International employees are welcome at Sewanee.
The Office of Global Citizenship supports international faculty and staff in establishing and maintaining immigration status and employment authorization in the United States. Select a link below for more information.
University-Sponsored Immigration Status
Traveling Abroad
Information for Current H-1B Visa Holders
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful Links
University-Sponsored Status
The University sponsors international faculty and staff for a variety of immigration statuses, depending on the employee’s circumstances. Read about the most common types of sponsorship and the related immigration processes on these fact-sheets:
The University is also designated by the Department of State to sponsor eligible non-tenure-track faculty, such as those coming to the University for a fellowship, for J-1 Exchange visas.
For general questions about the J-1 visa and eligibility, contact the Assistant Counsel for Global Affairs. For questions about documentary and other requirements, contact the University’s J-1 Responsible Officer (RO).
Traveling Abroad
Non-U.S.-citizen faculty and staff should contact the Assistant Counsel for Global Affairs well in advance of travel abroad, to ensure that they have the documentation necessary to enter a third country and to reenter the United States, and because departing the country can affect some immigration processes.
Non-citizen travelers should also be aware of possible delays in processing visas abroad and plan travel accordingly.
Whether or not a traveler requires a visa to enter a third country depends on his or her country of passport issuance. Often the information about whether a visa is necessary can be found on the website of the destination country’s embassy. If you need assistance with a visa for travel abroad, please contact the Assistant Counsel for Global Affairs.
Non-citizen travelers should be aware that the documentation required for reentering the United States varies depending on the foreign national’s immigration status. For general information about the necessary documentation according to immigration status, click here.
After returning to the United States from travel abroad, visa holders should access their I-94 arrival record online to ensure that their entry and information—visa type and date status expires—were properly recorded and to print a copy of the information for their records.
Current H-1B Visa Holders
Your H-1B status is employer and job specific. You may not accept employment with a different or additional employer or significantly change job responsibilities without filing a new H-1B application.
You must report any change of address to the government within 10 days of the change. You can report an address change online.
For information on traveling abroad in H-1B status, see Traveling Abroad, above.
Each time you return from travel abroad, you should check that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has properly recorded on Form I-94 both your visa type and the date your status expires. You can find your Form I-94 online. Note that upon re-entry to the US, CBP may grant you status only for as long as your passport is valid.
There is no grace period at the end of H-1B status. H-1B status automatically terminates when the employer-employee relationship ends. When your H-1B status terminates, you must depart the U.S., unless you have a pending application to transfer your H-1B to another employer or to extend or change your status.
Please note that action to extend or change an H-1B worker’s status does not automatically extend or change the status of a dependent spouse or child. A separate application must be filed for dependents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit our Frequently Asked Questions for more immigration-related information. If you still have questions, please contact the Assistant Counsel for Global Affairs.
Useful Links
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- USCIS Case Processing Times
- Civil Surgeon Locator (for green card application medical examinations)
- Online Change of Address with USCIS
- Information on J-1 Visas from the Department of State
- Department of State Visa Appointment Wait Times at Consulates Abroad
- The Visa Bulletin
