Originally Posted by
FatnLoud
[Conforming moderator edit to original post.]
Slightly more helpfully.... My nephew, a UK citizen, undertook a three month internship in Chicago. He required a letter of invitation from the firm and evidence he was returning to the UK ( a letter from his university was sufficient). He needed a visa, ESTA wasn't enough. but the process was relatively painless involving submitting the form and having an "interview" at the US Embassy where they talked through the form. I think it cost around £100.
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Unduly personalized text edited by Moderator per FT Rule 12.]
ESTA is NOT a visa just as a law student is not a lawyer in the accepted sense. Preciseness in framing a question correctly is essential in visa issues or you likely to get the wrong answer.
Your nephews story which may be warm and fuzzy is not really more helpful to the OP as it purely anecdotal and you have no way of knowing the OP;s full situation.
For the OP it would be difficult (but not impossible) to obtain a J1 visa, assuming all of the conditions are met, in time for an internship this summer given the current processing times in London. Have you actually obtained a DS-2019 yet?