FAQs for Yale Administrators and Faculty

Departments should follow new-hire protocols set forth by their chair or dean before making any visa request to OISS. Also, please monitor the Current Travel Restrictions web page for delays, updates and changes.  U.S. embassies and consulates are still operating on a reduced schedule, and some (China) have not resumed visa processing at all. OISS recommends using a start date that is at least 60 days into the future for any new J-1 scholar appointment where the individual is currently outside the U.S. J-1 transfers inside the U.S. and new F-1 OPT employees inside the U.S. can be processed in one to two weeks.

Please coordinate with your HR representative or business manager to see if a new hire is permitted to begin work from outside CT or outside the U.S. In most cases departments will need to request special permission. Any visa sponsorship request should use a start date related to the scholars arrival in the U.S.

The option of picking up the DS-2019 has been suspended for the time being. In an effort to streamline our mailing of documents, please only use Fed Ex or UPS (uploading the courier shipping labels in OISS Connect.)

If you learn of a new scholar who has managed to arrive in New Haven please send a brief email to Nathan Duddles, informing him so that OISS can collect their documents and complete record keeping. When appropriate OISS will also complete an I-9 in accordance with COVID-19 temporary procedures. The scholar will then be invited to an OISS Zoom Orientation.

OISS will continue to process New Sponsorship Requests in OISS Connect. We encourage you to submit new requests as they come up – not to delay collecting and submitting the documentation. OISS will monitor pending J-1 visas, and contact the department if there is a delay so that we can amend the start date on the DS-2019..

Visiting Undergraduates in Research/Clinical Activities appointments have been suspended for the time being. Please see the EHS announcement here (scroll almost to the end).

Please continue to submit extensions by using the Extend DS-2019 requests button in OISS Connect for scholars whose appointments are being extended. OISS will process these and I-9 extensions for any employee and mail out the DS-2019.

Please coordinate with the chair of your department or dean regarding any appointments who may be working from home (in or near New Haven.) As stated above any Yale affiliate working from outside CT or outside the U.S. may need special permission.

Please let us know of any cases where the scholar is stuck in the U.S. OISS has been working with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and other offices to find solutions that allow the scholar to remain in the U.S. legally while waiting for a flight home. Please reach out to your OISS adviser if you have scholars in this situation.

Please report any resignation or termination in by using the Shorten DS-2019 request button in OISS Connect.

Please read the June 22nd notice about a Presidential Proclamation blocking entry to the U.S. by certain H-1B employees. Also note that due to our inability to post paper H-1B notices in most buildings, OISS has adjusted its H-1B posting process for all new H-1B cases (extension or initial.) Your OISS adviser will contact you about the process at the time a posting is required – there is nothing you need to do at the moment.

OISS has made arrangements to pick up Yale checks once a week (on Wednesdays) and have them delivered to the OISS adviser working on the H-1B case. Please request checks for these cases at the earliest possible moment so OISS can be assured of having the checks when the case is ready to submit.