The H-1B visa classification is a specialty occupation visa category for individuals who are identified as highly skilled workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher in the relevant field of study and occupation.

International Scholars on H-1B visas, otherwise referred to as H-1B beneficiaries, are eligible for a maximum of six years in this visa category and may be eligible for Legal Permanent Residency sponsored by Northwestern University, after two years of employment and with approval from their supervisor and the International Office. 

If you would like to apply for an H-1B visa, or seek to maintain your H-1B status through an extension or amendment, please begin the process by speaking with your department concerning your current immigration status and what type of visa your supervisor is willing to sponsor. The IO only accepts H-1B requests from NU sponsoring departments.

Upon confirmation of H-1B sponsorship by the hiring department, you are ready to begin the application process. The remainder of this webpage gives you information about:

Types of H-1B Petitions
Applying for an H-1B
Arrival and Maintenance of H-1B status at NU
Travel
Obtaining an H-1B Visa Stamp Abroad
Requesting Immigration Documents 
H-4 Dependents
Changing Employers - More Information
Off-Campus Occasional Lectures

Types of H-1B Petitions

There are several types of H-1B visa petitions a hiring department may file for you depending on your current status. Brief information can be found below. For comprehensive information regarding each type, please review the Types of H-1B Table. 

H-1B Overseas

• For individuals currently outside the U.S. 
• USCIS Approval Notice needed before individual can start work.*
• No additional paperwork required for dependents. (Dependent will use H-1B supporting documents to apply for H-4 visa.)

H-1B COS (Change of Status)

• For individuals already in the U.S. in a different visa category.
• USCIS Approval Notice needed before individual can start work.*
• Dependents will file Form I-539*** to change his/her status.

H-1B COE (Change of Employer)

• For individuals who already hold an H-1B at another institution and will be transferring to NU.
• USCIS Receipt Notice needed before individual can start work.**
• Dependents will file Form I-539*** to transfer his/her status to NU.

H-1B EOS (Extension)

• For individuals already in H-1B status who would like to extend the end-date of employment.
• USCIS Receipt Notice needed before individual can start work.**
• Dependents will file Form I-539*** to extend his/her status.

H-1B Amend

• For individuals who already hold an H-1B at NU and changing position, being promoted, etc. 
• USCIS Receipt Notice needed before individual can start work.**
• If this Amended H-1B application includes an extension, the dependent will file Form I-539*** to extend his/her status.

H-1B Concurrent 

• For individuals who already hold an H-1B at another institution and will collaborate with NU for a salary/stipend.
• USCIS Receipt Notice needed before individual can start work.**
• Dependents should be maintained on the primary employer’s H-1B.

*In these cases (Overseas, Change of Status, Extension) - if your intended employment start-date approaches and you do not have an Approval Notice, the NU hiring department will have to suspend employment until the IO receives the approval notice. 

**In these cases (Change of Employer, Amended, Concurrent, Extension) - if your intended employment start-date approaches and you do not have an Approval Notice, portability provisions allow you to continue at NU based on the Receipt Notice.

***For assistance in filing Form I-539 please see IO Guidelines for Filing the I-539 for H-4 and E-3 dependents.

Applying for an H-1B

Applications for H-1B’s are processed through an online database called Immigration Tracker. This system will be accessed by three main points of contact:

1. An advisor from the IO assigned to your case; 
2. the contact person in your hiring department handling your paperwork; and 
3. you, as the H-1B beneficiary.  

Timeline Information:
Please keep in mind that H-1B petitions can be started no earlier than six-months prior to your intended employment start-date. Internal processing at the IO (before sending to USCIS) requires five weeks or more. External processing (after submission to USCIS) requires approximately three to four months. 

Please keep in mind IO and USCIS processing times are subject to change based on processing volume.

