ComplaintsforInternational Cultural Exchange Services ICES

• Initial Complaint

  07/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  The reason for this email is to send you our claim for the mismanagement that has been carried out with our daughter in relation to the J1 program for the academic year 2021-22. Although we understand the situation generated by covid-19, there are two points that are not justified even with the situation experienced by the pandemic and that we consider are grounds for claiming damages and that we will now detail. Our daughter Elena **** ***** wanted to attend grade 11 in the US during the current academic year, 2021-22. We hired the *** ********* **agency in Spain, who is cc’d to this email, we prepared all the documentation that was presented at ICES in December 2020. On January 7, 2021, we received the acceptance from ICES into the program J1. Our daughter finally, despite being accepted into the program since January, has not been able to attend her junior year (11th grade) in the United States because she did not get a placement. The claim we make to ICES is as follows: Elena was accepted into the program on January 7, except for an error on our part, nowhere is it reflected that even though she is accepted into the program there may be reasons why she finally would not be able to attend the school year in the US. In other words, her acceptance to the program is a commitment on the part of ICES to find a location (family and school) so that she could attend the academic year. Regardless of the circumstances and the difficulties encountered by the pandemic, we understand it as a non-compliance because the program was not canceled due to the pandemic, simply the problem was that they accepted more students than they should have. As we have stated, we understand the situation that generated the pandemic but the management in this regard has not been adequate. Our *** ********* **agency never told us that this could happen, they told us about the difficulty they were having in finding a family and / or school due to the pandemic but they never told us that Elena might not be able to go because they could not find a placement (Location and family). In fact, they did not even warn us or recommend that we should look for an alternate school in Spain in case they weren’t able to find a place for our daughter, which is what ended up happening. They had us waiting to receive PCF until September 7 without communicating to us that our daughter was not going to be traveling to the US to attend her 11th grade. Summary of communications received and / or transmitted by *** *********: - 01/07/2021 Acceptance Letter sent by ICES - 03/16/2021 They communicated an appointment at the American embassy, and we proceeded to make the full payment to attend junior year (11th grade) with the J1 program. In this same email they communicated the dates of the orientation course (Orientation Dates for ICES NY and LA campus) - 05/17/2021 First time they told us that everything was running late, family and / or school reluctance due to a pandemic. They asked us for authorization to get COVID vaccine in the US, if necessary, they communicated the cancellation of the conviction program and that as of June 6, ICES would begin to send a summons, the PCF. - 07/01/2021 We received information about the medical insurance contracted by ICES, and they informed us of the option to pay for an upgrade ($150) to be covered for COVID - 07/27/2021 We obtained Elena’s visa - 08/18/2021 They reported that at this point they still had students who had not been placed but that they would inform us as soon as the PCF would arrive.They also communicated that no American agency would cancel the program for not being able to guarantee placement. They continued to give hope and asked for patience, with August quite advanced, they did not convey their concern if ICES would finally not find a location nor did they advise us to look for a school in Spain. - 08/23/2021 They send an email from ICES saying that to this day they still have no information about the students who remain unassigned but that they will inform us as soon as they have news. They clarify that ICES at no time transmits that it will not prosper or that it is canceled, so we continue to think that at some point the location will come to us. - 08/27/2021 They comment on the two options that exist, continue waiting the 4 days remaining to August 31 so that if the PCF does not arrive, ICES cancel the program or transfer the enrollment to the academic year 2021/22. - 09/07/2021 *** ********* (Ana ********) informed us that ICES had just officially communicated the cancellation and they communicated that they were not able to find a place for Elena. In this particular email that Ana ******** sent us , is when we accidentally found out about the email that ICES sent on July 15th which was never sent to us (Email that I attach with subject ICES August 2021 Placement Season Update). - 09/29/2021 They reimbursed us the money by ICES At no time did they alert us or encourage us to think about other school options in Spain and not only that, but they had us waiting with stress and uncertainty until September 9, without appropriate information than the one mentioned and being impossible to contact them by phone. For all this, I think it is clear the reasons that make me request that the cost of the visa be assumed by *** *********, ICES ?or by whom it corresponds. We already commented on all this to *** ********* but their reply was that they were not going to assume that cost and that if we wanted to make a claim we would make it directly to ICES. (Email is attached with the claim made to *** ********* with subject ********** ******* ******** ** ***** ****). Our daughter was super excited to attend the school year 2021-22. She had been preparing to study abroad for a year. She did not enjoy the summer (2021) nor could she make any plans(neither us) because *** ********* were supposed to notify her of her travel itinerary. The whole situation has been really frustrating. We are really disappointed and emotionally drained..We ask at a minimum that the cost of the visa be reimbursed to us. If the email of July 15 had been sent to us notifying us of the situation, we would never have obtained Elena's visa. If we are not successful in getting reimbursed for the cost of the visa we will be forced to file a complain with the Better Business Bureau and let people know about our experience with your agencies through all social media networks. One of our objectives with this email is to send you our dissatisfaction and emphasize the mismanagement carried out from our point of view, by our agency in Spain *** ********* that did not even have the detail of communicating the decision that ICES sent of july 15 with very important information and that they never transmitted to us. I highlight the next part of the message that would have been key for us (Also, there will be no cancellation fee for unplaced students cancelling their August 2021 program and ICES will provide a full refund for all students that cancel their academic exchange program. This is to provide the opportunity for students to have adequate time to make school arrangements in their home country). Sincerely, Raquel ****

  Customer response

  07/13/2023

  Here is the information and receipt for the visa.

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