Scholar Visa Types

This page offers an overview of common visa types at Cornell to help you identify the most suitable option for your department's new faculty member, researcher, or other international visitor. International faculty and staff: Please visit our Visa Basics page for scholars.

J-1 Exchange Visitors

The J-1 exchange visitor visa is the most common visa category for academic staff at Cornell. This visa is for academic exchange. It may not be used for tenure-track positions. Visit J-1 Basics for in-depth information about categories of J-1 exchange visitors and their unique requirements.

J-1 Quick Facts

J-1 visitors may be paid a salary by Cornell, but do not necessarily have to be paid.
J-1 status is appropriate for a range of visit durations (three weeks to five years, depending on the category).
J-1 status is NOT appropriate for one-time speaking engagement.
J-1 visitors may be subject to the two-year home country physical presence requirement.
The department is responsible for initiating the J-1 initial scholar request in myStatus. International Services creates the DS-2019 certificate of eligibility. The visitor applies for a J-1 visa stamp at a U.S. consulate.
The J-1 student intern program has unique application procedures.

J-1 Professors and Researchers

J-1 exchange visitors in this category teach and conduct research. International visitors with academic appointments at Cornell, excluding tenure-track positions, are eligible.

J-1 Professors and Researchers Funding and Fees

May be paid a salary by Cornell, but do not necessarily have to be paid. Must meet minimum J-1 financial requirements.
The department is not required to pay any fees.
There is a required I-901 SEVIS fee, typically paid by the scholar. There are additional fees for applying for a visa stamp and/or filing an I-539 to obtain J status.

J-1 Professors and Researchers Time Limit

Between three weeks and five years.
Scholars become subject to the 24-month repeat participation bar at the end of their J-1 program.
In some cases, scholars may be subject to the two-year home country residency requirement.

J-1 Short-term Scholars

J-1 exchange visitors in this category teach and conduct research for a period of months. This category is not appropriate for a one-time speaking engagement.

International visitors with academic appointments at Cornell, excluding tenure-track positions, are eligible. Graduate students are eligible for J-1 professor, research scholar, and short-term scholar positions. They must be working on graduate-level research, and the appointment may not exceed 12 months.

J-1 Short-term Scholar Funding and Fees

May be paid a salary by Cornell, but do not necessarily have to be paid. Must meet minimum J-1 financial requirements.
The department is not required to pay any fees.
There is a required I-901 SEVIS fee, typically paid by the scholar. There are additional fees for applying for a visa stamp and/or filing an I-539 to obtain J status.

J-1 Short-term Scholar Time Limit

Up to six months.
In some cases, scholars may be subject to the two-year home country residency requirement.

J-1 Student Interns (Undergraduates)

Undergraduates actively engaged in a bachelor’s degree program are eligible. Procedures for the J-1 student intern category are different than for other J-1 exchange visitors.

J-1 Student Intern Funding and Fees

May be paid a salary by Cornell, but do not necessarily have to be paid. Must meet minimum J-1 financial requirements.
The department is not required to pay any fees.
There is a J-1 student intern fee and required I-901 SEVIS fee, typically paid by the student. There are additional fees for applying for a visa stamp and/or filing an I-539 to obtain J status.

J-1 Student Intern Time Limit

Up to one year, assuming the student intern remains enrolled in an undergraduate degree program outside the U.S.
Interns with internships longer than six months will become subject to the 12-month repeat participation bar at the end of their J-1 program.
In some cases, interns may be subject to the two-year home country residency requirement.

H-1B Temporary Workers

For international visitors with academic appointments:

H-1B visas are most appropriate for longer term academic positions of at least one year.
They can be used for shorter appointments if absolutely necessary.

H-1B Quick Facts

H-1B temporary workers must be paid a salary by Cornell. Salaries for H-1B temporary workers must meet or exceed prevailing wage requirements.
The department is responsible for initiating the H-1B request in myStatus. International Services files the petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
We aim to file the petition within 15 business days of receiving a complete and accurate myStatus request. USCIS processing time typically runs several months but varies significantly. A response is guaranteed within 15 business days if an optional premium processing fee is paid.

H-1B Funding and Fees

H-1B workers must be paid a salary by Cornell. They cannot receive payments from non-Cornell sources.
Salaries for H-1B temporary workers must meet or exceed prevailing wage requirements determined by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The department must pay some filing fees.
H-1B employees may pay the other fees if this does not drop their salary below the prevailing wage. See the H-1B page for details.

H-1B Time Limit

Up to six years total, in increments of up to three years.
Extensions beyond six years may be possible if certain steps of the permanent residency process were started before the end of the fifth year of H-1B status. Contact International Services for more information.

O-1 Extraordinary Ability

For individuals of extraordinary ability or achievement:

International visitors who are distinguished in their fields of study and have academic appointments at Cornell are eligible.
O-1 visas are most appropriate for longer term academic positions of more than one year, when an H-1B visa is not a possibility.

