Work Experience USA

Will you just stay at home?  Working at the same old boring summer job like you did last year?

Why not do something entirely new and do a working adventure in the USA!

You’ve heard of your friends and fellow students spending their summer holidays at awesome US ski resorts in places like Colorado, Utah, Vermont and California. Haven’t you dreamed of working in New York City or living among the stars in Los Angeles? Have you ever wondered what a White Christmas would be like? Well now is the time to stop dreaming and start using your student card for something better than cheap entry to night clubs.

If you and your friends at University don’t want to miss this chance, then sign up NOW and participate in this legendary program that lets you Get Paid to Play in the USA.

By the way… don’t worry if your friends don’t want to go… just go by yourself. Making new friends is easy! CCUSA can hook you up with other participants travelling to or working at the same employer.

So what are you waiting for? Read on! You can’t afford to put this off like your next assignment as he opportunity is only available to you while you are a student!

Hear what a few of our happy participants had to say...

“I'm having the best time of my entire life! Did some cliff jumps off the Home runs today, it was insane!  I'm loving life at the moment and it's all because of CCUSA's help. Thank you so much again for all the trouble CCUSA did for me.”- Reimer

 “I would like to take this opportunity to thank CCUSA for everything regarding my trip, it was a great success and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”- Yunus

“I definitely made the right decision, using CCUSA to assist me with my trip to the States.  I have made some really good friends and the job has taught me so much. We are like a little family we all work together and still hang out together after work. It almost sounds too good to be true, but somehow we all get along, even though there are Brazilians, Kiwis, Peruvians and Americans at the shop with the three South African’s. It is hard work, but it’s so much fun!” - Antoinette

Apply today on line www.ccusa.co.za

Applications are now open for 2011/2 season.  This will be an experience of a life time!

 For more information call our offices on 086 1 4 CCUSA

How to apply for your J1 Visa

In order to work legally at a summer camp in the USA, you will need to apply for a J1-Camp Counsellor Visa. Below are the steps you need to follow to apply for this visa.

Visa Interviews are by appointment only. Appointments are available most weekdays.  All U.S. Consulates in South Africa are closed on South African and US holidays.  The Consulates General in Cape Town and Durban are in closed to the public every Friday.  The Consulate General in Johannesburg is closed the last Friday of every month to the public. Detailed instructions on making an appointment are on the website: http://southafrica.usvisa-info.com.

Step 1:  Complete the online application form - DS-160 

Complete this form in online at https://ceac.state.gov/GENNIV/

Take your time and fill this in carefully, it takes about 90 minutes.  You MUST save your application after every page as it “times out” quickly, to do this click the ‘save’ button.  Identify a place on your computer where you would like to save the application file.   

You can only open your application by going through the US embassy website and doing the following:

1.       Click on the link  https://ceac.state.gov/GENNIV/common/Import.aspx
2.       Go to the home page and select START APPLICATION
3.       Select  YOUR CITY under location
4.       Select  UPLOAD PREVIOUS APPLICATION
5.       Go to File path and browse for you file.
6.       Answer 2 security questions
7.       Select UPLOAD DATA.
8.       Your application will then be opened.
9.       Once you have completed a FULL application you will have to enter your passport number again and print a confirmation page.
 

Also take note of your application ID, as you can use this to retrieve your application

Upon completion you need to print out the bar-code confirmation page for your DS 160 on-line application. You will need this barcode number to schedule the appointment and this page must be produced at the Consulate on the day of your interview.

Step 2:- Pay the non-refundable visa fee in CASH
After completing the DS-160 application form, you will need to contact the call centre on toll-free at 080-098-0444 (Johannesburg 010-500-8800 /Durban 021-100-3000) or internet http://southafrica.usvisa-info.com to obtain a deposit slip for cash payment for an ABSA bank, which you will receive by email for you to print out. 
1.       Log onto http://southafrica.usvisa-info.com and create an log in account for yourself
2.       You will need the following information: passport number, DS160 confirmation number, SEVIS number
3.       Click on “Schedule an Appointment”
4.       You are applying for a Non-Immigrant visa (Exchange visa J1)
5.       Selected your consulate you will be applying at i.e. Johannesburg
6.       Select your DHL office closes to you
7.       Download the PDF deposit slip
             a.       This is a unique MRV Fee Receipt Number
                      b.       They expire if not used in the allocated time frame





8.       Complete the ABSA deposit slip, make the cash payment of R1008, for month of April. 

 Step 3:- Making your appointment at the US consulate

Wait up to four hours after making the deposit to ensure the payment has been posted, and then re-contact the call centre/website with the deposit receipt number, which is necessary to schedule an appointment.
1.       Log onto http://southafrica.usvisa-info.com and log into your account
2.       Enter your MRV fee receipt number
3.       Schedule your appointment date

You will then receive an appointment confirmation letter by e-mail.

