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| Turnaround time at the American Consulate |
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Please do not schedule your appointment at the Consulate before sending us your application and receiving specific instructions from us. We process applications the same day they are received. As soon as your application is complete, we will send you confirmation by e-mail indicating the date from which you can schedule your appointment. An individual interview with a consular official is necessary for all J-1 visa applicants. But, you do not have to wait to receive your DS-2019 and SEVIS receipt to make an appointment. All you need to do is follow the instructions that we will e-mail you.
PLEASE NOTE: you must have your DS-2019 form and SEVIS receipt on the day of your interview.
Candidates applying in France can make their appointment through the Consulate website. Scheduling your appointment online is less costly than doing it by phone and it allows you to change your date up to two times without any additional fees.
For the consulates in London, Bern or Brussels, please contact them directly by phone. Instructions per country can be found in the links below.
US Consulate in Paris
US Consulate in Bern
US Consulate in Brussels
US Consulate in London
US Consulate Luxembourg
The US Consulate has created a video explaining the interview process here Attending a Non-Immigrant Visa interview
Approximate waiting period to get an appointment:
The waiting period varies very much depending on the number of applications; it can take from a few days to a few weeks. For the Consulate in London, please check the schedule on this link: Wait times
Please note that from mid April to mid July, there are additional scheduling delays and fewer availabilities.
Your Visa will be sent to you by post after the interview. Timeframes for visa issuance vary from one consulate to the other. To check visa wait times, click on the “Wait Times” link above. Please make sure to verify all your documents (passport, visa type, DS-2019 form, SEVIS receipt) and immediately inform us and the consulate of any problems.
It is not possible for Parenthese to accelerate the visa issuing procedure at any of the US consulates. Furthermore, there are no emergency procedures and all date changes have to be made through the consulate website or phone system depending on availabilities.
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| Airplane ticket |
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For your airplane ticket, we recommend that you contact Travel Voyages with whom Parenthese has established a partnership and negotiated competitive prices and conditions, adapted to our programs.
You will enjoy a priority service and your ticket will be sent to you at home at no extra charge. In addition, Travel Voyages offers optional "visa" insurance: your airplane ticket is 100% refundable in case your visa is refused.
 Travel Voyages
14, place Occitane - 31000 Toulouse - France
Tél. +33 (0)5 62 27 19 28 - Fax +33 (0)9 70 62 27 14 - e-mail: info@travelvoyages.fr
IN ANY CASE, DO NOT FINALIZE THE PURCHASE OF YOUR AIRPLANE TICKET UNTIL YOU HAVE OBTAINED THE J-1 VISA. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR AIRPLANE TICKET IS MODIFIABLE.
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| Insurance |
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CIEE provides all sponsored Trainees with coverage against the typical risks associated with international traveling. This insurance is mandatory and covers you for the duration of your stay in the US via the Aetna network, giving you access to over 670 000 doctors, hospitals and other medical centers throughout the United Sates.
Under the CIEE insurance policy, you will be covered for up to 1 000 000 US dollars in total in case of illness or accident,100,000 US dollars for personal liability, 100,000 US dollars for third-party damages, 15,000 US dollars for loss or theft of luggage, 20,500 US dollars for legal fees, 15,000 US dollars for emergency evacuation. Some expenses are not covered by the CIEE insurance (for example, third-party damages related to driving an automobile, injuries due to high-risk sports, expenses related to pregnancy, plastic surgery or expenses related to a pre-existing conditions). As for workplace-related accidents, they are first covered by your employer's "workers' compensation" policy and then complemented by your CIEE insurance.
It is usual in the US when you seek medical treatment for patients to pay a small portion of their medical bills out of their own pockets. This is called a co-pay. When you seek medical treatment, you will be responsible to pay this co-pay at the time of your visit. The co-pay amounts for this plan are:
- Outpatient : $50 per visit
- Inpatient : $100 per visit
Please note that the "ISE card" (see below) will reimburse you this co-pay, thus providing you with 100% medical coverage.
A summary of your CIEE coverage, in printed or PDF version, will be sent to you before your departure.
For more in-depth information, please click on: www.ciee.org/insurance.
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| The final "Pack" |
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In order to prepare your interview at the American Consulate, your trip and your stay in the US, we will email you instructions and guidelines for your visa interview as well as a list of all annex documents required. You will also receive a step-by-step guide to administrative formalities linked to your trip.
Upon receipt of your DS-2019 and SEVIS, we will send them to you by post or Express mail along with a final pack containing the following documents:
an insurance ID card with confirmation of your dates and insurance coverage
a Health and Safety card with all useful numbers.
your participant's guide (practical information about your stay) and the summary of your insurance coverage including the most pertinent information (the insurance booklet is available on our website).
your ISE card, if you have ordered one.
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| ISE Card |
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Before your departure, you can choose to obtain an ISE card, which is an internationally recognized identification and discount card. It is valid throughout the entire world for a period of one year from your program start date. Aside from offering you numerous discounts, the ISE card reimburses your CIEE insurance co-pay. For detailed information, please visit the ISE website: www.isecard.com/generic.
To qualify for the ISE card, you must be a student or recent graduate (there is no upper age limit to qualify for the student card) or an adult under the age of 26.
Benefits:
World-wide discounts saving you hundreds of Euros on your trips. The guaranteed discounts are indicated on the ISE website. However, the list on the website is far from being exhaustive. Do not forget to show your card every time you make a purchase.
Medical benefits up to $ 2,000 US in medical expenses and up to $ 5,000 US in evacuation expenses, if necessary. This insurance will cover you during your eventual trips outside the United States, but it is not valid in your country of origin.
Reimbursement of the co-pay of your primary CIEE insurance
International telephone card included: savings up to 70% off your calls. As an ISE Card holder, you receive free talk time ready to use on your ISE Global Phone card AND you receive a special $5 calling bonus the first time you recharge your phone card. Your ISE Global Phone card also includes voicemail, webmail, text messaging, travel vault and document store
How to get an ISE card?
E-mail us your photo in a JPG format and pay the 26 Euro fee (by check or credit card). We will send you your card along with the rest of your official documents.
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| Pre-departure Orientation |
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An online orientation is required from all trainees and must be completed before your departure.
The purpose of this orientation is to give you essential information pertaining to your program and prepare you for your stay. Among the main subjects: your arrival in the United States (going through customs, etc.), your compensation, income taxes and other taxes, American social security, the organization of your trip, administrative formalities, insurance, etc.
You will receive a detailed e-mail with all the information relative to this orientation as soon as your DS-2019 is printed. All you have to do is follow the instructions.
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