International Student and Scholar Services

International Faculty, Researchers, Staff, and Visitors

International faculty, researchers, staff, and visitors are a vital part of Catholic University's intellectual community, providing diverse perspectives and cultural insights in the advancement of academic scholarship. CUA sponsors scholars for a variety of different nonimmigrant classifications, depending upon the purpose and nature of their visit. All requests for university sponsorship officially begin in the host department or School. Although ISSS handles the immigration processing, it is based upon the sponsorship information provided by the host School or Department. These pages are intended to provide information needed by CUA departments and their international scholars when bringing internationals to campus to engage in scholarly activity.

What CUA Schools & Departments need to know about hosting/sponsoring international faculty, researchers, and visiting scholars

• Recruiting international faculty and/or staff
• Hosting Fulbright Scholars
• Reporting Requirements for J-1 scholars
• Tax withholding

Deciding appropriate nonimmigrant status for internationals coming to campus

• Understanding the legal definitions of employee, volunteers, interns, independent contractors
• Immigration options for internationals who will not be paid by CUA
  • Visitor status
  • Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status
• Immigration Options for internationals who will be paid by CUA
  • Visiting scholars receiving Honoraria Payments
  • J-1 Exchange Visitor (professor, researcher, specialist) and his/her dependents
  • H-1B temporary worker in specialty occupation
  • Free Trade Agreements
    • E-3 Australian specialty worker
    • Temporary Worker from Singapore (H-1B variant)
    • Temporary Worker from Chile (H-1B variant)
    • TN Temporary worker from Canada or Mexico under North American Free Trade Agreement
  • O-1 outstanding professor or researcher

What international faculty, researchers and visiting scholars need to know about applying for a visa

• Applying for a visa
• How long does it take to get a visa
• reciprocity agreements
• photo requirements
• The visa waiver program

What international faculty, researchers and visiting scholars need to know about entering the U.S.

• how early can one arrive?
• What can I bring into the U.S.?
• what to expect at the port of entry
• Understanding the difference between a visa and immigration status

What CUA Departments and Schools need to know about sponsoring CUA employees for Permanent Residency

• Step One: Establishing Eligiblity and initiating the sponsorship process
• Step Two: Petitioning USCIS for Classification for Permanent Residency through employment at CUA
• Step Three: Applying to be an Immigrant: the final phase of the green card process

What international faculty, researchers and visiting scholars need to know about maintaining legal status in the U.S.

• Travel outside the U.S. and Visa Renewals
• Reporting Address Changes
• Tax filing obligations (all internationals are required to file some tax forms, even if no US-sourced income was earned)

What international faculty, researchers and visiting scholars need to know about bringing family to the U.S.

• dependents (husband/wife and/or unmarried children under age of 21.)
• domestic partners and extended family
• What international scholars need to know about living in the U.S.

Immigration-related information