Regardless of whether the H-1B employee is inside or outside of the US at the time of the approval, they will have responsibilities to complete upon arrival on campus.
Arrival on campus from Outside US
Step 1 - Arrive at the US Port of Entry
You may enter the US up to 10 days prior to the start date listed on your H-1B Approval Notice (Form I-797).
You should bring the documents that you presented at the consulate in your carry-on luggage and be prepared to present them to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the airport.
A CBP officer will review the documents and determine whether you are eligible for entry. Many US airports have discontinued stamping passports with an entry stamp when you enter the US. Instead, each time you enter the US, the CBP officer creates an I-94 Arrival Departure Record. This record is considered your lawful record of admission and it establishes your immigration status.
Step 2 - Check I-94 Record
Find your I-94 here. Keep a printed I-94 with your immigration documents. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) advises that it may take up to three days from the date of an individual’s entry into the United States for I-94 information to become available online. After three days, if you have trouble accessing your I-94, contact ISSA.
The I-94 is important because it serves as evidence of the nonimmigrant status you were granted when you last entered the US. Your I-94 should list H-1B as your class of admission, and the “admit until” date should align with the validity end date on your H-1B approval notice.
Step 3 - Complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
This two-step process is managed by Human Resources, and you will receive an email to initiate Step 1. Step 2 must be completed on campus, and you will take your passport, visa (if applicable), approval notice, and I-94 to Human Resources (200 Grace Hall). The I-9 process must be completed within the first three days of employment.
Step 4 - Complete ISSA's International Employee Check-in Form
ISSA’s International Employee Check-In form can be accessed here. We ask that all employees in H-1B status complete the form within 3 days of starting their position at the university.
Step 5 - Apply For a Social Security Number
If you do not already have a Social Security Number (SSN), you will need to apply for one. We recommend going to the Social Security Administration (SSA) 10+ days after arriving in the US to allow for your entry data to reach the SSA. The SSA is open 9a-4p Monday through Friday, and is located at 602 S Michigan Street in South Bend. To get to the SSA, take bus #7 from the Library Circle to the South Street Station. The office is across the street from the bus station.
Below are the documents that you will need:
- Passport with admission stamp
- Printed I-94 from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home
- H-1B Approval Notice (Form I-797)
- Second form of photo identification (your university identification card, the Irish 1 Card, will suffice)
Arrival on campus from Inside US (or Change of Status)
If you have changed your status to H-1B or transferred your H-1B status to Notre Dame, you will complete the steps below after arriving on campus.
If you do not have a valid H-1B visa stamp in your passport when starting at Notre Dame, you will need to apply for the visa stamp when you next exit the US and need to re-enter.
Step 1 - Complete Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
This two-step process is managed by Human Resources, and you will receive an email to initiate Step 1. Step 2 must be completed on campus, and you will take your passport, visa (if applicable), approval notice, and I-94 to Human Resources (200 Grace Hall). The I-9 process must be completed within the first three days of employment.
Step 2- Complete ISSA's International Employee Check-In Form
ISSA’s International Employee Check-In form can be accessed here. We ask that all employees in H-1B status complete the form within 3 days of starting their position at the university.
Step 3 - Apply For A Social Security Number
If you do not already have a Social Security Number (SSN), you will need to apply for one. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is open 9a-4p Monday through Friday, and is located at 602 S Michigan Street in South Bend. To get to the SSA, take bus #7 from the Library Circle to the South Street Station. The office is across the street from the bus station.
Below are the documents that you will need:
- Passport with admission stamp
- H-1B Approval Notice (Form I-797) with I-94
- Second form of photo identification (your university identification card, the Irish 1 Card, will suffice)