Choose the program option: Self ADVENTURE, Full ADVENTURE or Lifeguard program. We advise you to initially get information from our website and to get in touch with one of our representatives in order to resolve any doubts.

After you have decided on the program you need to fill out the application form on our website. After that, our representative will contact you and generate a set of documents on the provision of services and inform you about the benefits of paying for the program.

After applying for the program, within 10 working days, the candidate submits:

• • • 2 photos for the US visa 5×5 (digital copy to be submitted to the agency)
    • Certificate of full-time student status
    • Copy of the first page of the passport
    • Certificate that the student has not been criminally convicted (from the MUP)

Upon admission to the program, our associates will be in contact and guide you through the job application process (CV generation, training for job interviews...).
The job application will be tailored to your requirements regarding the location and position you will be working on. 
In the case of the Self ADVENTURE program, your task is to submit the required Job Offer.
If you have chosen the Lifeguard program, you will know in advance that you have applied for the job of lifeguard at the swimming pools.

After you have been accepted to the desired job, the sponsoring agency, which is in charge of you during your stay in the United States of America, begins the generation of program documents that enable the issuance of a J1 visa.
In the meantime, we are working on the issuance of the DS2019 form, payment of health insurance and SEVIS costs.
When all the documents are arranged, an interview is arranged at the embassy in Belgrade or another consulate according to the candidate's citizenship or residence.

After the visa application and the J1 USA visa has been obtained, a Pre Departure meeting will be held for each candidate, where you will be informed in detail about your obligations regarding the program while you are in America. Attendance is mandatory.

Embassy and J-1 visa

Before arriving in the USA, in order to exercise the legal right to work and travel, all participants of the program must secure a J-1 visa, which they receive after an interview at the American Embassy in Belgrade. Our agency will prepare you in detail for this interview, and it is up to you to warm up your chair and pass the university exams as successfully as possible.

The best advice we can give you is to be cheerful and smiling and above all to be honest during the interview.

Before going to the embassy, at least 10 working days before, the candidate submits:

• • Index
  • Original passport (biometric and must be valid for 6 months beyond the completion of the program)
  • Transcript of passed exams certified by your faculty

The agency will schedule a visa for you. It is your obligation to pay a fee of 185$ before that.
After your interview at the US Embassy, you will be notified if you have been granted a visa.

PURCHASE OF AIRLINE TICKET

It is possible to buy a plane ticket even before going on a visa, because we provide you with excellent conditions for buying a plane ticket:

• The amount paid for the air ticket, in case of not getting a visa, is 100% refundable
• The ticket price includes a free change of return date
• We buy a plane ticket in accordance with the beginning of your work offer, we coordinate it with further transportation to the final destination and the possibility of entering accommodation.

DISHWASHER  - the duty of the dishwasher is to wash dishes, maintain cleanliness in the kitchen and auxiliary rooms.

BARTENDER - the duty of a bartender is to work at the bar. He is in charge of preparing and serving drinks.
This job requires experience in making cocktails and a great knowledge of different types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

BAR BACK - a person employed in the bar back is a support to the bartender. His duties are: storing and serving drinks, maintaining bar hygiene, etc.

CASHIER - the duty of the cashier is to work at the cash register. He is responsible for all matters related to money, closing accounts, and all credit card transactions.

FOOD SERVER/WAITER - the server's duties are to take orders from guests, serve drinks and food. This position is characterized by low hourly wages due to high tip amounts. American culture is such that guests leave from 15-20% of the total amount of the bill. This gesture is respected by all guests.

BUSSER - the busser's duty is to assist the server by supervising, cleaning the tables after the guests leave and preparing the table and utensils necessary to welcome the next guests. This position includes a tip.

FOOD RUNNER - the duties of the runner are filling carts for transporting food in buffets, then transporting food, preparing spices, filling the apparatus with hot water or ice as needed, working with food and storing it, often tidying up the kitchen and taking care of its cleanliness, etc.

FRONT DESK - the duty of a person working at the front desk is to welcome hotel guests, receive reservations by phone or through the reservation system, check in - check out guests, as well as provide various types of information. This position requires a very good command of the English language and is usually characterized by a high hourly wage.

BELL MAN - the duty of the person employed in this position is to carry the guests' luggage upon entering and leaving the hotel. If he does not carry luggage for guests, the bell boy is required to greet guests warmly at the entrance to the hotel or lobby. Work is sometimes tiring. It is useful to know another language, but only to the extent sufficient to warmly greet guests from different countries and different speaking areas.

HOUSEKEEPING - the duty of the person employed in this position is the daily maintenance of the hotel rooms, but also the maintenance of hygiene in the hotel in general. For this position, a minimum knowledge of the English language is necessary.

ROOM SERVICE - the duty of the person employed in this position is to deliver orders to guests by room.

HOSTESS - the duties of the hostess are to receive reservations, welcome and greet guests, arrange seating, i.e. distributes the guests to the tables in the hall and brings menus to the guests. If necessary, working at the cash register can be added to the list of duties. Often this position includes a tip.

SALES HELP - these positions are available mainly in smaller stores, boutiques, commissions. The duties of this job can be the sale of clothes, jewelry, ice cream, souvenirs, food, help with billing, help with customers. Good knowledge of English is required for this job.

MAINTENANCEE - these positions are available mainly in hotels, motels, country/golf/yacht clubs. The duties of this job can be repairing broken things, mowing the grass, maintaining the hygiene of the facility, cleaning the pool, moving furniture, helping with painting, plastering, parking cars, etc.

FAST FOOD WORKERS - these positions are available in popular fast food restaurant chains, clubs. Duties in these positions are varied and often rotating. Students can work on preparing food, sandwiches, pizza, salads, as well as serve as waiters, work at the cash register, take care of the hygiene of the facility. A conversational level of English is required for this job. Often, a small part of the tip is also received along with the hourly wage.

MARKET WORKERS - positions available in large markets and stores. The duties will depend on the department in which the students will be assigned. Front Desk - welcoming guests, answering the phone, helping customers. Cashier - working at the cash register, scanning groceries, keeping track of the reconciliation of sales and money in the cash register. Pharmacy department - sale of pharmaceutical products, perfumes, cosmetics. Clothes and Shoes department - sale of clothes and shoes. Deli department - sale of salads, preparation of sandwiches, etc. Bakery department - preparation and sale of various pastries and cakes. Fruit department - display of fruit, measuring, etc. Technical Department - sales and assistance to customers with technical goods. Restaurant – Hostesses, Waiters, Bartenders. Liquaur store - sale of drinks.
Possible jobs include packing food into bags, collecting carts, storing, filling shelves, etc. Jobs in markets are fun, with lots of guests and colleagues and not stressful like some other types of work. Working hours are usually before or after noon, which is ideal because there is a free part of the day for other work or rest and fun.

GROUNDS/LANDSCAPES - the responsibilities of the guys in these jobs are regular lawn mowing, hedge maintenance, etc. Girls mostly take care of gardens, flowers, etc. These jobs are performed outside and generally do not require advanced knowledge of the English language.

PARKING LOT ATTENDANT- the duties of this job are standing in front of the parking lot, welcoming guests, directing them to free places, and often driving the guest's car to a free parking place. For these jobs, advanced knowledge of the English language is required, as well as a driver's license if the student is parking the guests' vehicles himself.

COOK/KITCHEN HELPER - the duties of kitchen assistants are to cooperate with the chef and listen to his instructions, to prepare certain types of dishes, chop vegetables and fruits, take care of the expiration dates of food, make sandwiches, cakes, some basic dishes for which they will be trained by the boss . No experience is required for these jobs, but it is important that the student likes this type of work.

AMUSEMENT PARK STAFF - it's a business inside an amusement park. Most often, these are the positions of food, juice and ride sellers, operators and controllers of vehicles and games in an amusement park, as well as park maintenance positions. These jobs are mostly outdoors. Earnings are closely related to the hourly rate, but there is also the possibility of earning through tips. A conversational level of English is required for this job.

LIFEGUARD - lifeguard job at the pool/beach. The duties are ensuring the safety of all those present at the pool/beach, ensuring compliance with the rules of behavior at the pool/beach, cleaning the pool, etc... This type of work requires a conversational level of English.

POOL ATTENDANT - a job where workers are responsible for maintaining the safety and cleanliness of swimming pools in hotels and resorts. They welcome guests, take care of their needs and help bathers in case of emergency. They also install furniture and equipment, conduct routine pool inspections and ensure the swimming area is neat and clean.

Dear students, when you arrive in America through the Work&Travel program, know that you will enjoy the same rights as Americans. In most cases, you can easily find another part-time job. It is important to know that you have the right to do as many additional jobs as you want (as long as these jobs are registered with the sponsoring agency that takes care of your status during your stay in America), that you will have an agreed hourly rate, tip and overtime compensation. Full-time work usually means 40 hours a week. Employers are legally obligated to pay overtime to their employees, which is 150% of the regular wage rate, for each additional hour over the 40th in a week.

Our advice is to record every working hour you spent at work. It is very important that you have a calendar where you will record your working hours before starting work. Mistakes happen everywhere, and in order to avoid inconvenience, it is important to have a document where you can prove and justify your working hours to your employer.

A very important piece of information regarding the job offer you receive before leaving for the USA is the number of weekly working hours. Hourly rates, on a weekly basis, usually range between 32-40 working hours. An important note about this is that it is not the working hours that the employer is obliged to give you, but it is the AVERAGE hours that the employer thinks they will be able to give you during the entire program. Sometimes you work less than 32 hours a week, and you can work up to 50-60 hours a week.

Very often, jobs with fewer working hours are better because you have the opportunity to find additional work.

"TIPS" positions are usually held by returnees to the program, but also by candidates who speak English perfectly. These are usually positions of servers or bussers in a restaurant, hotel... American culture is such that any guest will leave a tip. Tips usually range from 15-20% of the bill amount. Situations happen, if the guests are extremely satisfied with your service, they leave you an abnormal tip. For this reason, starting hourly rates (hourly wages) are shown as quite low, e.g. 2.5$/h + tip, because the tip is a very significant part of the earnings.

Note: the amount of the hourly wage mostly depends on the country in which you are located and work, and then also on the job position you hold.

