Nacel Open Door

We are now seeking American homes for our students who will arrive from over 33 countries in August and in January to begin the “American Experience”.

TRAVEL POLICIES

The Academic Year Program supports international students who want to improve their English and learn more about the American culture through a semester or year long academic exchange program. The primary goal of the program is for students to attend school and experience America through their classroom and host family experiences. Although our program is not a travel program, we understand that many students do get the opportunity to travel while staying in the United States. However, since our program has an academic focus, we have guidelines in place regarding student travel, particularly overnight travel. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the Travel Director with all necessary forms 2-4 weeks prior to overnight travel. Nacel Open Door will contact you, your local representative, or your coordinator if additional travel forms are needed. If you do not hear from us, you can assume that we have all of the necessary paperwork and approve of the trip.

Students are not permitted to take a trip alone without adult supervision. They may travel alone by plane, only if they arrange to be met by an approved adult, but they are not permitted to travel alone by bus or train. Nacel Open Door reserves the right to reject any travel proposal that involves a “High Risk Activity.” These activities include, but are not limited to: hunting of any kind, handling firearms or any activity involving the use of firearms or weapons, skydiving, bungee jumping, and operating motor vehicles (ATVs, snowmobiles, cars, etc.). If you have questions regarding whether an activity is considered “High Risk” or not, please contact the national office.

Overnight Travel with the Host Family

Any time a student wants to travel overnight outside of their host community with their host parents, the student must submit:

Travel Proposal Form

Any time the student will travel outside of the United States with the host family, the student must submit:

Travel Proposal Form
Natural Parent Release for Travel with the Host Family Outside the United States
DS-2019 Form – the original “Certificate of Eligibility for J-1 Visa Status” must be sent via traceable mail or courier to the Nacel Open Door national office to be signed for re-entry into the United States. (This rule is waived for FLEX program participants, whose DS-2019 forms are issued directly by the U.S. Department of State.)

NOTE: If a student is planning to travel outside of the United States, he/she should please contact the national office and speak with the Travel Director regarding any visa forms that would need to be signed in order to re-enter the United States. Students must abide by the visa restrictions of the country they plan to visit, and it is the student’s responsibility to investigate such visa requirements. Nacel Open Door does not bear any responsibility for information or procedures relative to the visa requirements of the destination country.

Overnight Travel with an Adult Other Than the Host Parent

Any time a students wants to travel overnight within their host community, e.g. on a sleep-over, this is permitted without any documentation as long as the host parents know the parents at the home in which the student will stay. Sleep-overs are permitted without documentation for up to two consecutive nights. If a student intends to stay at another home in their host community for more than two nights consecutively, the student must submit:

Any time the host family does not know the parents at the home where the student will stay for a sleep-over, the student must submit

Any time the student plans to travel overnight outside the host community with someone who is not the host parent (e.g. another family, band director, church youth group, etc.), the student must submit:

Any time the student plans to travel overnight outside of the United States with someone who is not the host parent (e.g. another host family, band director, church youth group, etc.), the student must submit:

Travel Proposal Form
Host Parent Permission Form
Independent Party Receiving Acceptance Form for Independent Student Travel
Natural Parent Release for Travel with School, Church, Clubs, or any other Independent Party during the Program
DS-2019 Form – the original “Certificate of Eligibility for J-1 Visa Status” must be sent via traceable mail or courier to the Nacel Open Door national office to be signed for re-entry into the United States. (This rule is waived for FLEX program participants, whose DS-2019 forms are issued directly by the U.S. Department of State.)

Overnight Travel with the Natural Parents

NOTE: visits with the natural parents are discouraged until the end of the student’s program. Students are not permitted to return to their home country during their stay unless there are exceptional circumstances (e.g. a death in the immediate family). Travel to their home country would need to be specifically approved by the Travel Director.

Any time the student wants to travel overnight with their natural parents within the United States, the student must submit:

Any time the student wants to travel overnight with their natural parents outside of the United States, the student must submit:

Travel Proposal Form
Host Parent Permission Form
Natural Parent Release for Travel with Natural Parents
DS-2019 Form – the original “Certificate of Eligibility for J-1 Visa Status” must be sent via traceable mail or courier to the Nacel Open Door national office to be signed for re-entry into the United States. (This rule is waived for FLEX program participants, whose DS-2019 forms are issued directly by the U.S. Department of State.)

GENERAL TRAVEL FORMS: