Travel

BAFF and CIEE encourage you to take full advantage of your time here in the U.S. to broaden your horizons by visiting many of the unique cultural and natural attractions that the U.S. has to offer. North America is a vast continent with a huge diversity of attractions and activities—please take the time to explore them! However, there are certain restrictions limiting your ability to take time off and traveling outside the U.S.

Time Off and Vacation

BAFF allows up to 10 business days of vacation or personal time per year for participants on 9-12 month programs, or five business days for participants on a 6-8 month long program. However, any time off requires approval from and depends entirely on your arrangement with your employer and supervisor.

Holidays officially observed by your employer, BAFF organized enrichment trips, as well as any sick days do not count as time off/vacation. If you must take additional time off for personal reasons (graduation, exams, family, etc.), you must notify your employer and the U.S. Program Manager in advance.

Traveling Outside the U.S.

If you plan to travel outside the U.S. during your program, you must first notify the U.S. Program Manager to request permission to travel. This involves a CIEE representative providing a Travel Validation Signature on your DS-2019 form, and issuing you a "Letter of Good Standing" that indicates that you are a current CIEE participant and will be returning to the U.S. to continue your program. While the travel signature on your DS-2019 remains valid for six months, the good standing letter is only valid for three months. Therefore, each time you plan to travel outside of the U.S., you need to be certain that both items are still valid for the entire duration of your stay outside of the U.S. If this is not the case, you risk running into issues with U.S. customs officers upon your return.

Please be aware that CIEE Insurance covers travel to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas) only!

To travel outside the U.S., please send CIEE your DS-2019 form, along with a pre-paid, self-addressed, trackable mail envelope and a note stating your travel dates, destination, mailing address, and phone number. Please send this material at least two weeks before you intend to travel outside of the U.S. These materials should be sent using a trackable shipping method (FedEx or UPS are best) to:

CIEE
Margarita Ivanova
U.S. Program Coordinator
CIEE
300 Fore Street
Portland, Maine 04101
USA

Phone: 207-553-4194
Fax: 207-553-5194
email: mivanova@ciee.org

If traveling overseas, please make sure that your J-1 Visa and DS-2019 are valid upon your reentry to the U.S. If your J-1 Visa has expired, you will need to renew your J-1 Visa in your home country before you reenter the U.S.

30-day Travel Period

Your J-1 Visa allows you to travel for up to 30 days after your DS-2019 program end date. If you choose to travel during the optional 30-day travel period, you do so at your own expense.

Travel to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas) during the Travel Period is allowed but does require travel validation. If you travel to these destinations during your Travel Period, please inform CIEE so that you can receive a Good Standing Letter for your trip.

Finally, you must return to your home country immediately following the end of your program and fulfill the Two-year Home Country Residence Requirement.