Every participant in the Work and Travel program has all the same rights as American citizens in many respects. The difference is that for J1 participants there is a list of jobs that they are not allowed to do during the program.
List of jobs that J1 students cannot do can be found here:

1. Jobs that disrupt the Cultural Exchange program.
2. Positions that require program participants to purchase goods that they will then sell in order to make a profit.
3. Positions that require help with household chores in private homes, such as childcare, elder care, gardening, transportation.
4. Driving Pedicabs or similar vehicles (once popular rickshaws, discontinued since 2011).
5. Positions requiring the management or driving of vehicles on land or water for which licenses are required, regardless of whether they carry passengers or not.
6. Positions that involve clinical care and require patient contact.
7. Positions in the adult entertainment industry including escort services, adult movie and book stores, and strip clubs.
8. Positions requiring work longer than 4 hours from 10 pm to 6 am.
9. Positions considered hazardous to youth according to the Secretary of Labor (Subpart E of 29 CFR part 570)
10. Positions that require physical contact with other persons and/or compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rules (eg, tattooing (including henna), piercing, massage, manicure, hair braiding, etc.)
11. Positions in establishments offering piercings, tattoos (including henna), massages, manicures, hair braiding.
12. Positions are based on actual sales and thus do not guarantee participants will receive a minimum hourly wage that complies with federal and state standards.
13. Positions that involve playing games or gambling as well as directly participating in betting.
14. Positions related to chemical pest control, then work in warehouses, work in distribution centers through catalog or online orders.
15. Positions in the field of mobile entertainment.
16. Positions that involve another J1 category such as intern, intern or campus advisor.
17. Positions involving construction, mining (including gas and oil extraction), production of food, goods, wood products, printing, natural resources such as crops, animals, fishing, agricultural and forestry support activities.
18. Positions obtained through employment agencies.
19. Positions in kiosks or stands in shopping centers.
20. Housework related positions.
21. Positions in warehouses or factories.
22. Administrative positions that handle sensitive or personal information.
23. Independent contractor (1099 Form employee) positions.
24. Positions in ponds.
25. Positions involving door-to-door sales or canvassing.
26. Industrial sector positions - jobs that involve working on assembly lines, repetitive motions using heavy machinery, using industrial presses and dryers, using industrial chemicals, and working in factory-like facilities.
27. Positions involving the use of deli cutters.
28. Positions that are not paid by the hour, e.g. scholarships.
29. Positions that involve any movement of other persons or things.
30. Positions involving waste management, janitor or custodian positions.
31. Positions that involve working in the off-season, e.g. more than two seasons during the year, or employment longer than 8 months during one calendar year.
32.  Positions in places without telephone and internet communication.

A conversation with an employer can represent discomfort, fear and insecurity for many of you. Our representatives are here to make the whole process as easy as possible. We are aware that the conversation and what you will show at the conversation itself, carries a great responsibility. It's the same when you're looking for a job in Serbia, and it's especially stressful when you have to do it all in a foreign language.

First of all, DO NOT PANIC
Prepare well for the interview, comb through the most frequently asked questions by the employer and learn those answers as best you can. With the help of our representatives and preparatory material, you will overcome everything that bothers you and that could make it difficult for you to communicate and leave a good impression for getting the job you want. Given that the conversation will most likely be organized ONLINE, make sure that EVERYTHING works in that part (connection, connection, microphone, camera) and pay attention to appearance and dress. If you do have a LIVE interview, dress decently, be clean and tidy. Always keep your CV in front of you to remind yourself of what is written in that document, because most often the employer will be guided by it and ask you questions based on what you have written about yourself. What you should always have on you is a SMILE!

Find out about your future employer
Try to find out as much information as possible about your future employer as well as the work you will be doing. It is very important that you know what the company is like, how long it has been operating and what its qualities are. You can find all this information on the website of your potential employer, on Google or at our agents who will be happy to meet you if you have any questions or doubts.

Pay attention to dressing
We already talked about this in the DON'T PANIC section, but it's worth repeating. Take some time and think about what it would be best to wear if you have a face-to-face meeting with an employer. So, make sure it's something elegant, not too offensive, neat and clean. For an ONLINE conversation, it is very important that you pay attention to the NAME of your account (to be polite, especially if there are English words, so that the employer takes you as seriously as possible). It is always allowed and necessary to have a smile on your face and be pleasant during the conversation.

Prepare answers to the most frequently asked questions

The best candidates research the job description, think about the type of questions they will be asked, and plan their answers well. Some even practice with friends. Expect questions specific to your job!! Don't just expect basic questions like "what's the weather like?" or "tell me about your family". Below is a list of the 25 most common interview questions in the US:

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why should I hire you?
3. What work experience have you had?
4. How did your education prepare you for this internship?
5. Do you work better as a team or on your own?
6. What is your greatest weakness?
7. What is your greatest strength?
8. How would your professor describe you?
9. How would your co-workers describe you?
10. What would your employer tell me about you?
11. What qualities do you have that will make you a good employee?
12. Tell me about any major obstacles you have overcome in your life?
13. Why do you want this position?
14. What's the most important thing you will do on your first day of work?
15. Why are you the best candidate for this internship?
16. Tell me about a stressful situation in a past job and how you handled it.
17. Tell me about your interests.
18. What do you hope to achieve from this program?
19. How can you contribute to this company?
20. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
21. What led you to your field of study?
22. Describe a situation where you worked as a team. How did you contribute?
23. Why did you want to be part of this program?
24. What is your greatest success?
25. What is your greatest failure?

It is very important to understand the American way of thinking about talking about yourself and your past work experiences and education.

• Mitigate your weaknesses and failures. Saying "I am lazy" or "I am always late" ensures that you will be rejected for a job. If you have such qualities, you must overcome them (by pushing yourself, by buying a new alarm clock...). A typical American answer to the question "What is your weakness" is something like, "It's difficult for me to stop before the job is done. This may annoy others because I just can't rest until the task is complete." You get the point?

• Never talk negatively about your previous job, boss, coworkers, or school. Even if you had a negative experience, find something positive to say about it. For example, "There was often confusion in the kitchen, but this taught me the importance of being organized, calm and to assist coworkers as needed."

