What visa do I need for Camp America?

You need a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa in the Camp Counselor category. You cannot apply for it yourself — your camp agency or coaching company sponsors it and issues your DS-2019. The steps are: get placed, receive your DS-2019, pay the SEVIS fee ($35), complete the DS-160 and pay the roughly $185 application fee, and attend an in-person interview at the US Embassy in London or Belfast. New for 2026, a $250 Visa Integrity Fee is charged when the visa is issued.

The Camp America Visa, Explained in Plain English (J-1, 2026)

You need a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa, in the Camp Counselor category. You can't apply for it yourself — your agency or coaching company sponsors it and issues your DS-2019. The path is a to-do list, not a wall: get placed, get your DS-2019, pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160, and interview at the US Embassy in London or Belfast.

The word "visa" scares people off more than the cost does. It shouldn't. It's a well-worn path tens of thousands walk every year. Here's the whole shape of it.

The category you're on

Football coaches go on the J-1 Camp Counselor category. You need to be at least 18, proficient in English, and a "post-secondary student, youth worker, teacher, or individual with specialized skills" — so you do not have to be a current university student. (That's Summer Work Travel, a different category used for support staff.)

You can't do it alone

There's no government form where you request a J-1 yourself. Every J-1 is issued through a designated sponsor — which is exactly why the agencies and coaching companies exist. Your sponsor confirms you're eligible, issues your DS-2019 (the key document), and must support you 24/7 in the States.

The steps

Get accepted and matched to a camp.
Your sponsor issues your DS-2019 — guard it.
Pay the SEVIS fee ($35) at fmjfee.com and keep the receipt. (It's $35 for camp counsellors — not the $220 quoted for other visa types.)
Complete the DS-160 form and pay the MRV application fee (~$185).
Attend your in-person interview at the US Embassy in London (or Belfast).

The full step-by-step visa chapter is in the book — including the interview and what actually goes wrong. £14, instant PDF + ePub.

Get the book — £14

The new 2026 cost

New for 2026 is a $250 Visa Integrity Fee, charged when your visa is issued. It applies to camp coaches, including UK applicants, and there's no way around it via the visa waiver — a J-1 always needs the in-person consulate stamp. Most agency cost pages haven't updated for it yet. Your total US government visa cost is therefore about $470 (roughly £367): $185 + $35 + $250.

The interview: the "will you come home?" test

The consular officer is really asking one thing: are you going to go for the summer and actually come home? Most refusals are simply "I'm not convinced you'll come back," so your job is to show strong ties to the UK — a place at uni, a job, family — and a clear, honest plan. If you're a genuine summer coach going home afterwards, that's the easiest story in the world to tell. One 2026 wrinkle: vetting now looks at social media, so keep your profiles sensible.

This is plain-English guidance, not legal or immigration advice. J-1 rules and fees are set by the US government and change — always confirm on j1visa.state.gov and with your sponsor before you rely on anything.

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