Personnel Action Request

Visa Request

Unless otherwise noted, data collected becomes part of the prospective employee's record and may be shared with the employee.

If you have questions or require assistance before submitting this form, Email MEHR.

International Visitor Information

All employees paid or non-paid are now required to be provided a list of physical or environmental demands they may encounter while performing work for you. The Mechanical Engineering HR/Payroll office will provide each employee an offer letter or appointment agreement with work activity and physical and environmental demands.

VISA TYPE

J1 VISA COST and PROCESSING TIME

Currently $0.00 cost to Department

J1 Process Time - Possibly 4 months from time of request to visa completion. The internation office requires 3 months from the time the international visitor completes iTerp

J-1 Visas CANNOT be expedited

Please note that the MEHR team processes a high volume of visas in addition to the payroll and HR needs of the department. Each visa takes considerable time to process. To help ensure that the visa's are processed in a timely manner, please allow for 4 months processing time from the request to the arrival of your visitor. We appreciate your patience as we work to bring your visitors onboard.

H1 VISA COST and PROCESSING TIME

$460.00 Application Fee

$500.00 Anti-Fraud Fee (Initial H-1 and transfers)

$1,410.00 Premium processing fee

H1 Process Time - 8 months from the time the International visitor completes iTerp

We are currently experiencing lengthy processing times of 8 months at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, as well as an increase in the number of Requests for Further Evidence.

Processing times for responding to Requests for Further Evidence is 30 days. ISSS works closely with the department to prepare a comprehensive and evidentiary response. Once USCIS receives the University’s response and supporting documentation, USCIS has 15 days to adjudicate the petition, under premium processing.

Note: Effective November 29, 2019, USCIS is increasing the premium processing fee from $1410.00 to $1440.00 for all I-129 and I-140 petitions.

The J-1 Visa provides countless opportunities for international candidates looking to travel and gain experience in the United States. The multifaceted programs enable foreign nationals to come to the U.S. to teach, study, conduct research, demonstrate special skills or receive on the job training for periods ranging from a few weeks to several years. Additional information on the most common categories can be found on the DOS website (links open a new tab):

J1 International Visitor

J1 Professor and Research Scholar

J1 Short Term Scholar

J-1 Intern/Trainee Important Information

• Sponsors must not place trainees in positions that require more than 20 percent clerical or office support work.
• Use of the Exchange Visitor Program for ordinary employment or work purposes is strictly prohibited.
• Sponsors are not to place trainee participants in positions which are filled, or would be filled, by full-time or part-time employees. Also, the training cannot duplicate a trainee participant’s prior work experience or training.

The US H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ graduate level workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields such as in IT, finance, accounting, architecture, engineering, mathematics, science, medicine, etc.

DHS Requirements are outlined here (opens in new tab):

Understanding H-1 B Requirements

The US H-1B transfer is used when a visitor is currently employed under an H1-B visa with another organization and needs to have the H1-B transferred to UMD. The same process is used for a transfer as a new H1-B visa. UMD's international office requires 6 months processing time for a transfer.

Site of Activity

Where will the visitor conduct the research.

Please Note: Visitors are not guaranteed space like offices. The Mechanicial Engineering Department is very limited on space and if you are bringing in a visitor, please know that it would be up to the person supervising the individual to utilize space that has been previously allotted to the supervising faculty.

Salary