Foreign Visitors, Visa Applications & Permanent Residency Applications

The Dean’s office has delegated management of visa applications and permanent residency applications to the SOM’s Office of Faculty Affairs and Human Resources.

Foreign Visitors & Visa Applications

Research Associates, Senior Research Associates, Research Scientists (RA/SRA/RS), Staff Members, and Faculty/Visiting Faculty Members:

Michelle Shaylor in the Office of Faculty Affairs and Human Resources generates the Dean's letter of appointment that is required for all visa applications for faculty and staff based in the School of Medicine (Research Associates, Senior Research Associates, Research Scientists (RA/SRA/RS), Staff Members, and Faculty/Visiting Faculty Members). Submit either the completed CWRU Recommendation for Appointment of Exchange Visitor (J-1) or the CWRU Recommendation for Appointment of Temporary Worker (H-1B) form to Michelle. In addition, please submit a completed CWRU Information from an Exchange Visitor (J1) or a completed CWRU Information from a Foreign Visitor (H-1B) form if this is an initial (first time) CWRU appointment. Also for initial appointments please attach a note to the paperwork with the identifying number of the open RA/SRA/RS search, staff job posting, or faculty search that is being filled by this person.

For all visa renewals, please submit visa paperwork at least 45 days prior to the expiration date.

The dean's letter of appointment is for visa purposes only; the regular appointment/reappointment process that you would follow for hiring or reappointing domestic (non-visa holding) RA/SRA/RS, staff and faculty must also be completed. Please note: if you have requested and sent a dean's appointment letter prior to receiving hiring approval for your candidate and your candidate travels to the US, you run the risk of being responsible for paying his/her return airfare if hiring approval is eventually not granted. Michelle reviews, obtains approvals, obtains the dean's signature and forwards the letter of appointment and visa application to the Office of Immigration and HR Services and provides a copy of the dean's letter of appointment to the administrator who submitted the materials.

Research Scholars:

Michelle also generates the dean's letters of appointment for SOM research scholars per the SOM Research Scholars Policy & Procedures see elsewhere on our website. Submit a completed CWRU Recommendation for Appointment of Exchange Visitor (J-1) form to Michelle and, for all initial (first time) appointments, submit a completed CWRU Information from an Exchange Visitor (J1) form. Michelle will arrange for SOM financial office approval (if applicable), obtains the dean’s signature, and forwards the dean's letter and the visa application to the Office of Immigration and HR Services. Michelle also provides copies of the dean's letter of appointment to the administrator who submitted the materials.

Postdoctoral fellows and scholars:

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (http://postdoc.case.edu/admin/appointments.html) generates letters of appointment for SOM postdoctoral fellow and postdoctoral scholar foreign visitors. Departments enter all postdoc scholar and fellow appointments/renewals/visa recommendations through the Student Information System (SIS) electronic postdoc appointment system. All approvals will also be done through SIS. 

Permanent Residency Applications

Michelle manages requests received for CWRU sponsorship of permanent residency (“green card”) applications for appropriate SOM faculty and staff. Appropriate faculty and staff comprise those who are a) employed by CWRU or UHMG or by both; b) are currently holding a non-exchange visitor eligible visa (i.e. student and J visa holders are not eligible for the program but may be eligible if they obtain an H-1B or other non-exchange visitor eligible visa); and c) are engaged in activities that have the potential to provide a long-term benefit to the School, the University and/or the nation.
The School of Medicine and the University will support permanent residency applications on behalf of faculty members holding a tenure track appointment. Please forward

1. A letter from the faculty member requesting sponsorship; and
2. The faculty member’s CV

to the Office of Immigration and Human Resource Services, 215 Crawford Hall, Location Code 7047.

Requests for the Dean’s approval of a permanent residency application on behalf of a faculty member holding an appointment not on the tenure track OR a staff member’s permanent residency application should include:

1. A letter from staff/faculty member requesting sponsorship & agreeing to pay $500 for I-485 form processing;
2. since Department of Labor regulations require that the fees be paid by the employer and prohibit their payment by the beneficiary, identification of the speedtype number to which the fees, estimated at $5,500, will be charged;
3. a letter (using the form letter provided here) co-signed by the staff/faculty member’s faculty mentor or supervisor and the department chair; and
4. The faculty/staff member’s current CV.

If you have questions, please call or email
Michelle Shaylor (mxs18@case.edu) or 216.368.6201