MINGA TEACHERS - J1 USA PROCESS - Q & A

1 - Who are Minga Teachers?

You can see it in our website: https://www.mingateachers.org/

2 - How many years of teaching experience do I need?

For this process with EPI, it is necessary to have more than 2 years of teaching experience, of
which you need to have been teaching in the last 5 years.

3 - Can I apply without having the experience?

Yes, but your application will be put on hold until you meet the requirements.

4 - Why is my teaching experience before graduating not valid?

In the United States, teaching without your diploma is not valid, so the experience you might
have without your degree is not valid.

5 - What is the link to apply?

Apply here
.

6 - How do I start the process?

Enter the link that was sent to you, complete your personal, family, and work section in your
profile, then in the Documentation section, attach the documents requested.

7 - What documents do I need?

To start, it is important to fill out your personal, family, and work information. Then, as an initial
step, it is important to upload: your diploma, passport scanned with all pages, grades, and also
translations of your diploma and grades.

8 - How much do they charge?

Minga Teacher and EPI do not have any application fees.

9 - What money do I need to invest?

You need to invest in your documents, translations, and visa.

10 - Do they help me locate in the USA?

EPI has people in charge of helping you with your accommodation when you are in the USA.

11 - Is my driver's license necessary for the process?

Yes, as schools in the USA are not nearby, it is necessary that you have your own
transportation in order to go by yourself to the institution. EPI helps you with the process so that
you can rent or buy a vehicle in installments.

12 - Can I travel with my family?

Yes, your partner can travel with you as long as you are married, and you can bring your
legitimate or legally adopted children. Applicants bear the expenses of their families.

13 - Is an English level certificate needed?

No, they will assess your English level during the interviews.

14 - When would I travel?

Hiring takes place approximately from June to August each year.

15 - How long does the process take?

If you have all the necessary information and documentation, the selection process can take
from 15 to 20 days.

16 - How long is the contract for?

It depends on the institution and your performance; it can be for 1, 2, or 3 years.

17 - Is there an age limit?

No.

18 - What is the timeline for applying?

Application processes are open all year round; you can apply at any time.
19 - What if I have US nationality?

You cannot apply since it is an exchange program.

20 - Does it affect me if I have a tourist visa?

No, on the contrary, this can help your work visa to have more chances of being approved.

21 - What if I have visas denied?

The EPI legal team recommends applying for a tourist visa separately since trying with a J visa
is very likely to be denied. However, you can continue with the application process.

22 - Where do I register?

- Register Here

23 - Can I register with my partner?

Yes, if you both are teachers and you want to be considered for the same process, it is
necessary that you are married.

24 -Which document do I have to pay for?

Initially, you only need to pay for the translation of your transcripts to be considered for a first
interview.

25 - Do I have to pay for my visa?

Only the appointment at the embassy has a cost, approximately $150.

26 - Why is it necessary for me to be working to apply?

It's a process requirement.

27 - How much is the salary?

It depends on the state, level of education, and experience; you can see an example here:
Salaries

28 - I don't have my diploma, I only have my graduation certificates, can I apply with
them?

No, you need to have your diploma and complete the process with your university.
29 - Document name and page to download the criminal record:

The page to see your criminal records in Colombia is Criminal Backgrowndcheck , and to
download the document, you can follow the instructions in the following video How to download

30 - What is the School Proof of Employment?

It's proof of employment from the institution where you have been and where you are currently
working, to verify that you have the required experience for the program. Acceptable documents
include a letter from your school's principal on official letterhead or a letter from the Ministry or
Department of Education.

31 - Approximate expenses to be in the USA

You can see them in General fees

32 - Second Interview - Teacher Evaluation Interview

Your 20-second responses will be recorded during the interview and used as your introduction
videos for the schools.

33 - Additional areas for discussion during your second interview might include the
following:

Your 20-second responses will be recorded during the interview to use as introduction videos
for schools.

Tips:
- The answers are brief and to the point.
- Answers to the questions are 20 seconds each.
- Be energetic and passionate with your answers.
- Practice before your video resume capture session
- Dress professionally

Question 1: Choose and prepare for a character question

● How do you impact the lives of your students?

● As a teacher, what is most successful in the classroom?
● How would becoming a Cultural Ambassador benefit you as a teacher?
● Why is it important to be a teacher in today's society?