Prepare questions that you will ask the employer
Feel free to write down on paper or simply memorize everything you want to ask the employer during the interview. Ask about the job you will be doing, the place, about the accommodation (if it is provided for you), what is the next step regarding the interview, and of course tell him that he is free to ask you if there is anything else he is interested in telling him... At the end of the conversation, feel free to say that you was glad that you talked and that you would really like to work for them, as well as that you will do your best to justify their trust if they hire you. This way they will see that you are very interested in working in their company and that you are someone who is ready to give his best in order to perform as well as possible at work.

GOOD LUCK!

The CV format is adapted to all students of different educations. Writing a CV is very important and the first step in presenting yourself to an employer! At the very start of the program, you send us your CV in ENGLISH. You fill it out in electronic form (we will send you the form).

Here are some tips for your personal promotion:

1. Personal data:

• make sure that you have entered your email address and Skype ID correctly. Spelling errors in this data can cause you great difficulties in getting the job you want!
• Pay attention to the date from which you are available to work, check your university schedule!
• The picture on the CV must be cultural, cute with a white background! Nightlife pictures are interesting but not for this occasion!

2. Work experience

Do not hesitate to put your previous work experience, no matter how irrelevant in your opinion! You are still a student and you are not expected to have several years of work experience in any field! If you volunteered, write about that experience as well.

3. Knowledge of the English language

Don't be modest, don't underestimate yourself! Maybe you just need a little reminder!

4. Hobbies

Considering that most beginners and students do not have much work experience when looking for a job, it is very useful to list special hobbies or skills that you have that are not visible in the previous data.

Your pitch to a potential employer ends here. All in all, you must understand that it is a document that should present you in the best light and that those who do not know you, want to meet you!

Buying an airline ticket

The American Adventure agency mediates the purchase of airline tickets for all program participants.

The authorized partner with whom we have been cooperating for years chooses the most favorable tickets with benefits that are included for all Work and Travel participants. We also provide online support during your stay in America.

The agency will provide privileged tickets for all participants of the program - This means that the tickets will be adapted to the candidates. Most tickets have the convenience of changing the return date for free, the possibility of two free bags... This is an important item regarding your return. It often happens that the return dates are moved (an additional charge is made for regular tickets between 130 and 160 eva) and of course it will suit each candidate to be able to take as many kg as possible (if only one suitcase of 23 kg is included, an additional charge is made for every kg you exceed $50). Other baggage is usually charged up to 100$.

It is important to note that the plane ticket is not included in the price of the program, due to the fact that candidates go to different parts of America and therefore the price varies from location to location.

How to pack:

1. Hand luggage: Its transportation is free and you are responsible for it yourself.

Maximum luggage dimensions (including handles, pockets and wheels) 40x20x55cm length x width x height.

2. More personal items that can be with you during the flight:

• One handbag or laptop bag or briefcase (must fit under a standard Economy Class seat)
• Coat, scarf
• A small amount of duty-free goods

3. Luggage packing advice:

• Remove any charms from previous flights from your suitcase.
• Carry all valuables, money, medicines and documents in hand luggage.
• Lock the suitcase or wrap it with a strong belt.
• Leave your contact information in the suitcase and place it on the outside of the suitcase.
• Mark your luggage so that you can immediately notice it in the pick-up line.
• Pack all items that cannot fit in hand luggage and hand them in at the airport. The amount of checked baggage you can carry without charge will depend on your class of carriage, route and fare.
• You hand in your luggage at the passenger reception desk at the airport. It will be marked with a pendant, and part of the pendant will be handed to you when you hand over your luggage.
• Checked baggage will be transported in the luggage compartment of the plane and will be waiting for you at the destination airport, on the conveyor belt in the baggage claim room.
• It is essential that you comply with the prescribed conditions for the safe carriage of liquids, dangerous goods and other items in your luggage.
• Certain items cannot be carried in baggage or their transportation is possible under special conditions.

4. Rules for transporting liquids in hand luggage. Not allowed:

• Liquids, gels, pastes and aerosols can only be carried in containers up to 100 ml.
• Containers larger than 100 ml will not be allowed, even if they are partially full.
• All containers must be packed in a clear plastic bag with a slotted or ziplock closure.
• The bag in which the containers are packed must not be larger than 20x20 cm and its volume must not exceed 1 liter.
• The plastic bag containing the containers must be closed and handed in separately during the hand luggage security check.
• One bag is allowed per passenger.

5. Exceptions when you can bring containers with more than 100 ml of liquid into the plane:

1) Food and milk for babies, in the amount that is necessary for the baby, depending on the length of the flight

• Liquids, pastes, gels and aerosols, purchased in duty-free shops in the security-restrictive zone of the airport, packed in a transparent sealed plastic bag that must not be opened until the final destination. In the bag (sealed in the store) there must be a fiscal receipt for the purchased goods, only with the date of the day of travel.
• Medicines in the form of liquids, gels or aerosols, only with a medical report issued by a competent medical institution or an authorized doctor's office.
• Medical preparations such as insulin, blood plasma, etc., only with confirmation from the competent medical institution or authorized doctor's office.

The following are prohibited in hand luggage: tools, sharp and blunt objects, explosives, ammunition and weapons, batteries, gases and oxidizing substances, toxic and infectious substances, corrosive substances, radioactive namagen.

Procedure for changing the return date:

• Let your airline ticket agent know by email or phone what date you would like to travel;
• The agent will inform you which flights are available;
• If you need to pay extra for changing the date, ask your agent to send you payment instructions;
• Avoid weekends to change your return date;
• Make sure to send instructions for changing it at least three weeks before the desired return date.

