Office of Global Engagement
International Students and Scholars

H-1B Scholars

The H-1B visa classification is for full-time teaching, research  or staff appointments for the duration of a period of proposed employment for which secure funding is available.  

Breadcrumb

A department at Brown University must agree to sponsor an international scholar/ staff member before beginning the H-1B petition process. Scholars who are interested in petitioning for an H-1B visa should first consult with their department regarding their sponsorship of an H-1B visa.

Once your department agrees to sponsor your H-1B visa and OISSS has deemed a position eligible for H-1B sponsorship, we will work directly with the hiring department to process the H-1B.

If you are a scholar who is interested in H-1B sponsorship, please consult with your hiring department about possible sponsorship.

Timeline

The H-1B petition process is relatively complex, costly, and lengthy. An H-1B petition should be submitted to USCIS up to six months prior to the anticipated start date.

Please keep in mind the H-1B petition process takes planning and time. Once OISSS has received all the required documents from the hiring department and the scholar it will take about 1-2 months to file the petition with USCIS. It takes an additional 3-8+ months for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to approve a case from the date it receives the petition. USCIS offers Premium Processing for an additional fee, which can expedite the adjudication process. Typically, with Premium Processing USCIS will issue a decision within 15 calendar days from the day they received the H-1B petition.

H-1B for Department Administrators and Affiliated Hospital Administrators

Brown University can petition to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to issue H-1B status on behalf of a scholar who is being employed by Brown or its affiliated hospitals in a “specialty occupation” and who has adequate educational degrees and specialized knowledge to perform in this occupation.

H-1B Additional Information

The H-1B Temporary Worker status is a nonimmigrant immigration classification and is used to hire a foreign national professional for a temporary period of time.