State Dept. Seeks Comments on New Exchange Visitor Summer Work Travel Verification Form

The Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which administers the exchange visitor (J visa) program, seeks comments on a new Summer Work Travel Job Placement Verification Form.

The form will be completed by designated program sponsors, and one is required for each summer work travel participant. It will include the employer, address of the employment site, job duties, whether the participant will receive any remuneration for housing and living expenses (and, if so, the amount), and estimates of the living expenses and other costs the participants are likely to incur while in the United States. The form must be signed by the participant, the sponsor, and the third party employer, if a third party organization is used in conducting the summer work travel program. The form will be submitted to the Department by mail or fax as requested during the review of program sponsor files, redesignations, or incidents. Upon request, summer work travel applicants also must present a fully executed Job Placement Verification Form (DS-7007) to any consular official interviewing them in connection with the issuance of a J-1 visa.

The Department seeks public comments to help the agency:

• evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the effective administration of the summer work travel category of the exchange visitor program;
• evaluate the accuracy of its estimate of the burden of the proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected on the form; and
• minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of technology.

The Department estimates that approximately 51 respondents (entities designated by the Department as exchange visitor program sponsors in the Summer Work Travel category, and U.S. businesses that provide the employment opportunity) will take about an hour each to complete the form.

Comments will be accepted up to 60 days after November 28, 2011. The notice, which includes details about where to submit comments, is available as a PDF.