Question 2: Choose and prepare for 1 professional question

● Give an example of how you keep your students motivated to learn.
● Select one of the following: establishing rapport with students, classroom organization, and
content knowledge; What is most important and why?
● What tools do you use to achieve successful classroom management?
● Why is it so important to implement technology in teaching?

Additional areas for discussion during your second interview might include the
following:

Why do you want to come to the USA?

What do you include in a lesson plan?
What strategies do you use with a student displaying disruptive behavior?
How do you proactively manage behavior in the classroom?
What kind of rapport do you maintain with students' parents?

34 - What are HOME-TIES and which ones are useful for me?

Home-Ties is a kind of documentation that they ask you to support the J-1 (temporary worker)
VISA process to verify that you have ties to your country. Since the initial VISA is only
temporary for three years, it is important to document that you have a professional and stable
life in your country so that you are not seen as a risk if you stay in the United States illegally.
Demonstrating that you have an established and good life to which you would return helps you
more easily be approved for the United States J-1 VISA as a cultural exchange teacher. The
documents that help in this process are the following; The more you have, the better!: (no
translation necessary)

It's not that you have to hand over all these documents, no. You only share what you have with
them. When you upload the ones that exist, email to EPI, telling them “I have no more home-
ties, please process my application.” If you don't write an email with those words, it is possible
that they accidentally continue your incomplete profile waiting for you to send them more
documents. Then you have to send the email to close the process. Upload what you have and
upload it quickly so your profile can be processed! [email protected]

Credit card(s) (monthly statement)

Proof of Property (house, apartment, farm, lot)
Vehicle Registrations (motorcycle, car)
Life insurance
Pensions, severance pay
Business / Company
Retirement plan
Return to work letter (letter stating that an institution will give you a contract again upon
completion of the program in the USA) - it is not required, most teachers do not achieve this, it's
ok.
Suggestion: Additional Documents / Processes / Factors that, although they are not Home-
Ties, nor are they required, but we recommend them because we know they are useful, they will
help you document stability and be a more competitive teacher.

Driver's license (giving more mobility and independence)

More credit cards (for use on your trip, and in emergencies)
Savings in your bank account! Having a minimum of 3000 USD in the bank would be ideal to
ensure that you can pay for your housing, food, transportation, and expenses during the first
month that you are waiting for your first payroll payment. Make sense?

35 - What is Credential Evaluation?

It is an evaluation that they do to your studies to analyze what your education in the USA is
equivalent to. After passing your second internal interview (Teacher Evaluation Interview), EPI
will send you an email asking you to choose one of these recommended agencies to do your
Credential Evaluation: The cost of this process will be compensated by the school that hires you
in the United States.

- The Credential Evaluation process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwCYPaKWD2w

A - WES (World Education Services): Costs change according to each process, you can
guide yourself in the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=062cMRCIuUs
WES documentation requirements: https://applications.wes.org/required-documents

B - Spantran: It is a large company with several offices in the USA, more updated, and has a
cost of 195 USD

[email protected]

Do not use another provider not authorized by EPI. You take the risk that the documents will not
be useful to you and you will lose your money.

36 - Social Security Number

Email the Social Security Service to ask them for HELP, if you can not remember your U.S.
Social Security Number. Social Security Number

37 - I was in China and I needed to get my Criminal Record Check. How do I do it?

Use the following the following link to request it Criminal record from China
38- Example to calculate taxes in the USA
Tax Calculator

39- Will I have medical benefits?

Medical Benefits with EPI

40-Where to do TOEFL
TOEFL

41- Test your level of English

Try your English
Find your English Level

42- Steps to request the appointment at the embassy and emergency appointment.

For all of the above it is necessary to have the SEVIS number provided by the sponsor of the J
visa in the destination country.

Step 1: enter the embassy page and fill out Form DS 160. At the end the photo is uploaded
and the page gives you a barcode that you can save or print

Fill DS 160

Step 2: Search in your browser where you can pay the appointment with the embassy, that
information is not given directly by the embassy page. You can search for the right one for your
country

3rd step: create the account on that page and fill in the required data, at the end it is paid and
the system shows you the available appointments. There one chooses the closest date and the
system accepts and a green button appears that says continue.

4 step: by clicking on the Continue button the option to request an emergency appointment
comes out and by clicking on that button one can choose a closer date (one or two weeks) and
in a text box explain the reasons for the request.

42.1 Example to fill out DS 160 J Visa

1-Fill DS 160 Spanish

2-Fill Ds 160 Spanish

3- Fill DS 160 English

How To Prepare For A Visa Appointment At An Embassy - Immigration

-Prepare for your visa Interview (English)

42.2- What is a SEVIS identification number?