PLEASE NOTE

1. The time required to change the return date - Request a change of date as soon as you are sure of the return date, 2 weeks before is optimal, but keep in mind that the first change is free when there is room on your tariff, and each subsequent one is paid according to the terms of the tariff (from 150eur and up). Study the map carefully and do not confuse the return date with the transfer date, keep in mind that you are moving from one to another time zone.
2. Be at the airport at least 2 hours before the flight.

For any additional information you are interested in regarding airline tickets, you can send an inquiry or call:

Mail: aviokarte@workandtravel.rs

Phone: +381 64 107 2004

When entering the US, a customs officer fills out your I-94 form.

Anyone who is not a citizen of the USA is obliged to record the date of entry into the country within 72 hours of entering the USA, which is crucial information for the online database of the immigration service in the USA.

The I-94 form is correlated with your J1 visa status.

IMPORTANT NOTE: While you are still at the airport you need to connect to the airport WIFI and check if everything is fine with your I-94 form via the following link:

https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search

SSN is a nine-digit number issued to US citizens, US permanent residents, and US temporary workers. The SSN is issued through the Social Security Administration. The primary purpose of the SSN is to track tax revenues. Over time, it also became a personal identification number (National Identification Number). Students participating in the Work & Travel USA program must apply for an SSN upon arrival in the USA.
To obtain an SSN, you will apply at the local social security office - SSN administration office.
After receiving a job offer, find out where the nearest SSN administration office is located: https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp

Considering that the SSN is obtained only after 15-20 days and the card with the number after 1-3 months, you will receive a confirmation that you submitted the documents for the SSN and you can work with it freely until your card is ready. Only students who are not verified in the SSN system or those who do not show up for work on the first day of work cannot get an SSN.

When applying, you must submit the following original documents:

1. Passport
2. DS – 2019 form
3. J-1 visa
4. I-94 form
5. Confirmation that you got a job - a job offer (an official letter from the employer that is signed and certified).

What if I don't get an SSN?
If you do not receive an SSN after 6 weeks, call the Social Security Administration toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. Have your Social Security Receipt ready, at hand.
If you applied for an SSN and did not receive it, you have the right to work and receive a salary.
If you have any further questions, please contact the sponsoring agency.

W4 form

The W4 form - Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate - is a document that you receive from your employer and should be filled out before starting employment. If you change employers or have an additional job, you also fill out a W4 form. It is correlated with the tax refund process in that the address provided on the W4 form will be used to later deliver the W2 form to you - necessary for the tax refund. The permanent address of residence in Serbia is stated on the W4 form.

Help filling out the W4 form:

• Most of you are single, you must fill in the third line "single" because the tax calculation is different for married and unmarried people, ie. single,
• On line 6, you need to fill in "Non Resident Alien" because that way you get a tax refund.

MEDICAL INSURANCE IN THE USA
Each participant of the Work and Travel program must have health insurance during their stay in the USA. The medical insurance provided to participants of the Work and Travel program includes a basic insurance package and this package is approved by the State Department. It is very important, before applying for the program, that you tell us if you have health problems of any kind, because treatment in the USA is extremely expensive.

Othe insurance does not cover: 

1. Pregnancy,
2. Dental interventions,
3. serious diseases,
4. Injuries that occurred prior to arrival in the US cannot be treated under this insurance,
5. Routine physical examinations and vaccinations,
6. Eye
7. Preventive medical services
8. Testing for sexually transmitted diseases
9. Mental illnesses
10. Self-harm
11. Treatment costs if you used alcohol or drugs.

We suggest that all candidates do a systematic review on their own initiative before going to the USA.

The duration of the medical insurance is in accordance with your job and the start and end dates of the job. After this period you are not insured. If you want to travel after the end of the job, we advise you to buy additional insurance for the travel period.

You can buy with the help of our intermediaries while you are in Serbia, or contact the sponsors when you know the exact dates of the trip when you are already on the program in the USA.

IMPORTANT:
If you are injured at work, notify your employers immediately. 

Insurance is included in the price of the program and it is STRONGLY recommended that you always have the information and contacts of the insurance company with you.

If you feel any discomfort or illness, call your insurance company and explain the symptoms you have, and they will refer you to the nearest medical facility they work with.
If it is an emergency, go to the first medical facility.

If you go to a medical institution with which your insurance company does not have direct cooperation, you will have to pay the entire cost of treatment. In this case, be sure to get a receipt so that you can get a refund from the insurance company.
Take with you the insurance brochure that you received at the agency, when giving medical treatment you will need information about the insurance company.
Insurance often covers treatment up to a certain amount so you have to cover the rest of the costs yourself. Likewise, very often there is also a participation on your part, called DEDUCTABLE, in the payment of treatment costs even though you have health insurance. Usually it is a contribution of 50$ or 100$ depending on your policy.

Finally, that is why PREVENTION is always BETTER THAN CURE 🙂 Take care and do not expose yourself to risky and dangerous situations for your health.

Sponsor agency
What are the obligations towards the Sponsoring Agency

Sponsor agency

Every student on the W&T program must have a Sponsoring Agency. A sponsoring agency is an organization that operates according to the rules of the State Department and has an approved license to operate. Before your departure to the USA, the sponsors check the legality of the work of the employer whose job offer you are signing and whether he meets all the conditions regulated by the program to receive and cooperate with J1 students. It also checks the correctness of the accommodation you will be staying in. It provides the necessary documentation on the basis of which you go for a visa. You did not need to know this information until now, because while you are in Serbia, American Adventure will mediate between you and the Sponsor Agency. However, you will certainly have to get to know them before leaving for America because that is where their real role begins, which is to ensure that all your rights are respected, but also to remind you that you also have obligations to the program and to the Sponsoring Agency and according to the employer and the person who rents your accommodation.

