How can a trainee get a visa to come to the U.S.?
Trainees enter the U.S. on the the J-1 exchange visitor visa. Once a program sponsor, in this case the YMCA, has issued a DS-2019 form, the trainee can apply for the J-1 visa at the U.S. Consulate in his/her home country. Having a DS-2019 form does not guarantee the trainee will be issued the J-1 visa. The U.S. Consul stationed at the embassy makes this decision. Is a DS-2019 form a visa? No. The form is a sponsorship certificate which allows the trainee to apply for the J-1 visa. How long can a trainee stay in the U.S.? Trainees can stay in the U.S. so long as they maintain good standing in the program and for thirty days after the end date on their DS-2019 forms. The maximum length of time the DS-2019 form can cover is eighteen continuous months. How are trainees admitted to the program? Trainees enter the country on a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa, which is stamped in their passport. Their exchange visitor category is “practical trainee.” The International YMCA Branch of the YMCA of Gre