Step 4:- Have your photo taken

1.       The size of the photo, including background, must be 2 inches square (roughly 51 mm square)
2.       The photo, full face and, taken within the last 6 months.
3.       The applicant must be facing the camera, looking straight on, with the face covering approximately 50% of the area of the photo.
4.       The entire Face of the applicant must be shown. From the crown of the head to the tip of the chin, and from hairline side to side, with the ears exposed.
5.       Photos should be in colour.

Step 5:- Take the required documents to your interview

1.       Valid Passport
2.       Any Previous Passports (take with you to your appointment)and supporting documentation on prior visas
3.       Your confirmation page from the DS-160 on-line application.
4.       Your appointment confirmation letter from the Visa Information Service Centre
5.       A recent front-facing, 50 mm x 50 mm photograph of each applicant. 
6.       DS2019 form (Official paperwork from CCUSA)
7.       Exchange visitors must pay a SEVIS fee of $35. CCUSA and your camp pay this fee. The confirmation sheet will be put with the documents you drop off.

Step 6:- Recommended supporting documents (very NB!)

1.       Proof of intent to return- letter/proof of registration from the university or college you are planning on studying at, a letter of employment, proof of bank account, investments, ownership of car, house etc.
Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate their strong social, economic and/or family ties to South Africa as well as their purpose and duration of travel.
2.       Camp Placement Letter or Social Security Letter (printed from Footprints)
3.       Tentative travel Itinerary                                   

Step 7:- Courier: Passport delivery after a successful visa interview

Successful applicants may choose from the following three options:
1.       Free delivery to the DHL office that you have pre-selected, where you will pick it up after 3-5 business days.
2.       Pay $12 (in Rand equivalent) for standard home/office delivery, which usually takes 3-5 business days.
3.       Pay $40 (in Rand equivalent) for expedited delivery to the Maitland DHL location, where you will pick it up.  In general, applicants who opt for the expedited delivery option are able to pick up the passport the next business day after the interview, but this cannot be guaranteed.
 
The fees for options 2 or 3 must be paid at the Consulate DHL in-House counter on the day of your interview.  If you are applying in Durban, you must go to the Berea Road DHL office to make payment.

Step 8:- Drop off all paperwork at CCUSA

Participants applying in Cape Town must drop off or courier their passport, application and all other documents to  the CCUSA- Cape Town office at least 1 week before your visa interview

Checklist:- Take all of the bellow with you to your appointment (NB!)

		Check
1.	DS2019 provided by CCUSA
2.	Sevis Fee Payment(done by CCUSA)
3.	Passport and previous passports
4.	DS160 confirmation page (completed online)
5.	Visa Fee- $140 (Proof of Payment from ABSA)
6.	Appointment confirmation letter (received via email)
7.	1 x Photo
8.	Camp placement Letter (if received)
9.	Travel Itinerary
10.	Proof of intent to return (Very NB)

After your interview the U.S. Consulate will hand you all your documents back.  Keep your DS2019 form and SEVIS fee in a safe place.  You will need to put these forms into your passport and take them with you to the USA.  You will not be allowed to enter the USA without your DS2019 form

Address of the US Consulates in South Africa

Johannesburg                                  1 Sandton Drive, Sandhurst (opp Sandton City Mall)
Durban                                              Old Mutual Centre, 31^th Floor, 303 West Street
Cape Town                                       Consulate 2 Reddam Ave, Westlake (Tokai)

Please Note:

•   Plane Tickets:  Applicants should obtain a visa BEFORE purchasing tickets or making irrevocable travel plans.
• Cell phones and other portable electronics are not allowed in the Consulate.  Arriving at the Consulate with these items will delay your entry.
• Paid Parking is available in the vicinity of the Consulate. There is no public parking at the Consulate.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact CCUSA.

Ever wondered about WHO works at CCUSA – South Africa?

What gets them out of the bed in the morning, if they are funny and do they have any interesting stories?

The answers: CCUSA- South Africa’s participants get them out of bed in the morning, they are definitely funny J and they have enough stories to fill a book on travel adventures, “Things that go right and things to don’t”

CCUSA – South Africa has 2 offices, one in Cape Town and the other in Joburg.  Claire Mallaby is the Country Director and is based in the “Mother City” while Wendy Alexander works in the “City of Gold”

Who is Claire:

Clair loves travelling and has worked in England, Scotland, Australia and the USA.  She was born in Zimbabwe, is a South African National and holds a British passport.  Talk about a globe trotter!

While Claire has travelled all over the world, she has had her fair share of “interesting” jobs.  Claire reveals one of her stories, “My worst job was washing dishes from 11pm to 4am in a Sydney café – forget character building, it sucked!” Claire said with a blush

During her stay in Australia they lived in a backpackers in Sydney.  This was smack in the middle of Sydney’s red light district. The police used their lounge to film the street below, and used this information to set up drug busts.   