Application Process:

1. Once the application process is initiated by your department, the IO will contact you with your login information to access Tracker.  
2. Submit the Beneficiary Main Questionnaire in Tracker using Internet Explorer. (Please note that every time a department files an H-1B petition for you, this step must be completed.). 
3. Collect documents on the H-1B Beneficiary Checklist. Note: Credential Evaluations are required for all Overseas, Change of Status and Change of Employer applications if the degree required for the position is from non-US institution.  The degree award and associated transcripts must be translated into English. Examples of Credential Evaluation Companies include Evaluation Service, Inc., World Education Services and Educational Credential Evaluators
4. Submit these documents to your sponsoring department.   

Arrival and Maintenance of H-1B Status at NU

Address Update
If you change your residential address, please update this information with USCIS using form AR-11. Information can be found on USCIS' website here.

Reminders for H-1B applicants outside the U.S. 
H-1B visa holders coming to NU from outside the U.S. need to check-in with the IO before starting employment at NU. To do so, please complete the H-1B Beneficiary Check- In Form and bring your immigration documents: passport and original Approval Notice for the IO to photocopy and keep on file.

Reminders for H-1B EOS Applicants/Holders
It is important to maintain your H-1B status by applying for an H-1B extension in a timely manner. Please communicate with your current supervisor/department about your H-1B extension and keep the following points in mind to during the extension process:

• If you have dependents in the U.S. please remember to file Form I-539 form to extend their H-4 status.
• Please inform your sponsoring department and the IO if you are traveling outside the U.S. during the process. For more information, please refer to Travel.
• If you are approaching your 5th year in H-1B status, and you intend to apply for Permanent Resident status in the U.S., please begin the process through NU (if eligible) or independently, prior to the start of your 5th year. This will allow extension of H-1B status beyond six years (while pending).  

Reminders for ALL H-1B Holders
You may not accept remuneration for consultation/speaking engagements outside of Northwestern University. If you have questions, or need clarification, please contact your IO Advisor.

Travel

If you plan on traveling outside the U.S. while in H-1B visa status, please review the following Q&A regarding travel, and contact your IO Advisor with any further questions.

What if I am traveling within the U.S. domestically?

• We recommend that all H-1B beneficiaries carry their valid passport and a copy of their H-1B approval notice for domestic travel.

What do I need to carry with me when I travel internationally?

• Original H-1B approval notice
• Copy of the Labor Condition Application (LCA)
• Valid passport (6 months into the future) with valid H-1B visa stamp
• Copy of your I-129 petition
• Updated employment verification letter from NU department stating that you are currently employed, dates of employment, salary, job title and brief description of job duties

What if I am traveling to Canada or Mexico and will stay for less than 30 days?

• All H-1B beneficiaries should carry the documents listed above
• If the H-1B visa stamp has expired, H-1B beneficiaries must carry their H-1B original Approval Notice and can re-enter the U.S. on expired visa stamp.  
• If the H-1B beneficiary had a change of status (COS) within the US and currently holds an H-1B status with an Approval Notice but has a visa stamp from another visa category, then he/she will have to obtain an H-1B visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. in H-1B visa status.  
• After any and all trips outside the US, please bring your original Approval Notice back to the IO for us to keep in your file.

What if I am traveling to Canada or Mexico and will stay for longer than 30 days?

• All H-1B beneficiaries should carry the documents listed above
• If the H-1B visa stamp has expired, H-1B beneficiaries must obtain a valid H-1B visa stamp to re-enter the U.S.
• If the H-1B beneficiary had a change of status (COS) within the U.S. and currently is in H-1B status with an Approval Notice, but has a visa stamp from another visa category (e.g. F-1), then he/she will have to obtain an H-1B visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. in H-1B visa status.  
• After any and all trips outside the US, please bring your original Approval Notice back to the IO for us to keep in your file.

What if I am traveling outside of the U.S. (other than Canada or Mexico) for any period of time?

• All H-1B beneficiaries should carry the documents listed above
• If the H-1B visa stamp has expired, H-1B beneficiaries must obtain a valid visa stamp to re-enter the U.S.
• If the H-1B beneficiary had a change of status (COS) within the US and currently holds an H-1B status with an Approval Notice but has a visa stamp from another visa category, then he/she will have to obtain an H-1B visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. in H-1B visa status.  
• After any and all trips outside the U.S., please bring your original Approval Notice back to the IO for us to keep in your file.

