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Revised: February 2015

The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) has the responsibility for facilitating university support of employee applications for permanent residence. The following policies apply:

Sponsorship Criteria

Positions eligible for employer sponsored green card petitions:

A. Tenure and tenure track teaching faculty and non-tenure track teaching clinical positions at the Assistant, Associate and Professor level
B. Research faculty at the Research Assistant, Associate and Professor level funded by long-term grants (minimum 3 years duration).
C. Other positions may be considered provided the position is supported by the appropriate Dean or Vice President. These positions must be considered permanent (long term funding, indefinite duration). Examples: administrative faculty, hospitalist, research scientist, lecturer.  

Positions not eligible for employer sponsored green card petitions: *

All temporary positions: postdoctoral fellows, medical residents, letter of appointment, adjunct faculty etc. 

* These positions may still pursue self-sponsored processes.

Provision of Services
OISS conducts an initial assessment of the faculty member's qualifications and green card options. Services for employment-based, employer-sponsored petitions (EB-1B Outstanding Researcher/Professor, EB-2 Teaching Faculty and Exceptional Ability, EB-3 Skilled Worker) must be provided by OISS or an attorney pre-approved by the university. For self-sponsored petitions (EB-1A Extraordinary Ability, EB-2 National Interest Waiver) the faculty member can choose his/her own attorney, but the services are not offered by OISS. In situations when the department is in support of the petitions (EB-1A, EB-2 NIW) and the university is asked to sign Form G-28, the pre-approved attorney list must be used. Contracts with attorneys approved by the University must be processed in accordance with the university's signature authority and contract policies. 

A referral form to outside counsel for immigration services is available on the OISS website.

OISS handles all stages of EB-2 Teaching Faculty processes, from initial consultations to filing of I-140 Immigrant Petition, but does not prepare the I-485 Petition.

OISS provides the initial evaluation and recommendation to prepare the Petition or outsource EB-1B Outstanding Professor /Researcher, as well as certain other types of petitions to pre-approved attorneys. Employees must choose an attorney authorized to represent UNR in all employment based green card processes sponsored by the university. Contracts with attorneys approved by the University must be processed in accordance with the university's signature authority and contract policies. 

Filing of I-485 - Adjustment of status (which includes preparation of all forms, filing fees and attorney's fees if applicable) is the responsibility of the faculty member.  OISS is available to answer questions and provide general assistance to faculty members who choose not to retain an attorney.

Signatory authority for all immigration forms shall be vested in an appropriate employee of the OISS at the discretion of the Director.