NON-IMMIGRANT STATUS
Nonimmigrant status is temporary. The foreign national has been conferred an immigration status which will end at a certain date. The activity for which the foreign national has been admitted to the United States is restricted by and consistent with his/her visa type. Nonimmigrant employment based options for faculty, scholars and staff at Texas A&M University are the following:
(i)
H-1B Facts
(a)
J1 Newsletter
(b)
Health Insurance Requirements for J's
INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING GENERAL PETITION PROCESSING PROCEDURES
International Faculty and Scholar Services (hereinafter IFSS) is committed to render a more efficient service to our employing departments and foreign nationals. Accordingly, we have developed procedures, which we hope will enhance our service and help expedite the processing of petitions, in a timely fashion. We ask that you to please comply with them.
In addition, hiring departments as well as foreign nationals are surprised to learn how much time it takes to process nonimmigrant and immigrant petition from beginning to end. In order to assist hiring departments and foreign national employees in calculating the estimated processing times and submission of the documentation to IFSS we have developed the
IFSS Procesing Time Chart
(1)
If you are not familiar with the requirements and documentation needed in order for IFSS to file the appropriate petition, please read carefully the entire text concerning Procedural Steps in Obtaining the Visa Classification sought. Throughout the text you will see specific references to the documentation that we will need from the foreign national and the hiring department. Please compile the supporting documentation requested.
(2)
All supporting documentation from the foreign national and the hiring department should be collected by the hiring department and submitted by the hiring department to IFSS.
(3)
The check(s) to cover the USCIS filing fee(s) should be submitted to IFSS together with the supporting documentation at the beginning of the petitioning process.
(4)
Every foreign national must complete a
questionnaire
that pertains to the visa classification sought. This questionnaire is intended to compile important information regarding the individual and his/her family. This information will help IFSS in the processing of the application.
(5)
Applications for any immigration processing must have the required supporting evidence. Attached to the different immigration categories you will find a Request for Supporting Documentation. Please find the applicable immigration category and check that all the documentation requested is enclosed with your petition. You can quickly find what forms you need by visiting IFSS Forms Check List.Note that IFSS will not accept any application for processing until all the required documentation is submitted. Incomplete application will be returned to the hiring department.
(6)
The hiring department will be responsible for the cost of sending the application to USCIS via US certified mail return receipt. If the hiring department wishes or otherwise is required to send the foreign national's petition by express courier service, the hiring department must provide IFSS with the appropriate airbill for the express mail service showing the hiring departments account number and other necessary data.
(7)
Two complete sets of copies of all supporting documentation must be submitted with the application. If photocopies are not submitted IFSS will charge the department the cost of the photocopies.Photocopies must be submitted together with a
Certification of True Copies
signed by the beneficiary.
