Honoraria Payments to Internationals

Eligibility Limitations Payment Amount and Tax Withholding CUA International Faculty Receiving Honoraria

Within academia, it is a customary practice to give a visiting scholar a nominal monetary gift, generally at a time when the individual has come to campus to engage in some sort of academic activity during which he or she shares his or her expertise. Before extending an honorarium to an international scholar, it is important to first understand whether or not it is legally possible to pay the honorarim.

Eligiblity to Receive Honorarium

Not all foreign nationals can receive honoraria payments from the University. The following individuals are eligible to receive such payments:

• anyone with unrestricted work permission (U.S. citizens, permanent resident, asylee)
• an individual in J-1 professor, Research Scholar or Short Term Scholar who has received advanced, written permission from the "Responsible Officer" or the "Alternate Responsible Officer" of his/her J program to engage in the activity for which the honorarium will be given. No one else at the institution has the legal authority to grant this permission. [Legal reference: 22 C.F.R. 62.16 and 22 C.F.R. 62.20 (g)]
• an individual who entered the U.S. as a visitor in either B-1, B-2, WB, or WT status [Legal reference: American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act.]

No one else is eligible to receive honoraria payments. Individuals already in the U.S. in some other non-immigrant status are not eligible for honoraria payments unless they have been granted some form of unrestricted employment authorization. This does not mean that CUA cannot invite speakers from other institutions to lecture or give presentations. It does mean, however, that CUA will have to pay the individual's employer or sponsor for the amount of the honorarium and that institution will be responsible for dispersing those funds to the individual.

Limitations on Payment of Honoraria

In some circumstances there are limits on the duration of the specific activity and on the frequency that an international can receive an honorarium:

Amount and Taxability

Under immigration regulations, there is no limit on how much an individual can receive as an honorarium payment. It is important to note, however, that honoraria payments could be subject to tax withholding. CUA departments wishing to pay honoraria to internationals are encouraged to discuss this in advance with the Payroll office.