In addition to monthly contacts, the Department of State requires that J-1 Visa Sponsors such as AFS conduct a special visit or visits to a host family’s home at the beginning of the host student’s placement there. For Permanent placements this is a one-time visit that must take place within the first 60 days of the placement. For Temporary or Welcome placements, the first visit must take place within the first 30 days and then recur every 30 days until a Permanent placement is found or that placement becomes permanent.

Special thanks to Patti Rounsevell, Volunteer Support and Liaison Coordinator of the Capital Team and member of the Compliance Advisory Group, and staff in multiple departments who worked together to create the following enhancements to the Contacts and Visits widget, which highlight when a student is in a Welcome or Temporary Placement and therefore in need of a 30-day in-home visit or visits.

Contacts & Visits Widget. When a volunteer clicks on the “Priority” column, students in Welcome and Temporary Placements move to the top of the list.

When hovering over “Welcome Placement,” volunteers are reminded that in-home visits are required every 30 days.

It is also indicated on the student’s profile if they are in a Welcome or Temporary Placement.

We hope that raising the profile of Welcome and Temporary Families within the widget will improve our compliance rates with the 30-day in-home visit requirement and ultimately help to ensure that our participants are placed in suitable homes and families.

For more information about required 30/60 day in-home visits, please click here.

Do you have any suggestions for improvements to MyAFS? Is there anything you’d like to see on Help & Learning? Let us know at askafs@afsusa.org!