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Ambasada USA la Bucuresti a publica lista agentiilor autorizate sa desfasoare programul Work and Travel USA 2011:

http://romania.usembassy.gov/visas/summer_work.html

Deasemenea, s-au anuntat urmatoarele prezentari de program:
Bucharest Presentations
Friday, March 11 at 14:00 – Universitatea Bucuresti, Facultatea de Litere, in “sala 120″, 1st floor

Friday, March 11 at 12:00 – Academy of Economic Studies, in “Amfiteatrul 1″, located in the “Caderea Bastiliei” building

Ambasada SUA deschisa pentru intrebari online, Joi la ora 14:00

Hotnews this Thursday, February 17 at 2:00 p.m

http://www.campusnews.ro/stiri-intalniri_online-8304285-administratorul-programului-summer-work-and-travel-laura-gavinski-discuta-online-joi-ora-14-30-despre-cum-poti-lucra-vacanta-vara-statele-unite.htm

**Most Embassies should now be using the new DS160 Online Visa Application form. If you have not already, please take some time to familiarize yourself with the new application form. You can access
(click pentru detalii)

MODIFICAREA TAXELOR PENTRU PROCESAREA VIZELOR TEMPORARE SUAIncepand cu data de 4 Iunie 2010, taxele pentru procesarea vizelor temporare vor creste in baza unei scheme care presupune taxe diferite in functie de tipul de viza solicitat.Departamentul de Stat a luat aceasta decizie dupa o perioada de sondare a opiniei publice in legatura cu acest subiect pe portalul  www.regulations.gov prin coroborare cu rezultatele unui studiu de evaluare a costurilor directe si indirecte suportate de Guvernul Statelor Unite ale Americii pentru serviciile consulare prestate, in special  pentru procesarea vizelor temporare. Datorita modernizarii continue a procesului de solicitare a vizelor si a sistemelor de securitate, taxa actuala de 131 USD nu acopera costurile asociate  procesarii vizelor temporare.Noile taxe, diferentiate pe tipuri de viza, sunt urmatoarele:
Tipul de viză:

B1/B2 (Turist/Afaceri) 140$

E (Investitor)           390$

F (Student) 140$

J (Schimburi Culturale) 140$

K (Logodnic/Logodnică) 350$

Vize pe baza unor petiţii :

H (Muncă temporară) 150$

L (Transfer intra-companie) 150$

O (Persoane cu abilităţi extraordinare)    150$

P (Sportiv sau artist) 150$

Q (Schimburi interculturale) 150$

R (Angajat religios) 150$

Imediat ce noile taxe intră în vigoare, solicitanţii care au plătit taxa anterioară vor trebui să plătească diferenţa dintre cele două taxe, în ziua interviului. Această diferenţă de sumă trebuie platită la casieria Secţiei Consulare înainte de interviu.Pentru informatii suplimentare, va rugam sa verificati pagina noastra web  http://romania.usembassy.gov

Q) We have some students who got their plane tickets earlier than June 15^th.  On the DS form they have stated the date 15th of June. Would that be a problem for them to enter the country earlier then the date stated in the DS form 2019?

A) They can enter the US up to 30 days before the start of the program (as stated on the DS 2019), but they CANNOT work.

Q) Can 2 students from Bucharest apply directly to the Consulate on Drop Box instead of sending the papers to Cluj and us to the Embassy. One of them is our local agent so we use to give the person empowerment to pick documents for our students so can be considered as our Rep. IF there is a clear paper needed, we’ll provide it.

A) Students may pick up their passports from the Consulate themselves instead of having them delivered via courier to the coordinators.  If they wish to do this, please have them clearly inform the consular staff both at intake window and after the visa interview if they appear in person.  If they wish to use the drop box, please have them indicate who will pick up the passport or fill out a courier form with person information.

Q: Could you please let me know if the denied students can apply again right away or if they have to wait?

A:  They should wait until the last two weeks in June if there are available slots.  We encourage students to only reapply if their personal circumstances have changed significantly and are not just hoping that the officer will make a different decision based on the same information.  We are very busy this time of year and don’t want students to waste their money and time.

Q: Our US Sponsor advised 3 students without jobs to apply for the visa at the Embassy using the attached support letter.

Could you please let me know if they can apply with this letter instead of a job offer and please confirm that this shall not affect their visa chances.

A:   While a DS2019 is required for the visa interview, a job offer is not, so they can apply with those forms.  I cannot confirm that using that form instead of a job letter will not affect their chances.  Applicants need to prove that they qualify for a SWT j-1 visa.  Most importantly, they need to demonstrate that they intend to return to Romania at the end of the work/travel period.  The interviewing officer may consider the applicant’s specific job or job offer when making that decision.  But not having a job offer will not exclude them from getting a visa either.

