Visas and Immigration

International Faculty and Scholar Services (IFSS) at UCM provides comprehensive assistance to the University of Central Missouri on all aspects of non-student immigration.  IFSS acts as the liaison between the university and all government agencies involved in immigration matters, and assists individuals in complying with immigration laws and regulations.

Specifically, IFSS:

1. In collaboration with Human Resources, advises university departments and and processes immigrations-related documents for employment-based non-immigrant and immigrant statuses.
2. Administers UCM's J Scholar Exchange Visitor Program, which includes issuing J scholar documents, advising departments and visiting scholar, and providing J scholar orientation sessions.

H-1B Employee Sponsorship

The H-1B is a nonimmigrant classification used for the sponsorship of international faculty or staff who will be employed at the University of Central Missouri. The H-1B visa is "employer specific” and "position specific." Therefore, employees must obtain a new H-1B visa approval for each new position and employer.

Eligibility Criteria

The H-1B visa allows foreign nationals to temporarily work in the U.S. in specialty occupations for up to six years. The H-1B visa category has the following key requirements:

• Applicant must have theoretical and practical application of a highly specialized body of knowledge
• The position must require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a related field
• Offered wage must meet or exceed the prevailing wage for the position
• The Office of Human Resources at the University of Central Missouri prepares and files the H-1B petition; prospective employees cannot obtain H-1B visa status on their own

J-1 Visa Visiting Scholars

The J-1 scholar visa category has been designed to enhance cultural and educational exchange between scholars in the United States and abroad. The UCM's J-1 Exchange Visitor Program sponsors visiting professors and research scholars to engage in teaching, research, and other academic activities.

Eligibility Criteria

The Exchange Visitor Program requires either:

• a UCM contract for temporary employment as a visiting professor, instructor, or researcher; or
• a UCM courtesy appointment as an unpaid visiting scholar hosted by a UCM academic department. Persons hired to permanent employment (e.g., tenure-track faculty, career instructor, and career research scientist) positions are not eligible for participation in the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program and should review our H-1B Faculty page instead.