What are the obligations towards the Sponsor Agency?

1. Upon arrival in the USA, the residential address should be reported to the sponsoring agency
   The most important thing is to learn what documents to fill out and where to report when entering the US.
   You need to first register on SEVIS no later than 72 hours after your arrival in the USA.
   It's very simple, you log in to your account (you will receive instructions for all of the above during the program) and enter the required data.
2. Monthly Check-In. Regular communication with sponsoring agencies
   Just as you left your information when you entered the US, you also need to check in monthly through your SEVIS account on the sponsor's website.
   You need to leave all the information requested from you on your account. They are mostly compiled in the form of a short questionnaire about the previous month spent in the USA. You will most often receive your monthly questionnaires from your Sponsoring Agencies that you need to fill out, so it is very important to check your emails regularly.
3. Report departure from the US
   Departure from the USA is reported in the same way through the SEVIS program. Fill in the dates of departure from the country and your commitment to sponsors ends here.
4. Notify the Sponsors of any change of residence in the USA
   When changing the address where you live, you are obliged to immediately enter the information of the new residence in your SEVIS account.
   You have the right to change your place of residence if you are not satisfied with the original one, but you are obliged to report this to the sponsor immediately, so that he can find you at any moment. Information about your change of residence is also very important for the delivery of checks and other documents during the program.
5. Owellnotify Sponsor of any problem that you CANNOT resolve. Ask for help
   As we mentioned above, the sponsoring agencies are in charge of taking care of you from the moment you step on the soil of the USA and to meet you if you have any problems, obstacles, questions.
   Before leaving Serbia, you will receive all the necessary information about your sponsor, contacts where you can get the persons from the agency responsible for you (address of the sponsoring agency, e-mail, contact numbers, emergency numbers).
6. Ddirty work - additional. Must notify Sponsors about other business. Do not start work until the sponsor approves the employer
   Unfortunately, many participants avoid this obligation, so over time stricter rules were introduced as far as additional work is concerned.
   You have to understand that you don't lose anything by applying for additional work. The sponsor can monitor that employer and protect you if necessary, and of course the insurance covers everything related to the other employer as well as for the primary job.
   The process of verifying additional work is short, you need to wait a few days at most for the employer to verify, and if you break this rule and start working before approval or, in the worst case, not reporting the additional work, it can lead to the cancellation of the visa and termination of the program.
   Don't let that happen and jeopardize the program out of impatience.
   If you do not report additional work the sponsor cannot protect you in case of possible misunderstandings with the employer,

Accommodation:

One of the important items of this program is accommodation.

Questions arise: Do I have secured housing? Where will I live? Who will I live with? How much will I pay for accommodation…..?

Accommodation is adapted to the participants of the program and their needs on this program. It is mostly student accommodation where students will be able to rest, take a shower and store their belongings after a busy day.

All applicants must be aware that they should not expect luxury in the accommodation that will be provided to them by the employer or organized in some other way.

In rare cases, there are also better equipped apartments with a kitchen, a terrace, some with a yard (if you are staying in the house), but that depends solely on the employer.

Accommodation essentials:

• Before leaving, you must know whether your employer provides accommodation or you have to take care of it yourself - guided by the experience of previous seasons, our agency hires candidates for jobs where the employer includes accommodation in the job offer. If you do not have secured accommodation, we will be happy to assist you in booking accommodation in the place where you will work. Students usually go to work in tourist places with a high frequency of people during the season. Therefore, accommodation must be requested on time, i.e. immediately after receiving a job offer.

Candidates who opt for the Self option of the program are obliged to provide accommodation independently and to inform us about the information related to it, otherwise their job offer would not be approved by the sponsoring agencies. Sponsoring agencies have criteria for approving accommodation for J1 students, so not every accommodation applied for may be approved.

If the accommodation conditions do not suit you during the program, you have the right to change them at any time, unless otherwise agreed with the employer, but you must first inform the sponsoring agency and register the new address where you will stay during the program. All information regarding the new accommodation must be sent to the sponsoring agency - through the SEVIS program. Accommodation prices depend on the place you are going to (prices vary from $50-$200 on a weekly basis, and for larger cities such as Boston, prices can be several times higher than the average price of accommodation) and on the employer. In some cases, accommodation may be free.

