US Ambassador encourages Irish young people to spend time in the US on the J1 visa

 January 10, 2005

Make 2005 Your Year to Visit America!

For many young men and women across Ireland, thoughts are already turning to next summer and plans are being made on how to spend it. If you are one of those people, I have a suggestion for you - come to America!

Under the J-1 Summer Work Travel visa program, thousands of young Irish will be able to live, work and travel in the United States next summer for up to four months. Not only will you be able to experience America's vibrant culture and make new friends, but you will also be able to teach us about Ireland and Europe. We believe you will come away with good impressions of our country and people, and we are confident you will give us a better understanding of Ireland and the rest of Europe.

The "visa season" starts in January and we are determined this year to make this process as smooth and easy as possible for you. We work with a number of organisations that recruit students for summer exchanges and we urge you to work through them to find the best possible opportunities for your "summer in the States."

So if you've been thinking about spending the summer of '05 in America, now is the time to start applying! We look forward to hosting thousands of young Irish in the United States this year and I personally hope YOU are one of them!

James C. Kenny
U.S. Ambassador to Ireland

for further information visit USIT