Paid Visiting Scholar application steps

Procedures for Inviting Domestic or International Visiting Scholar with Paid Appointment

Notice:

  • If you are inviting a visiting scholar who will not be paid, see the Unpaid Visiting Scholar page. 
     
  • If you are hiring an international scholar for a full-time paid position see the Temporary Scholar Employee page. 
     
  • If you are hiring an international employee for a permanent position, please contact Leslie Crosdale to discuss the appropriate steps. 
     
  • If you are hiring an enrolled FSU student, the following procedures do not apply. 
     

REQUIRED PRE-REQUISITE STEPS FOR VISITING SCHOLAR INVITATION

  1. Read about using the Export Control section in the Research Administrative Management Portal.
  2. If inviting an international visitor who will need a J visa, please review the J-1 Visa Restrictions to ensure that the planned activities, timing of the visit, and the visitor’s background will allow a visit in J-1 status.
  3. If inviting an international visiting scholar who will need a J visa, ensure the scholar meets FSU English proficiency requirements before beginning the J-1 Scholar Request process.
  4. Complete a Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Program form.
  5. Scan or save a pdf copy of the CV for the visiting scholar.
  6. If the CV does not contain the visitor’s legal name, email address, date of birth, gender, country or countries of citizenship, country of birth, and country of permanent residence, collect that information from the visitor for later steps. If the visitor has previously attended FSU as a student, has been employed by FSU, or has been a visiting scholar, you will also need their previous EMPLID and FSUID for later steps.
  7. For International Visiting Scholar/Researchers, see guidance in Visiting Scholars Policy regarding paid appointments. International Visiting Scholars may only be appointed up to .5 FTE/20 hours per week. The requirements are different for undergraduate interns.
  8. Have your Offer/Invitation Letter reviewed. Use the appropriate Offer/Invitation Letter Template letter below as they include the required language:
    For a J-1 Visiting Scholar send the completed document to jscholar@fsu.edu for review.

    For a Visiting Scholar not needing a J-1 visa send the completed document to Steve McDowell at smcdowell@fsu.edu for review.

    Contact jscholar@fsu.edu if you have questions about which non-immigrant travel document is needed for your Visiting Scholar.

  9. After invitation letter is approved, proceed with the following steps but do not send the invitation letter until RAMP approval is obtained.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH REGISTRATION/ REVIEW PROCESS

  1. Access RAMP Portal (RAMP icon in my.fsu.edu log in), select Export Control, then select Create Export Control
  2. Proceed with Basic Information and Visit Information. Select Visiting Scholar for more than 14 days under #5 and complete the rest of the form.  Upload documents (Foreign Talents form, visitor CV) as needed.
  3. Enter the Chair/Director and Dean as ancillary reviewers in the form. Make sure to notify your department Chair and college Dean directly to ensure they support the invitation before beginning the RAMP process.
  4. Once RAMP approval is complete with the above and Research approvals, you will receive a notification email from RAMP Export Control Support informing you that the proposed visit has been cleared.

LETTER OF INVITATION

  1. Send the approved letter of invitation to the Visiting Scholar.

Please note that if you are appointing an international undergraduate researcher to a paid position who will be in J-1 status, federal regulations require that they be working at least 32 hours per week. Undergraduate researchers (only) fall under the Visiting Scholar policy, even if appointed more than .50 FTE.

HUMAN RESOURCES, APPOINTMENT

  1. Your departmental Human Resources representative should process the OPS job offer, indicating that the appointment is for a Visiting Scholar. Attach the screenshot of the RAMP approval from the Office of Research in the job offer. Human Resources may require a background check on the Visiting Scholar/Researcher.

IMMIGRATION SERVICES, CENTER FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

  1. If the visitor does not need a DS 2019 necessary to apply for a J-1 visa (consult the CGE), then the host department may proceed with the visit.
  2. If the visitor will require a J-1 visa sponsored by FSU, the departmental HR rep will submit a J-1 Scholar Request to the CGE (see the Step-by-Step Guide for FSU Departments -- J-1 Scholar Request for more information on creating and submitting the e-form).

    The department representative or inviting faculty member logs into Nole Start with their FSUID and password to “Add a New Person” for anyone who does not already have an EMPLID and FSUID from previous FSU enrollment or employment. If the scholar does have an EMPLID and FSUID, choose "J-1 Scholar". The EMPLID will be entered as the University ID.