• Vehbut it is important that you are familiar with the location of the accommodation - use the Google search engine, research the place where you got the job, view photos, experiences of previous participants, map of the place, nearest airports, shops, laundries, banks, hospitals, police station, SSN branches, points of interest.... In some cases, it is necessary to rent a bicycle or use public transport to get to work. It is important to know this in advance.
• Vgo awaytand hygiene in the area where you live  - every candidate is obliged to comply with the conditions of renting, that is, renting accommodation. Any failure to comply with this may result in the landlord withholding the deposit (in most cases, a certain amount is paid up to the amount of one rent, before entering the accommodation, or is deducted from the first payment at work) in order to use these funds to repair the damage caused to the accommodation, home appliances, or hired cleaning staff in case of poorly maintained hygiene in the area. If you have complied with the Rental Agreement, the deposit is returned in most cases after the expiration of the Agreement.
  Behave in your assigned accommodation as you would with your property and your living space, so that you don't get yourself into awkward situations by not following the rules.
• Toleration to household members - be aware that you are going to a cultural exchange program, where you will meet a large number of new people, colleagues, associates, friends who, like you, have come to this program from different parts of the world.
  You will share accommodation with your colleagues, who have different lifestyles than you, who are of different cultures, religions, and ways of thinking, and for this reason, each participant must respect his roommates in every respect. Take advantage of this situation to get better acquainted with the customs and culture of other nations and make new friends!
• Agero read the Contracts you sign for renting - once you sign the Agreement, it is valid and therefore both you and the landlord can refer to the Agreement at any time if a problem arises. For this reason, carefully read the terms of the Rental Agreement.
  The contract exists to protect both the student and the person renting the accommodation. You need to know how much your monthly rent is, what date the rent is paid, how much the deposit is, under what conditions it is returned, how you can leave the accommodation before the deadline, whether you have certain consequences, i.e. penalties for early departure, does your monthly rent amount depend on the number of household members, who can you contact if something in the accommodation does not work...

KBasic websites for finding accommodation in the USA:

•  http://www.studentrent.com/
•  http://www.apartmentguide.com/
•  http://www.campusrent.com/
•  http://www.sublet.com/
• http://www.rent.com/
• https://housing.ucla.edu/
• http://www.roommates.com/
• http://ocstudentcenter.com/
• https://web.allfriends.co/
• https://craigslist.org

If you have a problem during the program or have some doubts when solving certain situations, you are provided with online support, telephones 24/7, and of course people in the sponsoring agencies who are in charge of you during the program.

At any moment, you will have the help of our agency for any kind of assistance if you do not know how to solve the problem or who to turn to.

Our phones and emails:

+381 64 1072004
+381 64 1072005

Email: office.americanadventure@gmail.com

Call your sponsoring agency and contact the person assigned to you before you leave for the US.

Depending on your sponsoring agency, you will receive cards with all the information: address, phone numbers and email of the competent person in the sponsoring agency (we work with a large number of agencies and after getting a job you will be assigned an agency that will be exclusively responsible for you).

If your rights and life are threatened during the program, you can contact the Department for Human Rights, but before that, it would be advisable to call your sponsoring agency.

Exchange Visitor Program Emergency

Contact information:
Department of State Emergency Hotline:  1.866.283.9090
National Human Trafficking Resource Center: 1.888.373.7888
Department of State Email Address:  JVISAS@STATE.GOV
Exchange Visitor Program Website:  J1VISA@STATE.GOV

During your stay in the United States, you will live in a culture that is very different from here. During the adjustment period, be prepared to experience major differences in attitudes, standards, expectations and reactions in terms of accommodation, food, leisure time, language and more. Remember that you chose to travel abroad to experience and understand a different culture, because otherwise, you would choose to stay at home for the summer. It will be a period that will remain deeply etched in your memory. Remember, you are responsible for adapting to the new culture of the host country because it will not change because of you.

Culture Shock
Culture shock is often experienced by people who travel and live abroad. People are creatures of habit and the process of moving to another country results in the loss of some usual daily activities. Regardless of your level of tolerance, open-mindedness and readiness for new cultures, a change of environment will result in some degree of frustration. Recognizing the symptoms of culture shock will allow you to manage the situation more effectively. Accept the irritation and ask yourself why some particular aspect of the culture annoys you, but seems perfectly natural and appropriate for the citizens of the host country. Remember that everything is a matter of habit, so after a certain time spent in America, you too will manage to get used to a different way of life, a different environment, accommodation, food, as well as new things that you will encounter every day while you are there.

Socialize with foreigners as much as possible because there are plenty of them there. You will meet people from all over the world, keep an open mind and you will be thankful in the end that you will go home with many new knowledge that you did not have the opportunity to discover before. Love and great friendships that last a lifetime were born on these trips. It is definitely the greatest asset you can take with you when you return home.

Position yourself in the following way according to challenges and new things that you are not familiar with:

• Maintain an attitude of curiosity and a desire to learn.
• Get a sense of adventure.
• Learn to accept "corrections" generously and learn from your mistakes.
• Be generous and sincere in showing gratitude.
• Be adaptable.
• Keep a sense of humor, especially about yourself.
• Show a sincere and considerate attitude towards others.
• Be cooperative and ready to compromise.
• Enjoy.

Ddirty job in USA - extra

All program participants are allowed to work overtime. When you go to this type of program, you will primarily have to respect the employer on the basis of which you got the visa. Adjust the work at the additional job to the shift schedule of the primary employer. If you want to earn extra, this is the perfect solution for you.

Do not hesitate to ask for jobs in your area and to offer and leave your CV, so that you can be contacted and considered by other employers.

We suggest you use the CV form you received from us, supplemented with the employer you currently work for and the phone number you use in the US.

With this form, you can start looking for additional work. Copy the CV in about twenty copies when you arrive in the USA.

You can send electronically or personally leave a printed CV to the employers you are interested in in your place of residence.

Owellinform the Sponsoring Agency about the other job.
Do not start work until the employer has been approved by the Sponsoring Agency.

Not every additional job nor every employer has to be approved by the Sponsoring Agency.
If the additional job is on the list of prohibited jobs - it will certainly not be accepted by the Sponsoring Agency.

After informing the Sponsoring Agency about your desire to do additional work, you will be sent documents that your future employer must fill out. Do not be impatient, the procedure for approving additional work takes only a few days. With most Sponsor agencies this is a free process, but some Sponsors charge for this verification process up to the amount of 50$.

