The United States Information Agency (http://www.usia.gov) is the Federal government agency charged with administering the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa Program. The agency’s web site contains a great deal of useful information, though it has yet to reach its potential for providing service to the public.
The site is divided into three broad areas – International Exchanges/Training, Products/Services and Regulations/Laws/General Counsel. The first section contains basic information on various USIA sponsored exchange programs, including some online forms for ordering application materials. The second section will have little interest for J-1 visa holders as it deals with USIA broadcasting abroad (including information on the Voice of America). The third area of the site is more useful. It contains the text of regulations covering the J-1 visa. Under the subheading “About General Counsel,” readers will find many useful items of information. A draft Exchange Visitor Program Responsible Officer Manual is there which, though it does not bear the force of an official document, it does give insight to how USIA views many matters. The section also contains several other useful documents including the Exchange Visitor Skills List and information on home residency requirement waiver procedures.
The site offers more than other agencies regulating immigration, but it would be nice to see some additional offerings such as downloadable forms and a phone directory of USIA personnel (e-mail links to such personal are perhaps too much to hope for for the foreseeable future). The site does contain a “What’s New” section, but there is little information there and plans for future offerings on the site are not readily apparent.
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