O-1 Quick Facts

The prospective O-1 employee is responsible for preparing O-1 materials. The department is responsible for initiating an O-1 request in myStatus. International Services files the petition with USCIS.
USCIS processing time typically runs several months but varies significantly. A response is guaranteed within 15 business days if an optional premium processing fee is paid.

O-1 Funding and Fees

Cornell-sponsored O-1s must be paid a salary by Cornell and cannot receive payments from non-Cornell sources.
Filing fees can be paid by the department or scholar. See the O-1 page for more details.

O-1 Time Limit

Up to three years initially.
May be extended indefinitely in up to one-year increments.

TN Workers (Canadians and Mexicans)

For citizens of Canada or Mexico:

Short-term and long-term stays are covered.
The TN visa is not appropriate for one-time speaking engagements.

TN Quick Facts

Canadian citizens apply at the U.S. border by presenting their offer letter from Cornell.
Application procedures for Mexican citizens are more complicated. Contact International Services for details.

TN Funding and Fees

There is no minimum salary, but TNs must be paid a salary that reflects employment in a professional occupation.
The department is not required to pay any fees.
There is a fee for applying at the U.S.-Canada border, typically paid by the prospective TN employee. Applying within the U.S. is more expensive. Contact International Services for more information.

TN Time Limit

Up to three years initially.
May be extended indefinitely in up to three-year increments.

E-3 Workers (Australians)

For Australian visitors with academic appointments of two years or less:

Only citizens of Australia are eligible.
E-3 workers have no limit on the number of allowable visa extensions.

E-3 Quick Facts

E-3 workers must be paid a salary by Cornell. Salaries for E-3 workers must meet or exceed prevailing wage requirements.
The department is responsible for initiating the E-3 request in myStatus. International Services submits the application to the U.S. Department of Labor.

E-3 Funding and Fees

E-3 workers must be paid a salary by Cornell. They cannot receive payments from non-Cornell sources.
Salaries for E-3 workers must meet or exceed prevailing wage requirements determined by the U.S. Department of Labor.
If the employee is applying within the U.S., the department may be required to pay certain filing fees.

E-3 Time Limit

Up to two years initially.
May be extended indefinitely in up to two-year increments.

Business and Tourist Visitors

These options are not sponsored by Cornell. For speakers or short-term independent researchers who will be at Cornell for six months or less:

These are nonimmigrant visas for people who want to enter the United States temporarily. They are for business (B-1), tourism (B-2), or a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).
Visitors from some countries can request a waiver for business or tourism (WB/WT) when entering the United States. The eligibility criteria for admission are identical to B-1/B-2.
This visa category is not for use by scholars accepting any type of formal academic appointment.

Business and Tourist Visitors Quick Facts

B-1/B-2 or WB/WT visitors can be reimbursed for travel, food, and lodging, but cannot receive a salary.
Visitors with appointments of nine days or less can receive an honorarium in lieu of a salary, if the visitor has not accepted honoraria from more than five institutions or organizations.
Visitors must apply for their visas at a U.S. consulate, unless they are from a visa waiver country.

External Work Permits

International citizens may hold external work authorization, such as F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT), J-1 Academic Training (AT), or a variety of other external work permits. These options are not sponsored by Cornell, except in the case of Cornell alumni.

F-1 Optional Practical Training and OPT STEM Extension

F-1 OPT is for students in F-1 status who recently graduated from U.S. degree programs. Certain F-1 students who earned U.S. STEM degrees are eligible for the two-year extension.

F-1 OPT Quick Facts

To work at Cornell, F-1 graduates of U.S. universities must apply for and obtain F-1 OPT or the OPT STEM extension from USCIS.
Graduates apply for OPT through the institutions that sponsored their F-1 programs. Unless your prospective employee earned a degree at Cornell, the OPT authorization is external (sponsored by another university).
OPT and OPT STEM employees must present valid employment authorization documents (EAD cards). They cannot work before or after the dates on the card.

F-1 OPT Funding and Fees

Employees on F-1 OPT may be paid or unpaid.
Employees on the OPT STEM extension must be paid or receive non-salary compensation.
The department is not required to pay any fees.
The applicant typically pays filing fees.

F-1 OPT Time Limit

Up to 12 months for F-1 OPT.
Up to two additional years for the OPT STEM extension.

J-1 Academic Training

For students in J-1 status who graduated from U.S. degree programs.

J-1 AT Quick Facts

Students apply for J-1 AT through the institutions that sponsored their J-1 programs. Unless your prospective employee is enrolled at or graduated from Cornell, the AT authorization is external (sponsored by another university).
Employees on J-1 AT may be paid or unpaid.

J-1 AT Funding and Fees

May be paid or unpaid.
The department is not required to pay any fees.

J-1 AT Time Limit

May be authorized for up to 18 months, but can't exceed the amount of time it took to complete the full course of study.
PhD graduates may be eligible for an additional 18-month extension.
In some cases, J-1 ATs may be subject to the two-year home country physical presence requirement.

Next Up: J-1 and H-1B Decision Guide

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