Pay sevis fee 220 usd https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/index.html

SEVIS is short for "Information System for Students and Exchange Visitors". SEVIS is the web-
based system used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to maintain information about
J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program participants and their J-2 dependents coming to the U.S. for
cultural and educational exchange programs. Each person seeking a J Visa has a unique
identifier assigned to them through SEVIS. This identifier is known as the SEVIS identification
number.

42.3- What is a DS-2019 form?

A DS-2019 form is a document controlled by the U.S. Department of State that can only be
produced through SEVIS. A DS-2019 form is the basic document required to support an
exchange visitor J visa application.

Form DS-2019 is also known as the Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status.

EPI issues its Form DS-2019 after completing the Visa Assessment Questionnaire in the
previous course, "Preparing for Visa Application." Each DS-2019 form is a 2-page document
and contains the Exchange Visitor participant's unique SEVIS identification number. Here is an
example of a DS-2019 form for a J-1 visa applicant:

Form DS-2019 lists the details of your program sponsorship, including:

· Block 1 - Who you are
· Block 2 - A brief description of the program activity in which you will participate
· Block 3: The start and end dates of your program
· Block 4 - The category of the program
· Block 7 - Information and authorization of your sponsor

42.4- Travel information

Please use the following information to complete the respective fields:

- Purpose of Travel to the US – Exchange Visitor (J)

- Specify - Exchange Visitor (J1)
- Have you made specific travel plans? - No
- Address where you will be staying in the US Address (line 1) - 105 Whitson Ave
 - Address where you will stay in USA City - Swannanoa
- Address where you will stay in the US state - North Carolina (NC)
- Address where you will be staying in the US Zip code (if known) - 28778
- Person/Entity Paying for Your Trip - OWN
- Expected length of stay in the US - 3 years

42.5- US Contact Information Point

Please use the following information to complete the respective fields:

- Last name of the contact person - Martín

- Contact Person Names - Debra
- Organization Name - Educational Partners Intl
- Relationship to you: other (program sponsor)
- US Street Address (Line 1) - 105 Whitson Ave
- City - Swannanoa
- State - North Carolina (NC)
- Postal code (if known) - 28778
- Telephone number - 8282399930
- Email address: not applicable
- 42.6- SEVIS information
- Please use the following information to complete the respective fields:
- SEVIS ID: the number listed in the email you received from EPI
- Program number - P-4-12499
- Do you intend to study in the USA? - No

42.6- SEVIS information

Please use the following information to complete the respective fields:

- SEVIS ID: the number listed in the email you received from EPI
- Program number - P-4-12499
- Do you intend to study in the USA? - No

43- Embassy number in Colombia

Telephone: (+57) (1) 275-2000

Fax: (+57) (1) 275-4600
43.1 How do I sign a DocuSign document?

Sign a document with Docusign

44- How to do the Credential Evaluation process with WES for EPI

Credential evaluation with WES for EPI

45- Vaccination information for traveling

Vaccination Information

46- Employment authorization for dependents J2 Visa

Work Authorization for J2

47- Procedure for J-2 Visa Holders to Apply for a Work Permit

Work permit

48 - Credential Evaluations - Ordering Process - $195 Discounted Price via Minga

Obtain Your Credential Evaluation

You must upload 1) the entire Photo page of your Passport clearly showing your Passport
Number (do not cover), 2) University Diploma(s) for BS/MS/PhD and any specialization, and 3)
Official Transcripts (grades/grades) in a course-by-course format both in the original language &
translated to English by official translator if necessary. You can choose to either have the
universities send Spantrans official documents or you can ask Spantrans to request them. Each
option has a different cost. You may ask for support at: [email protected]

49. Embassy of the United States Colombia - Payment and Visa Appointment Scheduling

Pago y programación de cita para la visa

50. How to upload a photo for the DS160 form and how to modify the photo

Como subir foto para el formulario DS160 para solicitud de visa americana

51. J-1 Visa Tips: How to File your U.S. Tax Return

J-1 Visa Tips: How to File your U.S. Tax Return

51.1 Tax Return company

https://www.sprintax.com/

52. J-1 Visa Tips: How to Drive in the U.S.

How to drive in the USA

51. J2 work permit, how to apply to a work permit for a J2

J2 work permit

53. Insurance companies

DIANisn Global DIANisn