Q:  We have a student that was last year in the US on the SWT program and will participate this year as well. However, she is now in the first year of studies at another university (that’s her only students status as of now) and she needs to know whether will qualify for the dropbox option. I would say no, but we had a similar case in the past weeks and the consular officer asked why didn’t she applied for dropbox.

A:  Yes, the student who did SWT last year and returned on time would qualify for drop box if they are in the middle of their studies at university, even if it is a different university or they are pursuing a master’s degree.

Q:  We have a student that got the visa but then he decided to apply for a new passport. He recently registered with the Erasmus exchange program and that program requires an extended expiration date of the passport. I was wondering how will he be able to enter the US in this situation.

A:  The student can get a new passport and still use the visa issued on his old passport.  Just have him bring the new passport and the canceled passport with him when he crosses the border.

1. Q: Where can I find the DS-160?
A: You can access the new DS-160 at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ or at the Embassy website http://romania.usembassy.gov
2. Q: Can I answer the questions in Romanian?
A: No. All application questions, unless otherwise instructed, must be answered in English, using English characters only. Applications that are submitted in any language other than English may be denied, and you may be required to submit a new application.

3. Q: Are all fieldson the DS-160 mandatory?
A: Most fields on the DS-160 are mandatory. You may leave fields marked ”Optional” blank. Some fields may also give you the option to select ”Does Not Apply”. If that field does not apply to you, you may mark the box ”Does Not Apply”. All other fields must be completed. The application will not allow you to submit a form with any mandatory fields left blank. In this instance, an error messge will be displayed and you will be required to complete the field before continuing with the application. If you do not answer questions that apply, your form may also be rejected.
4. Q: What happens if I need to step away in the middle of data entry?
A: The DS-160 will ”time out” approximately 20 minutes after the application has been idle. The ”time out” is designed to protect your privacy. If the application times out, all the data that has been entered will be lost. In order to guard against possible ”time out” issues you should save the application at regular intervals while you are completing the application.
To save the application, click the ”Save” button at the bottom center of the application. In order to permanently save your application, select the ”Save Application to File” button. Identify a place on your computer to save the application file, browse to that location, and click the ”Save” button. The system will download your application to the specified location. Once the download is complete, you can click ”Close” to return to the application. You can use the ”Import Application Date” option on the ”Getting Started” page to upload the data that you have already entered.
5. Q: I can upload a photo with my application. How do I get a digital photo that will successfully upload to my application?
A: You may get a digital photo on a CD, memory stick or via e-mail. Please refer to the photo quality standard guide for detailed guidance on using a digital camera, and requirements for scanned images at Guidelines for Photographs – for Online Visa Applications

6. Q: The confirmation page has an ”X” in the box where the photo should be. What does it mean?
A: That means that the photo upload failed. If the confirmation page includes a photo image, then the photo upload function has succeeded. Please note that the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest requires all the non-immigrant visa applicants to bring a separate photo printed on photo paper at the time of the interview, regardless whether the online DS-160 confirmation page has a photo uploaded.
7. Q: Why did the edits I made from the review page ”Edit” link not save?
A: To be able to save the data changes from the review page links, you must use the buttons at the bottom of each page to navigate, instead of the browser’s back/forward buttons along the left of the screen.

8. Q: Should I save my application before I submit it?
A: Yes. You should save your application locally (CD, memory-stick, hard drive etc.) before you submit the application. Saving your application locally is beneficial in two ways. If your application is rejected for being incomplete, you will be able to access your saved application data, correct the nonresponsive answers, answer a critical question you failed to answer originally without having to complete a new application. This will save you time by not having to re-enter information that has not changed since the last time you applied.
9. Q: How do I save my application?
A: To save the application click the ”Save” button at the bottom center of the application. Clicking ”Save” will temporarily save your application. In order to permanently save your application, select the ”Save Application to File” button. Then, click the ”Save” button on the File Download window. Identify a place on your computer to save the application file, browse to that location and click the ”Save” button on the Save As window. The system will download your application to the specified location. Once the download is complete, you can click ”Close” to return to the application.
10. Q: Do I bring my entire application with me to the interview or do I need the confirmation page only?
A: You should not bring your entire application. Your confirmation page is all that is needed to retrieve your application data. You must bring the confirmation page with you during all phases of the application process. Without the confirmation page, it may not be possible to access your application and process your visa case.

11. Q: I am traveling with my family or as a part of a group. Can I create a family or group application?
A: Yes. On the ”Thank You” page you will see an option to create a family or group application. When you select this option, certain information from your application, such as destination, will automatically be imported to and displayed on a new application. Please note that if you use this option you will need to create an individual application for each of your family members traveling with you or for each individual within the group.

