Visas for Postdoctoral Scholars
At Stanford University, approximately 50% of the scholars are non-U.S. citizens. The Bechtel International Center is Stanford University’s office responsible for visas and compliance for postdocs at Stanford. Bechtel offers services and guidance and seminars for postdocs and administrators on visa and immigration issues pertinent to students and scholars.
International Postdoctoral Scholars at Stanford are sponsored on J-1 visas. Prospective postdocs who are currently in the United States on student visas may be appointed as postdocs for the period of their EAD card validity dates while they are during their post-completion F-1 OPT/CPT. [Please note that Stanford currently participates in E-Verfiy only for a very limited number of federal contracts. Employment outside of these federal contracts is not covered by E-Verify and is, therefore, not eligible for STEM extensions.] Other visa statuses (including H-1B sponsorships) are rare or not allowed (see H-1B and J-1 visa comparison and further information below). Postdocs receive a J-1 Research Scholar sponsorship.
The J-1 Process:
New Postdoctoral Appointments: The sponsoring department originates aJ-1 request online (also known at DS-2019 request). The request is received by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA), and is approved in conjunction with the approval of the postdoctoral appointment. When the appointment is approved, the approval of the DS-2019 follows and is forwarded to Bechtel for the processing of the DS-2019 document that the Scholar needs to obtain a visa to the United States or validate legal presence.
OPA requires the complete online appointment information submitted online to accompany an initial visa request for a new scholar. The only exception to the complete packet requirement is proof of degree, where a letter issued by the scholar’s institution indicating the completion or near completion of the doctorate is accepted in lieu of the diploma, in order to facilitate the speed by which the Scholar may arrive in the US due to the delays in making appointments with the embassies and in making relocation arrangements.
Extensions of Existing Postdoctoral Appointments at Stanford: In the case of extensions, the DS-2019 extension is submitted online by the department administrator along with a Change Form noting the extension of the appointment is required to approve both forms.
Department Staff Responsibilities regarding J-1 Sponsorhip:
Department administrators are responsible for implementing University policy and procedures in compliance with federal regulations. Responsibilities of Sponsoring Departments for J-1 Scholars are found on the Bechtel International Centerwebsite: http://icenter.stanford.edu/depts/responsibilities_J.html. Additional information including Frequently Asked Questions is available through Bechtel as well.
The H-1B Process:
H-1B visas are viewed as exception category of visas for postdoctoral scholars at Stanford. Requests for H-1B status for postdoctoral scholars are reviewed by a university Review Board and in the absence of compelling circumstances that support an H-1B request or petition, the scholar will be expected to be in a J-1 status while in postdoctoral training at Stanford.
For more detailed information regarding university policy on visas for postdoctoral scholars, search for the H-1B memo clarifying the university’s policy and process on the Postdoc Administrator Blog.
The H-1 Visa Overview | Frequently Asked Questions for International Students | H-1B and J-1 Comparison | Maintaining your H-1B Visa Status at Stanford University | H-1B Visa Request & Petition Form | For Administrators: Implementation Guidelines of the H-1B Policy for Postdoctoral Scholars & H-1B Review Board Meetings Schedule | University H-1B Policy for Postdoctoral Scholars
**last updated 05.25.12 (JTJ)**