MANDATORY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Participating in Cultural Activities
The purpose of this program to expose foreign students to American culture and customs and for you to share your customs and culture with the people with whom you work, live and socialize while in the United States. We believe that the best path to creating a better world is for people to come together for the purposes of education, enlightenment and understanding.
We hope that as part of your Cultural Exchange program, you will actively participate in local events and activities. America is a big and diverse country and, while to celebrate many common traditions, holidays and customs, there are many regional or local customs and events that are both interesting and fun. To learn about AAG recommended events and activities in your city, please follow @Alliance Abroad on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag your posts with #J1CityName (Example: #J1SanAntonio). Please also see the Things To Do in the USA map, for recommendations of events and activities in your city.
Reporting a Second Job
Summer Work Travel ( SWT) participants are permitted to have a second job provided that you follow certain guidelines and procedures. Intern/Trainee/Teach program participants are not permitted to have a second job due to the program focus on training and learning.
SWT participants must inform AAG, as your program sponsor, of your intent to secure a second job. AAG will review the position to ensure that it complies with all the program regulations and that the employer is acceptable before you can begin work. Please keep in mind that your main responsibility is your Primary Job (listed on your DS-2019) and a second job cannot interfere with your work responsibilities. If your second job negatively impacts your performance and attendance at your primary job, you will be asked to resign from it.
You’ll be requires to submit an online form with information related to the second job. As soon as AAG reviews the application and the prospective employer, we will get back to you with a decision. Remember, approval is needed before you are able to begin work. This process is necessary to ensure that both you and your primary Host Company are not negatively affected by a second job.
The Department of State has strict regulations about the type of work that is permitted under this visa.
- Positions that could bring notoriety or disrepute to the Exchange Visitor Program
- Sales positions that require participants to purchase inventory that they must sell in order to support themselves
- Domestic help positions in private homes (e.g., child care, elder care, gardener, chauffeur);
- Pedicab or rolling chair drivers or operators
- Operators or drivers of vehicles or vessels for which drivers’ licenses are required regardless of whether they carry passengers or not
- Positions related to clinical care that involves patient contact
- Positions in the adult entertainment industry (including, but not limited to jobs with escort services, adult book/video stores, and strip clubs)
- Positions requiring work hours that fall predominantly between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
- Positions declared hazardous to youth by the Secretary of Labor at Subpart E of 29 CFR part 570
- Positions that require sustained physical contact with other people and/or adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Universal Blood and Body Fluid Precautions guidelines (e.g., body piercing, tattooing, massage, manicure)
- Positions that are substantially commission-based and thus do not guarantee that participants will be paid minimum wage in accordance with federal and state standards
- Positions involved in gaming and that include direct participation in wagering and/or betting;
- Positions in chemical pest control, warehousing, catalogue/online order distribution centers
- Positions with traveling fairs or itinerant concessionaires
- Positions for which there is another specific J category (e.g., camp counselor, intern, trainee); or
After November 1, 2012, in positions in the North American Industry Classification System’s (NAICS) Goods-Producing Industries occupational categories industry sectors 11, 21, 23, 31-33 numbers (set forth at http://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag_index_naics.htm)
Reporting an Address Change
Alliance Abroad Group must be notified within 3 days of any changes to your address, email or phone number during your program per U.S. Department of State requirements.
Completing a Mandatory Monthly Check In
Your health, safety, and well-being is our number one priority. Every month of your program you receive an email from AAG with reminder to complete your Monthly “Check In.” You complete your Monthly Check In by logging into your profile in Participant Portal. During your Monthly Check In, please let us know how you are doing, so we can ensure that your experience is a good one and so that we may address any concerns or questions you may have.
Monthly Check-In is mandatory for every month that you are participating in the program. Failure to complete this important monthly check in may result in termination of your program! Termination of your program means that your AAG sponsorship/DS-2019 will be canceled immediately and you will be required to return home. Termination may also impact your ability to obtain another U.S. visa in the future.
If you have not received an email reminder from AAG about your monthly check in, please contact our Support Team at:
[email protected]
Completing Evaluations
Intern/Trainee
All J1 Intern/Trainee program participants must complete program evaluations. The evaluations must be completed by both the Training supervisor and Intern/Trainee program participant and require an electronic signature to verify that the training is complete. Final program evaluation must be completed before the program end date.
Programs of 6 months or less – Final Evaluation is required
Programs exceeding 6 months long – Midpoint and Final Evaluations are required
Please make sure you complete your Midpoint and Final Program Evaluations.
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Training Plans
Intern Trainee Program Participants are required to have a Training Plan that outlines specific phases of your training during your J1 program. This plan ensures that you are getting the most out of your experience, enhancing your formal education in a business setting.
During your J1 program it is your responsibility to review your Training Plan often and alert Alliance Abroad Group at any point if you have questions or concerns about your training.
Please contact your Outreach Coordinator with any questions or the Support Team by emailing [email protected] or calling 1-866-622-7623.
Travel Validation
You are able to travel outside the United States while on your J-1 program. However, there is Travel Validation process that is necessary to follow before you can leave the country.
Check your visa to see if you have a multiple entries visa
Check your visa to see how many times you can enter the U.S. You can see these by viewing what is written in the “entries” category on your visa. You may see a 1, 2 or M in this category.
- Indicates a single entry visa. If your visa is a single entry, you will not be permitted to re-enter the U.S. once you leave. Therefore, you cannot travel internationally while participating in your visa program.
- Indicates you are permitted to enter the U.S. twice while on your visa program.
Indicates a multiple entries visa. You can see an example of a multiple entries (M) visa in the picture below.
M. Multiple Entries: If you have a multiple entries visa (2 or M), please follow the instructions below. There is always a chance that you will not be permitted to re-enter the U.S. However, if you go within the dates of your DS-2019 form and follow the procedure below, there should be no issues.
AAG will need an email from your host company. The email must indicate that you have permission to be gone during the dates of your trip and that you will have a position upon your return.
Please ask your supervisor to email AAG at [email protected]. AAG suggests you bring a signed letter on company letterhead containing this information with you while you travel.
We strongly recommend when mailing your documents, you request a tracking number and delivery confirmation. For that purpose, we advise using FedEx or UPS service to mail any documents
Your ORIGINAL DS-2019 to be authorized for international travel.
A PRE-PAID, SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE, so we can return your documents to you. It is highly recommended that you use Fedex or UPS for this return shipping.
A short LETTER summarizing where you will be travelling, why you are going and the dates that you will be out of the country.
The mailing address for AAG is:
Alliance Abroad Group
ATT: Travel Validation
2021 E. 5th St. #110,
Austin, Texas 78702
You should mail these materials to AAG 3 to 4 weeks before you plan to travel so there is enough time to complete the processing and return your DS-2019 to you. Please remember that you will not be permitted re-entry to the U.S. if you do not have the DS-2019 form authorized for international travel.