Working with an unapproved employer is a condition for losing the right to the program and being deported to Serbia.

Verification of the second job is NECESSARY because only in this way you can be protected in case you have a problem with the additional job. 

Don't forget, you need to fill out a W4 form every time you get hired. In it, you leave the correct and permanent address where you or your parents reside in Serbia. This is the address to which, after returning from America, you will receive a W2 form from your employer.

Tip:
Walk around the city and ask where additional labor is wanted. There is a high probability that it is about restaurants and hotels. Ask if they have ever hired J1 students. If so, your additional employer approval process will be much easier and faster. Always start with your primary employer first, though. Maybe he needs manpower for some additional work. First, offer him cooperation for another job, and if he is not able to provide it for you, move on to the search.

Your stay in America is coming to an end and it is time to slowly prepare to return home. You are full of impressions and you probably don't think much about some very important things that you MUST do before you return to Serbia.

Check your flight ticket and return date
Take a good look at your ticket and the return date on it. If your return plans change during the program and you want to change your flight date, you can do so by contacting our representative in charge of air tickets and rescheduling your return date. It is very important that you do it on time, at least three weeks before the flight, so that there are no unpleasant surprises afterwards.

Pay off your debts if you have any
Make sure you pay off ALL debts owed to your landlord, pay any outstanding bills, if you have any medical bills, any bills you were told to pay before you left.

The accommodation you leave behind
Keep in mind that someone needs to live in the accommodation where you spent the summer after you. Be sure to leave everything as you found it when you first entered the apartment. Do not break, tear or violate the rules of the rental agreement by the landlord, otherwise the deposit that you left with the landlord at the very beginning will not be returned to you for a reason. Maintain the hygiene of the space and do not leave things behind. If you follow these points, you will have no problems when leaving.

Close your bank account!
Before leaving, close your bank account and withdraw money. If you haven't cashed all of your checks by now, it's time to do so before you leave. Of course, when you open a bank account, it is up to you to clarify all the details with the bank, so that later, when closing the account, there are no additional unforeseen costs and unpleasant surprises.

Log out of SEVIS

Go to the site and log out or contact your Sponsoring Agency and inform them of your plans to leave.

Check your luggage
Pay attention to excess baggage weight. Look on your plane ticket for the allowed suitcase weight, so be guided by that. Remember that every kilogram over the limit is paid for.

W4 form

The W4 form - Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate - is a document that you receive from your employer and should be filled out before starting employment. If you change employers or have an additional job, you also fill out a W4 form. It is correlated with the tax refund process in that the address provided on the W4 form will be used to later deliver the W2 form to you - necessary for the tax refund. The permanent address of residence in Serbia is stated on the W4 form.

Help filling out the W4 form:

• Most of you are single, you must fill in the third line "single" because the tax calculation is different for married and unmarried people, ie. single,
• On line 6, you need to fill in "Non Resident Alien" because that way you get a tax refund.

Required documentation for tax refund

• Copy of social security card - SSN
• Copy of the first page of the passport
• A copy W-2obrasca or the last one pay slip- a

At the end of the fiscal year, the employer is obliged by law to submit to his employees a report on earned income and taxes paid, so-called. W-2 form (W-2 Form). You have as many W-2 forms as you have had employers in the US. Employers are required by law to send W-2 forms to employees no later than January 31 of the following year. W-2 forms are sent by regular mail. PrAfter finishing the job, make sure that you have left the employer with the correct address in Serbia.

If you do not receive a W-2 form, you can file a tax refund with the latter pay slip-om. Pay slip is a part pay check- which after cashing remains with you. The last one pay slip it contains the same information as the W-2 form and for this reason it is very important that you save the latter pay slipfrom all employers.

In order to receive the W-2 form at the correct address, it is important that you fill out the W-4 form when you start working for the employer (W-4 Form) with all the information requested. The address you provide on your W-4 form is most important, as this will be the address to which your W-2 form will be mailed.

It is important to report all employers you have worked for in the US!

Upon your return from the program, you should have all of the above documents required for your tax refund except for the W-2 form. Based on the documents you have, your tax can be calculated and you can immediately know how much the refund will be. The important thing to know is that the US tax authorities usually open the tax refund season after January 20 of the following year, which means that your tax refund request cannot be processed before that date.

Very simple!

We will send you the Tax Refund Form, Form 2848 and instructions for submitting the documentation.
.
Our partners from Easy Tax Store, otherwise authorized IRS agents, will contact you after receiving the documentation.

Have you collected all the documentation? All you have to do is deliver it to the right address.

After the assessment of how much tax you can refund, the required documentation, filled in, signed and scanned, should be submitted to Easy Tax Store via the email address: easytaxstore@gmail.com

PRICE 

Tax refund service is done through a certified IRS agent and this service costs money 6000.00 RSD for State and Federal tax refunds.

If it happened that your employer deducted FIC and Medicare tax by mistake, the costs of the tax refund service are increased by 4000.00 RSD.

THESE PRICES ARE FIXED REGARDLESS OF WHAT AMOUNT OF TAX YOU CAN RECEIVE.

Contact us to send you instructions for filling out the necessary documentation and to connect you with Easy Tax Store, the tax refund agency.

You can get a check:

1. To home address. It takes an average of 6-12 weeks. Only you can cash the check!
2. As a direct deposit to your US account. The average waiting time for a deposit is 4-6 weeks.

There is an option for every candidate to track their tax refund refund status online.