The following are important points to bear in mind when an inquiry comes to the university on the part of an international scholar who may wish to make a sojourn at the university for the purpose of engaging in unpaid, short-term academic collaboration and research:

It is the decision of the Department Chair, with the compliance of the Dean of the College, whether or not the Chair thinks it would be appropriate to invite a particular visiting scholar to come to the department for the purpose of engaging in short-term academic collaboration and research. Please note that NO FORMAL INVITATION can be made until all of the steps outlined below have been followed. Additionally, the INVITATION LETTER COMES FROM THE DEAN'S OFFICE.

The CSULA faculty member corresponding with the Exchange Visitor should consider whether or not the potential visiting scholar has research interests that are in line with work currently being done by faculty members in the department. If there is no congruence of research interests, there is probably no "match" regarding a given international scholar who may be making an inquiry. In such a case, it is the responsibility of the faculty member to respond in writing to the individual who has made the inquiry, declining his/her request to come to the university.

The faculty mentor is charged with gathering the required documentation on the visiting scholar.

• Request to be an Exchange Visitor
• Resume
• Proof of financial support (personal bank statement or scholarship letter)
• Copy of passport (and dependents, if any)
• Copy of I-94 card and visa stamp (if inside the U.S., include dependents)
• Request to Invite an Exchange Visitor (CSULA faculty)
• Mentor Agreement (CSULA faculty)
• Research statement addressing the following points:
  • Why you chose CSULA as the campus for your program/research.
  • Describe your research activities and work at CSULA.
  • What you hope to achieve from your time/program at CSULA?
  • If you plan to perform your research at locations other than CSULA, please list all possible locations.
• If this is a student overseas seeking to participate in an intern program at CSULA, please also include the completed DS-7002 form.

All of the documents from number four above are then sent to the International Office for a final review. Once all reviews are completed, the International Office creates the DS-2019 (i.e. the Dept. of State document called the "Certificate of Eligibility" needed by the visiting scholar to request the J-1 Visiting Scholar visa). The DS-2019 is forwarded to the faculty mentor for mailing to the scholar.

The above process may be time consuming, particularly if it is necessary to correspond back and forth with a potential visiting international scholar. We, therefore, recommend that the process be initiated at least four (4) months prior to the visiting scholar's desired date of arrival.

Application Checklist

If you want to sponsor a colleague or individual to perform research at CSULA, you must submit the following documents, with the proper signatures, to the International Office:

• Request to be an Exchange Visitor
• Resume
• Proof of financial support (personal bank statement or scholarship letter)
• Copy of passport (and dependents, if any)
• Copy of I-94 card and visa stamp (if inside the U.S., include dependents)
• Request to Invite an Exchange Visitor (CSULA faculty)
• Mentor Agreement (CSULA faculty)
• Research statement addressing the following points:
  • Why you chose CSULA as the campus for your program/research.
  • Describe your research activities and work at CSULA.
  • What you hope to achieve from your time/program at CSULA?
  • If you plan to perform your research at locations other than CSULA, please list all possible locations.
• If this is a student overseas seeking to participate in an intern program at CSULA, please also include the completed DS-7002 form.

Normal processing is 10 working days to issue the DS-2019. The Welcome Packet, including the DS-2019, will be given to the sponsoring professor for mailing.

J-1 Scholars are eligible to enter the U.S. up to 30 days prior to the program start date on the DS-2019. This time allows the scholar (and dependents) to locate housing, open a bank account, find modes of transportation to and from CSULA, etc. It is also a time when the Scholar must check-in at the International Office.

If the scholar is unable to enter the U.S. by the start date of the DS-2019, you must notify the J-1 Scholar Advisor to update the program start date. This will facilitate the scholar’s visa application at the U.S. Consulate and the port-of-entry.

Upon arrival to Los Angeles, the Scholar must check-in at the International Office, in the College of Extended Studies and International Programs. Please call the office and schedule an appointment to see the J-1 Scholar Advisor. The Scholar should bring the following documents to the appointment (include dependents, if any):

• CSULA DS-2019;
• Passport; and;
• I-94 card.

The J-1 Scholar Advisor will discuss with the scholar the Immigration Regulations pertaining to the J program. If the scholar has difficulty understanding English, it is imperative that a translator be provided and present at this meeting.

At the conclusion of this check-in, the J-1 Scholar Advisor will ‘validate’ the Scholar’s program in SEVIS. Failure to validate the program will result in the termination of the Scholar’s J-1 SEVIS record.

J-1 Scholars are eligible to receive a Campus Identification Card and campus email account. During the interview with the J-1 Advisor, the scholar will be given a letter to take to the Golden One Eagle Office for the ID Card. The scholar is responsible for the fee associated with the One Card.

To be eligible for the campus email account, the CSULA faculty member must submit the Volunteer Form to the Human Resources. Once the volunteer position is approved, you can request the email account for the J-1 Scholar.

The ID Card and email account is valid until the expiration date of the DS-2019.

The J-1 visa is a very flexible visa and was designed to accommodate many types of visits to the university.

In most cases the J-1 visa is the most appropriate immigration classification for short-term visits to CSULA. Although many visitors may be able to enter the U.S. with existing B-1/B-2 visas or as citizens of a Visa Waiver Program country this does not mean one of these business/tourist classifications is appropriate for their activities at CSULA. There are circumstances when the B-1/B-2 or Visa Waiver statuses are appropriate but the parameters are very narrow.

Please use the information below to help guide your decision. We encourage you to consult the J-1 Advisor if you have any questions regarding the appropriateness of the tourist visa for your visiting foreign nationals.

• Individual can be reimbursed for expenses
• Individual can be granted an honorarium if visit is less than 9 days at CSULA and if the individual has not participated in such activities at more than 5 institutions in the previous 6 months.
• Individual cannot be in an employee position
• No wages can be paid
• Cannot enroll in classes
• Length of stay determined by Immigration official at the port of entry (may be extended in some circumstances)
• Individuals from certain countries may be eligible for a visa waiver (enter in WB status, 90 day max)

• Individual can be reimbursed for expenses
• Individual cannot receive honoraria
• Individual cannot be in an employee position
• Cannot enroll in classes
• No wages can be paid
• Length of stay determined by Immigration official at the port of entry (may be extended in some circumstances)
• Individuals from certain countries may be eligible for a visa waiver (enter in WT status, 90 day max)

Foreign faculty, researchers, and scholars need specific information and support both prior to and after their arrival for a successful academic experience. It is the Faculty Mentor’s responsibility to see that arrangements are complete so that the visiting foreign faculty/scholar can take full advantage of his/her stay at CSULA.

Below is a list of issues that you, as the Faculty Mentor, should carefully consider and arrange before the arrival of the visitor.

• Pre-Arrival
• Application package: review for missing information or documents prior to submitting it to the International Office; route the Request Form for required signatures
• Invitation letter detailing the proposed activities, length of stay, etc.
• Arrival Logistics/Settling In
• Arrangement to meet with International Office J-1 Scholar Advisor after arrival (schedule an appointment within 10 days of arrival)
• Orientation to campus, computer services, etc.
• Open CSULA Email Account if needed
• Social Security Number and Driver’s License: provide general guidance and assist with transportation if necessary
• Banking information
• Housing assistance
• Introduction to colleagues
• Assistance to spouse/dependents
• Public school information
• English conversation classes (University Writing Center)
• Social groups, clubs, etc. (University Student Union)
• Departure
• Farewell lunch, party, etc.
• Notify the J-1 Scholar Advisor of Exchange Visitor’s departure date via email