USAID RO Announcement: Using the Latest Version of Form 1381-6

Following, is an announcement from the USAID RO from an email sent to all Visa Compliance System R2 Verifiers:

As many of you know, EGAT recently revised the Conditions of Sponsorship Form (Form 1381-6). The latest version is dated 12/07. It has come to our attention that older versions of form 1381-6 are still being used.

The Conditions of Sponsorship form is important because it clearly and in a detailed way spells-out all of the responsibilities that an exchange visitor must agree to prior to traveling to the United States.

It is particularly important that this latest version, found here http://www.usaid.gov/forms/ be completely discussed with, understood, and signed by participant trainees and exchange visitors, because it contains the following statement:

"I agree to repay all training costs plus possible penalty charges, administrative costs, and interest in case of late payment, if I fail to return home at the end of my program, unless deferred by USAID. The repayment of these costs does not in any way eliminate or waive the two-year home residency requirement. USAID will bill me for these costs at the last known address on record. I understand that any amounts which may be due USAID as a result of my failure to meet the terms of these Conditions of Sponsorship may be withheld from monies owed me by the U.S. government or may be recovered by such other methods as permitted by law."

I have pasted the applicable language from ADS 252 below.

Some Missions task their partner organizations, such as yours, with making sure that U.S.-bound participant trainees and exchange visitors sign this form. Other Missions initiate signature themselves. If you have this responsibility, please make sure that you always use the form dated 12/07, or later if amended.

Thank you. Jim Nindel, EGAT/ED

252.3.6 Conditions of Sponsorship and Pre-Departure Orientation

Effective Date: 03/22/2007

All Exchange Visitors must understand and sign a Conditions of Sponsorship for J-1 Visa Holders, AID Form 1381-6. The Exchange Visitor must sign this form before accepting USAID sponsorship. The Exchange Visitors should sign a copy in their primary language, if a translation is available. Sponsoring Units and partner organizations must ensure that they are using the most recent version of this form (dated 08/2005 or later). A signed copy must be retained by the Sponsoring Unit and the partner organization, as well as given to the Exchange Visitor.

Sponsoring Units must ensure that all Exchange Visitors take part in a pre-departure orientation to prepare them for their trip to the United States.

The following subsections discuss the minimum essential conditions of sponsorship that must be addressed during an Exchange Visitor's pre-departure orientation (see also ADS 253):