International Services > Current and Prospective Employees

GHSU Employees Currently in H-1B, TN, E-3, or O-1 Status

MAINTAINING YOUR STATUS

Regardless of nonimmigrant status, the documentation secured for your employment at GHSU and stay in the United States is only valid while you are employed at GHSU.  IPSO should be notified of any plans for change to employment to avoid being considered out of status.

• Documentation
  • All documents issued by the U.S. Government or your home country in connection with your immigration status should be kept in a safe place, as they may be required for future immigration processing, travel, visa applications, work authorization, and/or related matters.  Replacement of documents is the responsibility of the employee.
    • Passport (Issued by:  Your Country of Citizenship)
      • Make sure to renew passports (including those of dependants) at the earliest opportunity
    • Visa  (Issued by:   United States Department of the State)
      • Your visa is your “ticket” into the United States.  It does not grant you valid status in the country.  The expiration of your visa does not necessarily mean your status in the U.S. has expired.  You do, however, need a valid visa to reenter the U.S. after any international travel.
    • I-797A Approval Form (Issued by:  United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)
      • This document gives you employment eligibility and often includes a new I-94 at the bottom of the form.  This form will indicate what status you are in, the sponsoring employer and the dates of validity.  The form is only valid for employment with the employer listed for the dates listed
    • I-94 (Issued by:  United States Customs and Border Protection or USCIS)
      • Issued by Customs and Border Protection when you enter the U.S. or attached at the bottom of an I-797 approval, the I-94 will list the dates of valid status in the country.  Your status must be extended before the end date listed on your I-94 or you must leave the U.S.

EXTENDING YOUR STATUS

Processing for the extension of your status can begin six months prior to expiration of your current status.  Your department will be notified of your pending expiration by IPSO.  It is the department’s decision whether or not to extend sponsorship of your status.  Once IPSO has received a department request to extend your status, we will contact you to advise what documentation will be needed for your extension.

• The “240 Day Rule”
  • Those in H-1B, TN and O-1 status are eligible for the “240 Day Rule” allowing them to continue working in valid status past their current expiration date while their extension is being adjudicated as long as their extension petition was filed prior to the expiration date.
  • E-3 holders are not eligible for the 240 Day Rule and must have approved extensions to work beyond their expiration date.
• H-1B status can be extended for 3 additional years past the initial three-year period.  With exceptions, the maximum time allowed in H-1B status is 6 years.
• E-3 status can be extended in two-year increments
• TN status can be extended in three-year increments
• O-1 status can be extended in one-year increments

TRAVEL

Current employees at GHSU in H-1B, TN, E-3, or O-1 status should notify IPSO in advance of making any international travel plans to ensure chances of travel delays due to immigration issues are minimized.

Travel in H-1B Status

OBTAINING AN H-1B VISA

Once you are in H-1B status, you will need a valid H-1B visa to enter or reenter the United States.  If you do not have a current valid H-1B visa, you will need to apply for a new one at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate which processes H-1B visas.  To find more information on specific embassies and their services and procedures, consult the US DOS website at:  http://www.usembassy.gov/.

Please carefully make note of the documents and fees required by the embassy/consulate.  You must prepare and pay for these documents yourself prior to your meeting with the consular officials or submission of your application.  When you notify IPSO of your plans to travel, a complete copy of your H1B petition as it was submitted to USCIS will be given to you to bring to your visa interview.

Please be aware that your visa application may be selected for a security check.  Most scientists and clinicians will be subject to this check because of the nature of their research and skills.  These security checks might delay the granting of your entry visa for 30-60 days or more.  This is a U.S. Department of State security clearance and cannot be influenced or expedited.  Please plan your travels and advise your department accordingly.

THIRD COUNTRY VISAS

Applicants for H-1B status will sometimes read on websites that it will be easier for them to secure their initial H-1B visa in Canada or Mexico.  This is not always the case:  It’s usually best for foreign nationals to apply at the U.S. embassy/consulate in their home country. A variety of factors can complicate Third Country National visa applications.  Consular officers may decide that the home country consulate is better able to assess eligibility (home country ties, etc.), deny the application, and suggest that they apply at home.

ENTERING THE U.S.

In H-1B status, you may enter the United States with a valid H-1B visa and the original I-797A approval notice.  In most cases you should be admitted for the duration of the approval notice. 

Upon entry into the United States, you will be issued an I-94 Arrival and Departure Record by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  It is important the date stamped on this form and your passport match the expiration date on your I-797A approval notice.  If the date stamped is earlier than this date, please have the officer check to make sure this has not been done in error.

CBP Website:   http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/i-94_instructions/filling_out_i94.xml

Nonimmigrants entering the United States should inspect Forms I-94 before leaving the immigration admissions area, to ensure their accuracy, including visa classifications and expiration dates.  Dependents, traveling with or separately from the beneficiary, likewise should, noting especially whether their admission period coincides with the beneficiary’s

Every time you enter the United States, for purposes of review and tracking, please send us a copy of the Form I-94 (front and back) issued to you. Also, please send us copies of any Forms I-94 issued to members of your family.

YOUR PASSPORT

Employees should take care to renew passports approaching expiration as early as possible.  Travel on passports approaching expiration within 3 years can result in the issuance of an I-94 expiring earlier than the dates listed on the I-797A approval notice, thereby requiring an early extension at the expense of the hiring department or early termination of the employee.

DOCUMENTATION OF YOUR TRAVEL

Any time you spend out of country does not count towards your total of 6 years in H-1B status, so you should make all efforts to retain documentation (tickets, itineraries, passport stamps, etc…) of any time you have spent out of country while in H-1B status.

Permanent Residency

IPSO processes LPR petitions only at the request of the GHSU officials, not at the request of the international scholar or employee.  The department chair, institute or center director must approve the sponsorship.  In the case of administrative appointments outside of academic departments, a senior administrator must approve the sponsorship.

As a service to GHSU employees, IPSO holds quarterly Permanent Residency Information meetings.  Space is limited and seats are allocated according to criteria as set by IPSO.  To submit your name for the waiting list to attend a meeting, please contact Saint Paul Gaffney at sgaffney@georgiahealth.edu