July 2002 issue

One of the most important visa programs that we have at the Embassy in Warsaw and at the Consulate General Krakow is the Exchange Visitor visa program, also known as "Work and Travel visas" or "J" visa. From April through June each year, the Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) unit buzzes with extra work, as we efficiently adjudicate the many thousands of these visas that we process. To illustrate the scale of the program, here is a comparison of issuances. In 1999, the Embassy issued 3,250 "Work and Travel" visas; in 2000, we issued 5,900; in 2001, we issued a whopping 10,500, and at the end of June 2002, we had already issued 14,500.

Who goes on these "Work and Travel" visa programs?
The programs are designed to allow students to work legally in the United States as camp counselors, amusement park attendants, lifeguards and in a variety of other types of jobs, for four to six months. After they finish their summer jobs, the students may travel in the U.S. for an additional month. J visa recipients who participate in these programs come from all over the world, and the programs are designed as a cultural exchange; there are similar programs that allow American students to travel to other countries on exchanges.

A significant percentage of the Polish students who participate each year take advantage of the opportunity to work and travel in the U.S. for the second or third time, but most are going for the first time. These young people hope to improve their English skills and to familiarize themselves with American life and culture. The money they earn helps offset their university expenses when they return to Poland.

At least 25 organizations in Poland send students to the United States on these programs, and each year they hold a travel fair, usually in March. More information can also be obtained through Polish universities.

While the program has been a tremendous success, the downturn in the U.S. economy has led to an increase in the number of cases in which students find, when they arrive in the U.S., that they did not have the jobs promised when they joined the program.