J1 Visa and time spent in the US

[Dawson12 0]

Dear all, I need some reassurance/information to help calm my nerves or offer advice?

Here is the situation:

For the past 3 years I have worked as a Camp Counsellor in the US, each time was approx 100 days. This year in addition to my J1 camp counsellor visa stay I have returned in December under the VWP program for an extended trip, as I've only ever worked during the summers and wanted to visit with friends that I've made over my time spent here and to stay with my US boyfriend for the holidays. I will have been here for a total of 84 days from December to late February. (as a side note, I was taken into secondary screening at the POE when I came in December, they asked me a few questions about why I was here for so long, money etc. I told them the truth about visiting friends I'd made and about staying with my boyfriend for a few weeks, they rang my boyfriend to double check and then were fine and let me through).

So my issue is that my Camp want to hire me again but for a longer period of the maximum 4 months allowed on the J1 Camp Counsellor visa, so my plan is to go home in late february and return in mid april and then leave late september. I have proof of ties in the form of - A job offer to return to, a rental agreement, phone contract bills/statements and sports club/team membership as well as all of the usual proof of family and friends etc to present at my J1 visa interview. Essentially I'm worried that I may be denied a visa or denied entry at POE simply because of the amount of time I will of spent here, or is it the case that as long as I can show the proof of ties that I have mentioned, the amount of time in the US is not an issue?

Any and all help would be greatfully recieved, my long term plan is to marry my US boyfriend at some point and apply for AOS but this won't be for a few years and I will still maintain sufficient ties with the UK but i guess I will be trying to come back and forth under different visas for the foreseeable future, so any advice on that topic would be great to!

[HFM181818 750]

what sort of visa are you seeking?

[Dawson12 0]

what sort of visa are you seeking?

I will be seeking a J1 Camp Counsellor Visa

[HFM181818 750]

but they are limited to a certain amount of time....what visa status will you be in to work past that limit?

[Dawson12 0]

The J1 Counsellor visa is 4 months with a 30 day grace period either side. So my plan is to return to the UK at the end of February and then come back to the US in mid april during my 30 day grace period, begin work at camp at the beginning of may, finish at camp in August and have a few weeks vacation then return home? After that I have no idea what my plans are going forward with future visas etc. but i will return to the UK to a job to teach in September.

[HFM181818 750]

you said that the 'camp' wants you to work there more than the allowable 4 months....so, in what status do they plan to have you work?

[Dawson12 0]

Ah, sorry, more clarity needed! I meant that in prior years they have only employed me for around 2.5 months but this year they'd like to have me for the maximum 4 that i'm allowed under the visa

[HFM181818 750]

oh, never mind....