    The form must be submitted to the CGE at least 60 days before the proposed visit, longer, if possible, due to delays at the U.S. consulate, and must include the following documentation:

    1. Invitation letter
    2. Screenshot of RAMP approval
    3. If the visitor has an MD degree, upload an additional letter from the Dean of the College of Medicine stating the following (required):

      Letter requirements:

      1. The program in which (name of physician) will participate is predominantly involved with observation, consultation, teaching, or research.
      2. Any incidental patient contact involving the alien physician will be under the direct supervision of a physician who is a U.S. citizen or resident alien and who is licensed to practice medicine in the State of Florida.
      3. The alien physician will not be given final responsibility for the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
      4. Any activities of the alien physician will conform fully with the State licensing requirements and regulations for medical and health care professionals in the State in which the alien physician is pursuing the program.
      5. Any experience gained in this program will not be creditable towards any clinical requirements for medical specialty board certification.
    4. If the visitor is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree at a university outside the U.S. and will not graduate before starting their program at FSU, an additional letter is required from the FSU faculty member who will supervise the visit stating the following (required):

      Letter requirements:

      1. The student researcher will be engaged in research activities for at least 32 hours per week;
      2. No more than 20% of the work performed will be clerical in nature;
      3. The student researcher will not be placed in an unskilled or casual labor position, a position that requires or involves child care or elder care, a position in the field of aviation, a clinical position, or in any other kind of work that involves patient care or contact, including any work that would require student interns to provide therapy, medication, or other clinical or medical care (e.g., sports or physical therapy, psychological counseling, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, social work, speech therapy, or early childhood education);
      4. The student will be in the U.S. primarily to engage in training, rather than employment or service to FSU;
      5. The training will expose the student researcher to American techniques, methodologies, and technology and expands the participant's existing knowledge and skills (the training does not duplicate prior experience);
      6. Our department has sufficient resources, plant, equipment, and trained personnel available to provide the specified training program;
      7. The position is not displacing any full-time or part-time, temporary or permanent U.S. worker;
      8. The student will be coming to FSU to fulfill an educational objective of their current degree program;
      9. The work will be directly related to their degree program at their home institution;
      10. Our department will adhere to the internship training plan as entered into the J-1 Request or will contact the CGE regarding any necessary amendments to the training plan; and
      11. I will provide to the CGE a copy of an evaluation completed prior to conclusion of the training/internship program signed by both myself and the student researcher.
  3. After the department submits their portion of the J-1 Scholar Request, a personal link to the J-1 Scholar Request is automatically emailed to the visiting scholar who will upload the following documentation:
    1. A copy of their passport biographical information page
    2. English proficiency documentation
    3. Their most recent CV
    4. Documentation of financial resources to cover the living expense estimates in the chart below plus any fees charged by the FSU inviting department (as applicable). The amounts indicated below are estimated living expenses only and may not be used to determine an appropriate FSU pay rate. Payments for up to a .50 position for a visiting scholar must be based on the comparative rate for other employees with similar educational backgrounds, skills, and duties working in the inviting department.
      Minimum Financial Resources for Living Expenses
      Principal Visitor (PV) alone PV + 1 Dependent PV + 2 Dependent PV + 3 Dependent PV + 4 Dependent
      $2,322/month $3,151/month $3,981/month $4,810/month $5,639/month
      $27,861/year $37,814/year $47,767/year $57,720/year $67,673/year
    5. Documentation of insurance for the J-1 scholar and all J-2 dependents valid for the entire duration of the stay indicated in the invitation letter. The U.S. Department of State requires insurance that meets the following requirements:
      1. Underwriter is rated not less than A- by Best, ISI, or Fitch Ratings, Inc. or AA by S&P or B+ by Weiss, or A3 by Moody's Investor Services, OR policy is an employee group plan or HMO, OR policy is backed by the full faith and credit of a foreign government.
      2. Policy offers medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness (not per policy period).
      3. Co-payment is 25 percent or less.
      4. Deductible is $500 or less per accident or illness.
      5. The policy may have a pre-existing conditions provision.
      6. The policy does not unreasonably exclude perils inherent to the visitor's program in the U.S.
      7. Medical evacuation to home country is provided in the amount of $50,000 or greater.
      8. Repatriation coverage is $25,000 or greater.
    6. Approved leave from their home institution, if they will maintain an affiliation.
    7. If an undergraduate student not graduating before the start of the FSU program, a letter from the home institution certifying that the student is in good standing, the FSU visit will fulfill an educational objective of the degree, and the student is expected to return to their home university to complete their degree, plus a transcript copy
    8. Additional identity, funding, and insurance documentation for a spouse and/or children who will enter the U.S. in J-2 dependent status
  4. The Certificate of Eligibility for the J1 Visa (DS 2019), when processed, will be sent to the visiting scholar/researcher using a shipping order created by the visitor or using the department’s  budget number and shipping PO, as indicated in the J-1 Request. Please note that there are certain situations that might make the visitor ineligible for the J-1 visa sponsored by FSU see the J-1 Restrictions page for more information.
  5. The HR rep will initiate the onboarding process, indicating that the employee is a visiting scholar and attaching a copy of the RAMP approval. Human Resources may require a background check on the Visiting Scholar/Researcher.

REQUIRED FOR ALL J-1 VISITING SCHOLAR/RESEARCHERS UPON ARRIVAL

Do not begin program activity until on or after the start date on the courtesy appointment or other appointment entered OMNI.

Check in at the Center for Global Engagement within 7 days of arriving in the US, so that immigration record can be validated in the federal immigration database as required.

Attend Visiting Scholar orientation (notification of time and dates will be sent to VS by CGE).

Complete any required Environmental Health and Safety training as outlined in the Visiting Scholar/Researcher Agreement  submitted as part of the RAMP Export Control approval process before beginning activities.

Do not continue activities at FSU beyond end date on DS-2019.