Determining the Right Visa Type
"We're inviting someone to lecture and we'd like to pay an honorarium and/or reimburse expenses…"
(Reimbursements do not require SSN or ITIN)
Visa type Allows Recommended J-1 Short-term Scholar Any type of payment
Application for SSNAlternate
B-1/B-2 or Visa Waiver
Honorarium; stay is limited and individual
must have an SSN /ITIN
"We're hiring an international student who is graduating from an American institution…"
Visa type Allows Recommended F-1 Optional Practical Training * Up to one year employment in field of study Alternate
J-1 Academic Training*
Up to 18 mo. Employment in field of study or up to 36 mo. as postdoctoral researcher
*Student should apply for authorization through the International Office of the institution from which he/she has recently graduated.
"We're hiring an international person for non-tenured teaching/research position…"
Visa type Allows Recommended J-1 Short-term
TN (Canadian)
J-1 Scholar/Researcher6 month maximum
1 year increments
3 years maximumAlternate
H-1B
6 years maximum
"We're hiring an international person for a tenure-track or tenured position…"
Visa type Allows Recommended H-1B 6 years maximum Alternate
O-1*
TN (Canadian)*If H-1B isn't available
*If H-1B isn't available* Individuals subject to the two year home
For information on the ISSS Foreign Services Fee, please see the ISSS Foreign Scholar Services Fee webpage.
The University of Texas at Austin
Information for Departments