The information below is specifically for academic units. It provides an overview of the visa types, processing instructions, and fees.
Visa Types
There are various types of scholars and employees at the university who teach, conduct research, consult, or engage in specialty occupations. Those types include:
| ND Sponsored Petitions | ND Sponsored J-1 Scholars | Self Petitioned |
|---|---|---|
| H-1B | Research Scholar | F-1 OPT |
| O-1 | Professor | F-1 STEM OPT |
| TN Status | Short-Term Scholar | J-1 Academic Training |
| E-3 | Non-Degree Student (Research) | B-1/B-2 & ESTA |
| Permanent Residency |
Processing Instructions
The following processing procedures are the responsibility of the sponsoring department. It's important to note that both appointments and reappointments follow a similar workflow for establishing the appointment and submitting the appropriate immigration documentation.
Submit Immigration Request Form
The first step for all visa processing is to complete the Immigration Request Form (IRF). Once ISSA has received and reviewed all required information and documentation, ISSA will email the department with the recommended visa type. If the department decides to proceed with the recommended visa type, they will proceed with the hiring packet process and submit the appointment letter to ISSA via email (H-1B, O-1) or ISSAlink (J-1). At that point, ISSA will provide instructions on the next steps.
Submit requests and documentation for Notre Dame-sponsored faculty, researchers, and employees to ISSA
Academic units play an essential role in ensuring accurate and timely submission of immigration documents, whether that is compiling the hiring packet, gathering the necessary documentation and sharing with ISSA, or tracking the progress of scholars to campus.
Manage the invitation and appointment letter process
Most scholars and employees will need an invitation letter (B-1/WB visa) or appointment letter (all other categories) in order to conduct business on Notre Dame's campus. It is the academic unit's responsibility to work with the appropriate office to issue the necessary documentation.
Manage Onboarding and Arrival
Our international scholars are arriving from around the U.S. and the world, and the quality of their experience at Notre Dame is strongly impacted by the ease of their first few weeks in navigating campus and completing the required employment and immigration reporting responsibilities. Reach out to ISSA if a scholar’s start date and arrival on campus change from the original request.
Report Employee/Scholar Departure
The academic unit must contact ISSA (issa@nd.edu) before the H-1B, TN, E-3, or O-1 employee’s last day of employment; they will complete the “Early Termination Form” in ISSAlink for J-1 Scholars. Action should be taken no later than 10 days before the departure. Per U.S. immigration regulations, if the employer terminates employment before the end date listed on an H-1B or O-1 employee’s Approval Notice, the employer must offer to pay for the reasonable cost of return transportation abroad. Return transportation should be arranged no later than the end date of the H-1B Approval Notice or 60 days following the date of termination, whichever is earlier.
Fees
The academic unit is responsible for all legal, filing, and miscellaneous fees associated with employment based petitions. A review of Immigration Petition Fees by Visa type can be found here.