The one thing that Claire has learnt while traveling, is that you should always be prepared for the unexpected.  She once arrived at a hostel in Rome at 11pm, due to long flight delays, only to be told that the hostel was full.  She remembers that the guy at the desk, looked at her blankly, smoke hanging out of his mouth, and told her to get a taxi and find a new place to stay, when all she wanted was a nice warm shower and a clean bed.

Claire is a person full of talents and hidden surprises.  She has also run a backpackers in Cape Town, she loved been able to boast about our beautiful country – South African.

The best job for Claire is working in an industry where she gets to help people travel and see the world.

Who is Wendy:

Wendy started her traveling voyage with a trip to a Girls Summer Camp in Wisconsin at 18 years old, much like many of the CCUSA – South African participants.  She had such an amazing summer that she returned to her camp, after graduating from University.  Camp holds its own fortress of stories, laughs and memories for her.

She highly recommends getting a credit card when traveling so that you can book an airplane ticket.  “Saving you time, saving you money, putting your first…..” no wait that is Nashua.

She has travel from Florida to New York, via Grey Hound, a long but interesting trip, she said, “These are things you do when you are travelling and don’t have a credit card”.  But if she had never travelled by bus she would never have had some really great real conversations with some wholesome American people. 

Most interesting job Wendy has ever done was auction fine art with her husband on luxury cruise liners.   She has sold master art works from the greats like Picasso, Rembrandt and Miro.  Well selling art she got to travel the world.

She has swum off the beaches in Acapulco, zipped through the trees in Costa Rica, played with sting rays in the Bahamas, watch the majestic glaciers in Alaska crash into the ocean below and had sun downers in some of the most beautiful places on the planet.

The best thing about travelling: airplane tickets, photos, new friends, food, the memories and open to what may come.

Now that you know a little bit more about the 2 ladies, making your US trip a possibility, don’t be shy to give them a call  on 0861 4 CCUSA

J1 visa 101 - Getting started “The important stuff” in 5 easy steps!”

It is that time of the year when our participants start applying for their J1 cultural exchange visas.

We will contact each of our participants as soon as their official paperwork from the USA government arrives in South Africa.   Visa assistance sessions are run weekly on “How to apply for your J1 visa”. Contact your local offices for times and dates. 0861 4 CCUSA

You local CCUSA office will schedule your interview at the US consulate for you at a cost of R45  

We will go over this again with you..... but here is a crash course:

J1 visa 101- Getting started “The important stuff in 5 easy steps!”

Step 1. The online US consulate application -  Non immigrant Visas  

Complete the DS-160 form online.  Please take your time and fill this in carefully, it takes about 90 minutes.  Print out the receipt once you submit the form online (this must go with to your interview)

Step 2. Taking your photo

Photo requirements:

1. The size of the photo, including background, must be 2 inches square (roughly 51 mm square)
2. The photo must be un-mounted, full face and, taken within the last 6 months.
3. The applicant must be facing the camera, looking straight on, with the face covering approximately 50% of the area of the photo.
4. The entire Face of the applicant must be shown. From the crown of the head to the tip of the chin, and from hairline side to side, preferably with the ears exposed.
5. Photos should be in colour.

Step 3. Paying the US consulate interview fee

You will need to pay the equivalent of $140 in Rands into the US Consulates bank account at any First National Bank (No account number necessary).  This deposit can only be done in cash at any FNB teller. 

This is a non-refundable deposit, so please ensure that all your paperwork is 100% accurate before going to the consulate

Step 4. Gathering the required documents

1. Passport
2. Any Previous Passports (with visas)
3. DS 2019 form (CCUSA office will have these for you)
4. Proof of payment of SEVIS fee of $35. (Your camp pays this fee for you- we have the receipt in the office).

Step 5. Recommended supporting documents

1. Proof of intent to return.  This can be a letter or proof of registration from the university/college, a letter of employment, proof of bank account, investments, ownership of car, house etc.
2. Camp Placement Letter (printed from your Footprints)

     iii.          Travel Itinerary or a copy of your ticket (there is no need to book a ticket till your visa has been approved)

Ok so we got through all the steps, here is a check list to make sure you take everything you need to the US consulate for you meeting

	Check
1.      Passport and previous passports
2.      DS2019 provided by CCUSA
3.      Sevis Fee Payment(done by CCUSA)
4.      1 x Photo
5.      Travel Itinerary
6.      Proof of intent to return
7.      Visa Fee- $140 (Proof of Payment)
8.      DS160 confirmation page
9.      Camp placement Letter

If you have any questions SHOUT, you know where to find us