USIT only want people to enter the US 14 days before the start date of the DS – 2019 but this can be thirty days as I have been assured of this by the IIC.

DGM

@missKawaii

It seems Corrimbla has answered everything adequately for you! All I will say is that I got my visa through the IIC around 2 weeks back, and I would have no problem in recommending them. They're cheaper than the other organisations such as USIT, let you do your own thing, and they are just very helpful in general.

I should hopefully be booking my flights in a few days time, then fly out at the end of this month.

Also, re: 32 hours. I was talking to Jude about this. If you can't obtain a job that gives you this amount of hours, an option would be to work say the 25 hours that you are given by an employer and then make up the rest voluntarily.

missKawaii

thanks guys, you're both awesome for the info. i wish you the very best! its very exciting! i'm going with the iiic, cheap n cheerful.

Padington

@missKawaii
I stumbled upon this thread while looking for information on the graduate visa. This thread has been very useful, thanks!
I'd love to hear any experiences that you had across there. I'm a final year engineer, thinking of biting the bullet and going for it after the summer. Did you get on ok getting a job within the 90 days? Did you feel under pressure to get a job that was strictly relevant to your degree?
I appreciate that this thread is over a year old, but here's to hoping you'll catch this!

redzer100

hey this is a great thread thanks for all the help just waiting for the IIIC to get back to me where you guys waiting long for a reply from them iv'e emailed them bout a week now and no word did you guys have to ring them???

Corrimbla

J1 IWT Students <j1iwt@iicenter.org>; i know Jude was back in Ireland there for a few weeks so thats probably why its taking a bit longer to get back to you.

freema

Hey,
I've just graduated from college and i've Been offered a fully paid internship in arizona for 12 weeks with a pharmaceutical company and I have to arrive back in Ireland in september to start my full time job here and I need to be in Arizona within the next two weeks to avail of this internship. I was wondering would it be possible to get a visa by then.

Penny77

Freema,
they say 6-8 weeks..i'd get down to USIT or go4less tomorrow morning and then the american embassy with evidence of you offer to see could you skip the line..best of luck and let us know how u got on

ShaneByrneQS

I am going on a 12month US visa programme with Go4Less and I already had my own flights booked to New York. Is there anyway I can change these flights to suit the programme or will Go4Less not allow it?

goo goo doll

This is a great thread with lots of very useful information. Thanks to all, you are so helpful!

wanderlust1

Hi all,

How strict is the requirement to work in a field related to your degree? Does it make a difference if you go on the intern visa or the training visa?

Basically, I'm heading over to Martha's Vineyard this summer for the second time on a J1 visa (waiting tables and working in Jack Wills). I would absolutely love the opportunity to live in the US on a more permanent basis and really experience it fully! I'm will be graduating in Law at the end of October. I'm not really looking to further my career in the area of law though, I'd much prefer to become more involved in the music scene (work with a record label, booking agency etc)

I'm planning on working until the end of September and using my grace period in October to meet prospective employers and meet people face to face/make contacts and then come home for graduation. I've worked in retail here in Ireland for the past 5 years and have 3 years experience in event organisation on a pretty large scale... I'm wondering whether this would allow me to apply for jobs that aren't related to the legal field or am I completely ineligible? Sayit/Usit haven't been able to give me an answer apart from that any employment would have to be related to my degree so just looking for advice from people who have actually done it!

Cheers!

Williewell

Does anyone still know if the IIC is still up and running. Cannot seem to access their website, www.iicenter.org. Im desperate to get a year visa but USIT are looking for 2300 for the package, total rip off,

Thanks for any help

Williewell

Found the new website www.iiicenter.org with some help.

Does anyone know anyone who has used the IIIC recently?

Are they still supplying sponsorship and visas??

osullm36

Yeah I've just gone through the IIICenter for the last few months and will be starting my visa in the US in Oct. I found them excellent. You do need to do some extra paper work yourself compared to USIT but I think it's definitely worth it for the cheaper cost and more flexibility.

Corrimbla

Ya, they are still going. Crazy busy though. You should should email Jude or Megan at J1IWT@iicenter.org I went with them over a year ago and counldn't recommend them highly enough. A non-profit company so their fee only covers their costs!

Williewell

thanks for the response guys, i have to up NOvember to get my visa sorted, do you know if the IIC usually get you processed in a quick time ( 4-6 weeks)

Many Thanks :D

Corrimbla

Ya usually can get it done in up to 6 weeks but i wouldnt leave it till the last minute as i know from my experience some of my paperwork got lost in the post so you never know!

delaney001

Hey,

If anyone could answer this question for me, I would appreciate it a lot.

I graduated in December 2011.

So I assume I have until December 2012 to get my visa (I understand ill need to book it at least 8 weeks early to ensure I get it in time)

If I get the visa, for example on the 1st of November this year, when do I have to start using the visa?

Do i Have to head to USA before December 2012 or can I wait till the new year and start my 12 months in February for example and stay there working until Feb 2013?

Thanks

osullm36

delaney001 wrote: »

Hey,

If anyone could answer this question for me, I would appreciate it a lot.

I graduated in December 2011.

So I assume I have until December 2012 to get my visa (I understand ill need to book it at least 8 weeks early to ensure I get it in time)

If I get the visa, for example on the 1st of November this year, when do I have to start using the visa?

Do i Have to head to USA before December 2012 or can I wait till the new year and start my 12 months in February for example and stay there working until Feb 2013?

Thanks

Yes you have until Dec to get your visa but it must be before the exact date of your graduation. You need to decide a date that your visa will start.

Once that date is agreed you can then enter the US up to 30 days before that date but cannot begin working

I'm pretty sure you need to enter the country within 30 days of your visa starting but that part I'm not sure about.

Remember you only have 90 days from the start date of your visa to guarantee a job and if not you need to come home so the earlier you can go out the better.

delaney001

osullm36 wrote: »

Yes you have until Dec to get your visa but it must be before the exact date of your graduation. You need to decide a date that your visa will start.

Once that date is agreed you can then enter the US up to 30 days before that date but cannot begin working

I'm pretty sure you need to enter the country within 30 days of your visa starting but that part I'm not sure about.

Remember you only have 90 days from the start date of your visa to guarantee a job and if not you need to come home so the earlier you can go out the better.

I understand that I need to get the visa before the exact date of my graduation. Thanks for clearing that for me.

But what I really want to know is, do I have to physically be on American soil before that same date in December. Or can I get the visa in november and then wait until, say February, and head then.

I have commitments in Ireland till end of Jan and I would really like to see them out and head to USA then, is this possible or will my Visa be invalid if i dont activate it pre december. Sorry if I'm making this sound more confusing than it is

Thanks again