Traveling

Remember that one of the parts of the Summer Work/Travel program is travel!  After your visa end date, you may stay in the U.S. for a 30 day grace period to travel, though you must arrive back home to start university on time.

You may not work during the 30 day grace period.  If you leave the U.S., you will not be allowed to re-enter the U.S. during the grace period.

Check out our Pinterest page for ideas on where and how to travel, and how to do it within a student budget!

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I travel?

The best time to travel is between your work end date and your flight home, known as the Grace Period.

You are expected to work during your visa dates, except for short trips (1-3 days). Be sure that you have your employer’s permission if you want to travel during your work dates.

If you quit work early to travel, ERDT will change your program end date to your last day of work.

You must leave the U.S. no more than 30 days after your program end date.

Can I leave the U.S. to travel and then return to the U.S. (for example a trip to Canada or Mexico, a cruise, or even a brief trip home)?

You may travel outside the U.S. if you have your original passport, DS-2019 form and J-1 visa, and if your travel dates are within the dates of your visa period. You may not re-enter the U.S. during the 30-day Grace Period.

To return to the U.S., you must have your DS-2019 signed a second time. This signature tells the U.S. immigration official that you are in good standing with the program. 

To have your DS-2019 form signed a second time, mail your original DS-2019 form, along with a letter listing your mailing address and your travel itinerary, to:

ERDT Work & Travel Program
2601 Ocean Park Blvd. Ste 322
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Within 1 week of the form arriving to our office, we will mail it back to your mailing address using regular USPS mail.

If you are in a hurry, you may use FedEx or UPS to send the form to ERDT, and you may enclose a pre-paid FedEx or UPS envelope for ERDT to send it back to you.  CONTACT ERDT FIRST for instructions.