FAQs for Departments Sponsoring International Faculty and Researchers

In general, OGS provides immigration support to individuals who have been formally appointed to teaching or research positions at NYU. Please refer to NYU's policy on the Appointment of Foreign Nationals.

The established liaison for your department (typically an administrator) must submit a visa sponsorship request on behalf of the scholar. If you are not the liaison, please contact your department’s liaison to begin the process.  Visit Determining What Visa is Best for Your Scholar to review possibilities, and contact OGS with further questions.

Departments are responsible for initiating all visa sponsorship requests. There are also a number of responsibilities that departments need to consider throughout a scholar’s appointment at NYU. Please refer to Responsibilities of the Academic Department/Liaison.

Each visa classification requires different preparation time and processes. Please follow the timelines listed to select achievable start dates for individuals requiring visa sponsorship.

While F-1 OPT may be a possible source of employment authorization with NYU, departments should seek advice on this classification from the F-1 visa sponsor. F-1 students sponsored by NYU should speak with an international student advisor. NYU OGS Scholar Services does not administer the F-1 visa. 

In regards to F-1 STEM OPT, NYU is not a fully E-Verify employer. The F-1 STEM OPT extension cannot be used for employment at NYU. Please review NYU’s E-Verify and STEM OPT policy.

Similar to F-1 OPT, J-1 Student Academic Training may be a possible source of employment authorization with NYU, but departments should seek advice on this classification from the J-1 visa sponsor. J-1 students sponsored by NYU should speak with an international student advisor. NYU OGS Scholar Services does not administer the J-1 student visa.

Some general visits may allow for travel under a visitor visa status such as the  B-1/B-2 visa and the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA). Visitors can only receive funds from NYU in limited circumstances. These statuses do not require formal sponsorship through NYU OGS. The B visa or Visa Waiver Program should only be used for visits such as a purely independent research visit, interview with a department, speaking engagement, etc. 

Anything that can be considered an exchange or benefit to NYU would require formal visa sponsorship. OGS typically recommends the J-1 as the safest option for anyone holding a formal unpaid affiliation like Visiting Scholar or Research Affiliate with NYU. Contact OGS with any questions.

In most situations, the individual will need confirmation on this topic from their visa sponsor directly. Whether an individual can work at NYU under a visa not sponsored by NYU OGS will depend on a variety of factors. Please contact OGS for further guidance.

New scholars should be on-boarded by the department in accordance with their academic affiliation. This may involve the department obtaining a NetID/N-Number for them, onboarding them with Human Resources, or other departmental/employment matters.

For immigration-specific requirements, J-1 scholars should review the J-1 Arrival Checklist and complete the OGS J-1 check-in form as soon as possible after entering the US.

H-1B, E-3, TN, or O-1 scholars should complete the OGS registration form.

Academic departments are responsible for coordinating the NetID/N-Number on behalf of the scholar, as it is directly connected to their NYU academic appointment. Departments should contact the relevant office (such as Human Resources or Academic Appointments) for assistance.

Please consult with Human Resources for confirmation on whether a particular scholar will need a SSN for payment from NYU. If the scholar has previously obtained a SSN, they can use that same number; it is good for their lifetime. Scholars who need to apply for a new SSN should review the SSN page for instructions.

Scholars should review the tax information on our tax information page which has some basic information, tax resources, FAQs, and links to software. OGS is primarily an immigration services office and cannot advise on tax issues; however, OGS regularly invites tax specialists to host workshops during the tax season; this is advertised to scholars via email. For further or more specific assistance, scholars must consult with a tax professional as listed in the resources section of the tax information page.

For information on current federal immigration requirements to enter the US, please review the OGS travel advisory page (see “United States”). Please note this information can change quickly; contact OGS with any questions.

For information on University requirements for vaccination or boosters, please review the NYU Returns page. Questions relating to NYU employees should be directed to Human Resources; questions relating to campus affiliates should be directed to the Extended Community Support Team.

J-1/J-2 visa holders are legally required to have insurance that meets specific requirements. Please refer J-1 scholars to the J-1 health insurance information page for details.

While health insurance is not a formal immigration requirement for scholars on the H-1B, E-3, TN, or O-1 visa (and their dependents), it’s highly advisable for all individuals to have health insurance that meets their particular needs.

Being outside of the US may cause difficulties related to payroll or appointment/employment status, which can then impact a scholar’s eligibility for visa sponsorship. This topic should be discussed with the department’s Human Resources officer. Ultimately, OGS can only advise on immigration-specific matters. Human Resources would need to assess whether any particular individual is permitted to work remotely abroad.

A scholar’s physical location can have an impact on specific immigration requirements. Scholars (or the department) should contact OGS before engaging in work/residing outside of the NYC area.

Whether a scholar can be paid by US entities other than NYU would depend on their visa classification. Scholars should contact OGS before engaging in any paid activities outside of NYU.

Engaging in studies could conflict with a scholar’s immigration status. They should contact OGS for advice before engaging in any studies.

There are several immigration options for family members, depending on their relationship to the scholar, their length of stay, if they want to work in the US, and their country of citizenship. Formal visa sponsorship through OGS is possible for legally married spouses of the scholar, as well as the scholar’s children if they are unmarried and under the age of 21. Contact OGS with any eligibility questions.

The answer will depend on the scholar and spouse/partner’s visa classification. More information can be found on the Study, Work and Volunteering in the US page. If a scholar has further questions, they should contact OGS.