Don't expect DS 19 form to arrive 6 weeks before your start date. Mine came just 4 weeks before the start date despite mailing them repeatedly. Getting appointment as of now is bit tough with regards to the COVID issue. But still they do provide working VISAs and certain categories of VISA on a priority basis especially the J1. I applied for the appointment in Chennai. It wasn't as tedious as much as I had expected it to be.