Visas

Department/faculty sponsors of foreign visitors/workers:

Contact: Beverly Loftin, Human Resources Director, Room 276 Phillips Hall 962-7173

It is important to contact Beverly Loftin before any verbal/informal invitation is extended to anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

F1 Student

Incoming foreign graduate students:

The Graduate School, not the graduate students’ Department, prepares the forms needed by the International Center for visa applications for incoming foreign graduate students.

Enrolled foreign graduate students:

The International Center, not the graduate students’ Department, provides visa services to enrolled foreign graduate students.

J1 Exchange Visitor
Preliminary forms and formal letter of invitation prepared by the inviting department. The International Center prepares the IAP66 sent to incoming foreign visitors enabling them to apply for a J1 at a U.S. consulate or embassy.

Student category (academic training): maximum 18 months of training in their field of study.

Professors, Post-doctoral Fellows, Research Scholars: maximum 3 years

Short-term Scholar: maximum 6 months

Specialist: Expert invited for observation, consultation, or demonstration: maximum 1 year.

H-1B Temporary Worker Used for professional positions. It is expected that the sponsoring department will actively support the application for labor certification and permanent residence of their H-1B worker. The sponsoring department pays the application fee. From application to approval notification, the H-1B visa takes at least 4 to 5 months.

For specific information on all visa matters, call or visit the International Center at their new location:

International Center
3512 New Student Union Building
Tel. (919) 962-5661
http://internationalcenter.unc.edu/

Bob Locke, Director
Jean Hughes, Associate Director