VISAS

There are many non-immigrant visa classifications. The categories most frequently used to permit a foreign scholar to be appointed at Harvard are the J-1 Exchange Visitor and the H-1B Temporary Worker. (See below: Non-Immigrant Visa Categories)

It is important that an advisor in the HIO choose the most appropriate visa category in each case. The type of visa chosen depends on many factors: the source and amount of the scholar's salary or funding, the nature and duration of the appointment, how soon the appointment will begin, whether the individual is currently in the U.S. or has recently been in the U.S. and is therefore subject to certain restrictions.

Departments should never suggest that the individual come to the U.S. without the appropriate visa documents, since it is not always possible to correct the situation without traveling outside the U.S. and reentering in the proper visa status. There have been instances where scholars who have arrived in the wrong status have had to return to their home country to correct the problem, significantly delaying their appointments. There is also a possibility that the scholar would be sent back to his/her home country without being admitted to the U.S. and further barred from entering the U.S. in the future.

Visa Stamp

A United States non-immigrant visa is issued and stamped in the visitor's passport by an American consul outside the United States. A visa stamp is used solely for permission to enter or reenter the U.S. The visa stamp does not control how long a visitor may remain in the U.S. That is, a visa stamp is used only to cross borders. The visa stamp authorizes the visitor to enter the U.S. to engage in a particular activity using a specific visa type (e.g., J-1, H-1B, F-2, etc.). The visa stamp has an expiration date and may be valid for several months, or several years, depending on geo-political reciprocity agreements. For a listing, by country of origin, of the validity length of U.S. visas, see information on HIO web or Go Here. The visa stamp will either be valid for one, two, or an unlimited number ("M" or multiple) of entries.

While it is possible to apply for a visa stamp or a renewal of a visa stamp at any United States consulate abroad, the foreign scholar may find that a consular official in a third country may not issue the visa and may require that the scholar return to his or her home country for visa issuance. Please see the travel section of our web page for further information. If there are questions, any scholar who is traveling outside of the United States is encouraged to consult with their advisor in the HIO before departure.

Visa Status

When a foreign scholar enters the U.S., an officer of the U.S. Government will check the visa stamp and the accompanying visa documents (J visa Form DS-2019, H-1B approval notice Form I-797, etc.) and will issue a small white card (Form I-94) indicating how long the visitor may remain inside the United States. Foreign scholars who are not paid by Harvard or an affiliated hospital should be prepared to present evidence of their financial resources. J and F visa holders should see the notation "D/S" on the I-94 card. This means "duration of status," or for the length of time marked on the visa document. H-1B, TN, O-1 and other visa holders will have an actual expiration date on their I-94 cards, by which time they should leave the U.S. or apply for an extension of their authorized stay.

Once inside the U.S. it is not necessary to renew the U.S. visa stamp in the passport in order to remain legally. However, visitors may need to extend their "Authorized Stay" by extending their visa documents. The visa document and the I-94 card indicate how long visitors may remain in the U.S. In addition, legal visa status requires that the visa holder maintain the activity he or she came to the U.S. to engage in (researcher, professor). Should the scholar or his/her family member(s) plan to travel outside the U.S., they would need to obtain new visa stamps, if their visa stamps have expired.