12. Q: If I use the option on the ”Thank You” page to create a family or a group application, can I modify the data automatically populated by the system?
A: Yes. If one of the dependents has a different surname or nationality, the applicant can alter the data on the application before submitting.
13. Q: How long in advance do I have to complete the DS-160 form?
A: The DS-160 form must be completed at least 48 hours in advance of your appointment day.
For any further questions regarding the DS-160 form, contact the Call Center following the instructions available at http://romania.usembassy.gov/visas/visa_application_process.html Or Consular Section, Non-Immigrant Visa Unit

Source: http://romania.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/ds-160_faqs_-_english.pdf

Q: Will the SWT program to be open to students graduating from high school?

 

A: No.  Some of you may have seen a television broadcast in Timisoara that indicates that high school students may participate.  This is not true.  This year, as in the past, students must be active university students prior to applying for SWT.

 

 

 

Q: I have enrolled a student who would like to work 3 months and travel throughout October and get home around October 30^th.  Does it have to show on any documents that he can legally stay in the US until November 1^st?

 

A: While the DS-2019 cannot exceed the June 15 to October 1 period, visas can be valid until October 31.  Ultimately, however, the Department of Homeland Security will determine the student’s permitted length of stay when they arrive at the border.

 

 

 

Q: I have 2 applicants, returnees, in the 1^st year of master (a 2 year study master). Can they apply through the drop-box option?

 

A: Yes, if they are in the middle of their 2 year master’s programs and participated in the SWT program the year before, they must apply through the drop-box.

 

 

 

Q: If a student is in their final year, returnee, and has proof of continuing studies from University, can they apply through the drop-box option?

 

A: Our understanding is that it is not possible for students to provide definitive proof of enrollment in a masters or PhD program prior to participation in SWT.  Since students can only provide strong evidence that they intend to continue their studies, they will need to come to the embassy for a face-to-face interview.

 

 

 

Q: When using the drop-box option, do students have to pay the $11 pin number?

A: No.

  Q: Will the issuance of a new biometrical passport affect in any way the visa application process? Does the passport have to be valid for at least 6 months after the student’s return to Romania?

A: No (both questions).

Q: What happens to the students that are enrolled in a full time course at a university outside the country?

A: They are advised to apply for a US visa in the country they are studying at that time.

Q: Are medicine residents considered students and eligible to apply for the SWT program?

A: No, they are not eligible to apply.

Q: Is a Moldovan student that has previously (2009) travelled with SWT and meanwhile has become a Romanian citizen eligible to apply through the Drop Box?

A: No, only Romanian citizens who were Romanian citizens at their time of their first SWT/J-1 visa are eligible to apply through the Drop Box.

Q: Are there any special requirements for the 1^st year students?

A: No, but they may receive extra scrutiny at the interview.

We have received several questions from the coordinators and wanted to share our responses with the entire group

Q  Is there a specific request from the Embassy regarding student’s passports Because some of the students choose to apply for the regular passport (instead of the biometric passport, probably because the first one is cheaper) and this regular passport is only valid for one year.

A  We can issue a visa in either a temporary and biometric passport.  We don’t have a preference.

Q  Our procedure is that we try to negotiate with airline companies ahead of time for some slots, so we are able to provide the tickets to the students on the very busy time interval in June and at affordable prices. Also, some students can choose to buy their ticket ahead of time (even before the visa interview), as they have full refund in case of visa denial. However, recently I heard rumors that the Embassy will require us not to sell the plane tickets in advance (before the visa interview). Is that true

A  The embassy does not have any requirements about plane tickets.  In general, we recommend that applicants (both SWT and others) do not purchase nonrefundable plane tickets in advance because nobody is guaranteed to receive a visa and applicants could lose their money if they are refused.

Q  DROPBOX could you please send me the procedure for the Dropbox option I know that we should contact an express courier and send you the documents through them. Please send me details regarding which company should we use, etc.

A;  The drop box procedure is the same as last year.  You can either come in person, send one of your employees, or use a courier.  We have no preference for courier company.  They should arrive at the consulate Monday through Thursday from 1400 to 1500.  Please note that DS-160 applications should be submitted 48 hours in advance of the interview.

NOTE:   We expect that the number of drop-box applications will increase substantially.  To make things easier, we will accept your drop box applications Monday – Thursday at 2pm.  They will be available for delivery by courier or to be picked up on Mondays at 3pm with the passports of applicants who required an interview the prior Friday.

NOTE: Please remind your students not to bring large bags to the Embassy for their interview, even if they arriving from out of town.  For security reasons, they cannot bring bags with them into the waiting rooms and our security guards are only able to hold small bags (such as a woman’s purse) and mobile phones.