UCAR International Visitor & Scholar Services

1. Passports
2. Visas
3. I-94 Arrival/Departure Record

1. PASSPORTS

Your passport must be valid at least six (6) months into your authorized visit dates, otherwise the U.S. Embassy will not issue you a visa. It is your responsibility to note the expiration date of your passport and to have it extended at least six months before it expires. Passports may take a number of weeks to process. Please take into consideration adequate processing time of this document prior to making any travel arrangements.

2. VISAS

A visa is a document stamped or affixed to a bearer's passport that enables the bearer to apply for admission into the United States under the conditions specified for the type of visa the bearer holds. A visa is not authorization for employment, nor is it a guarantee that the visa holder will be allowed entry. Work authorization is additional documentation a nonimmigrant receives that verifies employment eligibility in the United States. Different visa types carry different document restrictions - we strongly recommend that you contact UCAR's Foreign Visitor Coordinator when planning international travel in order to determine what documents you will need to carry.

All visiting foreign scholars, regardless of the immigration arrangements made for them, must have official appointments with UCAR. There are a variety of visa categories available to bring foreign visitors or scholars to UCAR on either salaried or non-salaried appointments. Foreign visitors and scholars are strongly urged to use the appropriate visa when traveling to the United States. If you have any questions as to what type of visa is appropriate for your appointment, please contact the UCAR Foreign Visitor Coordinator for assistance. Please note that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may deny an application for a change of status for a visitor who indicates one intention when first entering the U.S. and then immediately develops a different set of intentions.

Information on the various visas most used by UCAR visitors is available at the links below. Processing information is also outlined. Please feel free to contact your host administrator or the UCAR Foreign Visitor Coordinator if you have any questions.

3. I-94 ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE RECORD

Your I-94 indicates how long you are eligible to remain in the United States. It is the small white card that is usually stapled into your passport when you enter the United States. This is a very important document. If you are a short-term visitor, you may have an expiration date written on your I-94. If you have "D/S" (Duration of Status) written on your I-94 instead of a date you are eligible to remain in the United States for the time period listed on your work or visitation authorization documents (DS-2019, H-1B Approval Notice, I-20, etc.). Please remember that your I-94 is NOT your visa.

When your appointment has ended and you leave the country, the immigration officer will remove the card from your passport. If you will be traveling briefly outside of the United States while your work or visitation authorization is still valid, you can leave and return using the same I-94 card. However, if you receive a change of status and travel outside of the United States, you will receive a new I-94 card when you reenter the United States to reflect your change of status.

If you are traveling to the United States in TN (NAFTA) status from Canada, your I-94 card will become your work authorization documentation and the document you will need to present to prove your eligibility to work in the United States on the I-9 form.

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