What if I am traveling outside the U.S. while my H-1B extension is pending?

• Before leaving the U.S., please contact the IO.
• If an H-1B beneficiary is traveling while an H-1B extension is pending and will be re-entering the U.S. close to the expiration date of his/her current H-1B, he/she is encouraged to carry the documents listed above plus the extension Receipt Notice and copies of the extension petition with him/her while traveling. 
• After any and all trips outside the U.S., please bring your original Approval Notice back to the IO for us to keep in your file.

What if I am traveling with a valid visa stamp from another employer?

• If a COE H-1B beneficiary is traveling with a valid visa stamp from another employer, you are required to bring all of the documents listed above
• After any and all trips outside the US, please bring your original Approval Notice back to the IO for us to keep in your file

• Nature of employment (i.e. NU Department, Job title)
• Specific job duties (i.e. Job description)
• Exact work location
• Salary

*In sum, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with your current H1B petition and the specifics of it. 

• Your travel documents are incomplete or you do not have the proper documents or visa
• You appear to have previously violated your immigration status
• You appear to have a criminal record that is of concern
• You have been selected for a random inspection

Obtaining an H-1B visa stamp

All H-1B visa stamps must be obtained outside the U.S. For further information, please review the Guidelines for Obtaining an H-1B Visa Stamp on our website.

If while applying for an H-1B visa stamp, your name is sent for a background check, there is very little the university can do to ameliorate the situation. However, if more than 60-days have passed since the date of application, and no information has been given regarding application status, please follow the instructions on the IO website regarding Visa Delay Process.

Requesting Immigration Documents

Use our online International Scholar Document Request form to request your immigration documents. You may choose from the following options: 

• Visa Support Package - Necessary for visa application outside the U.S. and includes: visa support letter, copy of approved petition, original approval notice.
• Extension Support Packages - Recommended for travel while extension is pending, prior to current end-date of a valid visa stamp. This includes a copy of extension petition and an original extension receipt notice. 
• Original Approval Notice - Necessary for travel outside the U.S. 
• Immigration Status Letter.

Please plan ahead and allow two-weeks for processing. The IO will notify you when your request has been processed.

H-4 Dependents

The H-4 visa category is for dependents of the H-1B beneficiary. H-4 dependents are eligible for full-time and part-time study, but are not eligible for employment. When H-4 dependent children reach the age of 21 years old, they “age-out” of the H-4 visa category, and will have to obtain their own visa status in an appropriate category.

Information regarding H-4 visa status and what is needed to obtain/maintain H-4 status for dependents is outlined in the Types of H-1B Petition section above. If Form I-539 is required, please complete it, but prior to doing so, it is recommended that you review the IO Guidelines for Filing the I-539 for H-4 and E3 Dependents. 

For more information and resources for International Spouses and Families, please click here. 

Changing Employers - More Information

Joining Northwestern:

• If you currently hold an H-1B at another institution (non-profit or for-profit) and will be starting employment at NU, please refer to the details listed in the H-1B COE (Change of Employer) process. 
• If you currently hold an H-1B at another institution (non-profit or for-profit) and will work part-time, or make contributions for monetary compensation from NU, please refer to the details on the H-1B Concurrent process.

Currently Employed by Northwestern:

• If you are seeking to change employers from Northwestern University (NU) to another non-profit institution, please speak with your new employer and sponsoring department for details on their COE application.
• If you are seeking or have been granted part-time employment, or will be making contributions for monetary compensation at another institution while maintaining your H-1B at NU, the new institution will have to petition for a concurrent H-1B in order for you to be eligible for employment in both capacities. Please speak with your new employer and sponsoring department for details on their concurrent application process.

Off-Campus Occasional Lectures

H-1B beneficiary's are eligible to be issued reimbursement for transportation and reasonable incidental expenses incurred while traveling to off-campus lectures but s/he is not approved to be paid a wage, salary or honorarium for these services. Please contact a scholar advisor for more information and for an approval letter.