VisaUS J-1 interns and trainees need a signed plan before sponsors issue the DS-2019
Applicants use different eligibility evidence for the two exchange categories. Both need a completed DS-7002 before their sponsor can issue the DS-2019.
Official announcement date: not established (undated guidance)
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Check which exchange category fits
The J-1 Intern and Trainee categories are for foreign nationals entering structured programs in the United States. A placement with a US host is only one part of the application. Start by checking which category your education or employment record supports. Neither category gives a participant general permission to take a job in the United States.
BridgeUSA's Intern category covers people studying at a qualifying postsecondary institution outside the United States and people who graduated from one no more than 12 months before the program begins. Recent graduates should count from the actual graduation date to the proposed start date. An offer received within the year does not preserve eligibility if the program starts too late.
For the Trainee category, the State Department lists two routes. One combines a degree or professional certificate from a foreign postsecondary institution with at least one year of related experience outside the United States. The other requires five years of overseas experience in the field. Prepare evidence that identifies your actual responsibilities and period of work so a sponsor can assess whether the placement would build on your background.
Get the training plan signed
Use the State Department's designated sponsor directory to check the organization and the category it can administer. The sponsor's listed address may differ from where you train. If a company makes the offer, establish who will sponsor the exchange and who will supervise you at the workplace before paying anyone.
Federal regulations require a secured placement and a completed, signed DS-7002 before a designated sponsor issues the DS-2019. Read the actual plan before signing. The work you expect to do, the host and the planned dates should agree with your arrangements. Ask the sponsor to resolve differences between the offer and plan while the documents are still being prepared.
The State Department's worker rights pamphlet says the plan must record any income the participant will receive and the program's training goals. Use the plan to find out what you will learn and whether the expected income covers your expenses. Ask the sponsor to identify program charges and what happens to each payment if your placement or visa plans change.
Check the proposed schedule and duties
Federal rules generally limit internships to 12 months and traineeships to 18 months. Hospitality and tourism training and most agricultural training have a 12-month ceiling. Some agriculture programs can run longer if their original plan specifies at least six months of relevant classroom participation and study. The sponsor's own designation can limit a placement further.
The federal rule sets a 32-hour weekly minimum. Program rules also exclude casual labor and patient-contact duties and limit clerical work. If a host describes a role largely in terms of front-office coverage or helping to fill a staffing gap, ask the sponsor how the actual assignment fits. A position's title by itself gives little information about the work you would perform.
Prepare the visa records and budget
After the sponsor issues your DS-2019, use its SEVIS identification number when preparing the DS-160 visa application. The State Department's consular guidance lists both the DS-2019 and the DS-7002 for these categories. Follow the embassy or consulate's application instructions for the passport, photo and interview arrangements. Keep evidence of the placement, funding and plans after the exchange available if the post requests it.
Budget separately for the standard US$185 visa application charge and the US$220 I-901 SEVIS fee for most applicants in these categories. The State Department lists an application fee exception for eligible official US government exchanges. Check the program's payment instructions and any applicable exemption before paying. An issuance fee can depend on nationality, and sponsor or host charges should be checked with the program.
If the visa appointment or administrative processing threatens the start date, contact the sponsor before booking travel around the old schedule. BridgeUSA's instructions for sponsor staff explain that changing program dates can require corresponding changes to the DS-7002 phase dates. A revised date can matter particularly to a recent graduate close to the Intern category cutoff. Check both records and ask which versions you should take to the consular appointment.
