Foreign nationals coming to Fermilab to engage in research, teaching and lecturing, or other professional activities often must obtain J-1 Exchange Visitor status.
Depending on circumstances, a letter inviting the foreign national to Fermilab, or a letter offering employment at Fermilab, is issued. You must promptly email your acceptance to the person listed in the letter, cc’ing the Visa Office.
The Visa Office then sends an email that includes the URL of our Online Immigration Portal, as well as a login name and password (which you will have to change the first time you login). The online immigration portal gives you access to our online questionnaires, a list of the documents we require and explanations of what each are, and links to immigration-related sites. You can upload your documents directly to this system. It also shows you the status of our work on your case, and gives you access to a secure, internal messaging system.
It is critical that you provide your information and documents as soon as possible. DO NOT WAIT. The Visa Office cannot begin to process your J-1 paperwork until we receive the necessary information and documents.
Please see our Entering the U.S./Accessing Fermilab information for details about the length of time the visa application likely will take.
Questions? Comments? Contact the Visa Office!