ISSS Scholar: H-1B Scholar Process (Admin Perspective)

This article provides a tour of the H-1B scholar process from the ISSS Admin's view.  

The tour begins at the point a decision has been made to process the applicant as an H-1B beneficiary but before the creation of the I-129 petition. The first step in the process cannot be viewed by the scholar. The Departmental Admin (or ISSS Admin) must complete the initial New Sponsorship Request. At this point, the ISSS Admin will determine how to process the scholar's case (as an H or J) and can activate the Scholar Portal. This process is described in the article  Scholar Admin: Creating an H-1B Scholar.

For more information on the Department Admin's view, see Scholar Admin: Tour of Departmental Admin View For H-1B Scholar.

For more information on the H-1B beneficiary's view, see the Scholar Admin: Tour of Beneficiary View for H-1B Scholar.

• The Header
• Department
• Beneficiary
• Additional Information
• H-1B Information
• I-129 Supplements
• Processing 
• Documents
• Request/Petition Status
• History Log
• Bottom Panel

Note: ISSS Admins can edit all tabs for any Active H-1B Scholar record.  The ISSS Admin will need to confirm an acknowledgement message stating that this data could result in issues with inconsistent data for what has been filed with USCIS for this scholar. The ISSS Admin will also need to indicate a reason for the change which will be recorded in the scholar’s history log along with a record of what was changed and by whom it was changed. For example, an Admin might correct information that was manually added to the I-129, or any information that needs to be corrected without refiling.

 

 

The Header

The header will remain the same across all tabs, even when moving between the various tabs. The header includes:

• A thumbnail of the scholar’s photo
• Scholar’s information: name, visa, start date, classification
• Notes on the scholar process
• Email button: the ISSS Admin can email either the Departmental Admin or scholar directly from the portal
• End H-1B button
• Generate USCIS Form button: a completed I-129 can be downloaded at this time (including supplements not needed for H-1B applicants).

The ISSS Admin has access to view all the tabs listed:

• Department
• Beneficiary
• Additional Information
• H-1B Information
• I-129 Supplements
• Processing
• Documents
• Request/Petition Status
• History Log
• Requests

The ISSS Admin will see a link to change visa type located under the beneficiary’s name. This functionality is useful in cases where, for example, the department originally thought a J Exchange Visitor was the way to sponsor the individual, and during the process, ISSS Admin realized that an H-1B was more appropriate, or vice versa. 

Clicking the Change visa type link will convert the scholar's application to H or J status as appropriate. Common fields (such as name and department) will be retained. Additionally, the original application will be retained in the History tab and will open in a new tab. The documents linked with that original application will be located in the Documents tab under the category Linked Applications. For ease of reference, when a scholar has been converted from one application to another, an icon will be placed where the Change visa type link was previously. The icon will indicate if the application was moved from H → J or from J → H.

Important! Before moving to any new page, Save the information (with the Save button at the bottom of the page) before navigating to the new page.

 

 

Department

The ISSS Admin view and Departmental Admin view are identical for this tab. This tab contains information specific to the department, position, and employment site. 

Department Contact Information

• Host Department
• Contact Name
• Phone Number
• Email
• Complete Campus Address

Information

• Offered wage
• Position Title
• Position Type
• Position Description
• Position Requirements

Prevailing Wage

• Job Location Address
• Requirement to work off-site (if yes, ability to enter another address)
• Degree Requirement
• Subject [of Degree] Requirement
• Related Field information
• Post-degree experience information
• Postdoctoral work information
• Travel requirement information
• Supervision of other employees information

Actual Wage

• Information with other employees in the same job classification
• Names and Salary of those with the same qualifications

 

Beneficiary

The ISSS Admin view, Departmental Admin view, and Beneficiary's view of this tab are identical. The Beneficiary tab contains information specific to the H-1B applicant. Some of this information is transferred directly from the New Sponsorship Request completed by the department. Additional fields are available for either the beneficiary or department to complete.

Beneficiary Information

This information is copied from the original Sponsorship Request and is editable.

• Email
• Family Name
• Given Name
• Middle Name

Additional Name Information 

All other names the beneficiary has used including nicknames, aliases, maiden name, and names from all other previous marriages. Multiple names can be added by clicking the + Add button in the top right corner. Delete names by clicking the trashcan icon directly to the right of each name.

• Family Name
• Given Name
• Middle Name

Other Information

These fields gather additional relevant demographic information.

• Date of Birth
• Gender
• U.S. Social Security Number
• A# Number
• Country of Birth
• Province of Birth
• Country of Citizenship

U.S. Location Information

These fields should be completed if the beneficiary is currently located within the United States.

• Date of Last Arrival
• Beneficiary I-94 Number
• Passport/Travel Document Number
• Date Passport/Travel Document was Issued
• Date Passport/Travel Document expires
• Passport/Travel Document Country of Issuance
• Current Non-Immigrant Status
• Date of U.S. Immigration Status expiration
• SEVIS ID, if applicable
• EAD #, if applicable

Beneficiary Public Benefit

This contains information if the beneficiary has received or is receiving public benefits.

• Has the beneficiary ever received or currently receiving public benefits
• Option to list public benefits if applicable

Beneficiary Family Information

Collect relevant information here if the H-1B principal will need documentation for dependents. To access these fields, the beneficiary must have a spouse and/or child who qualifies for H-4 classification, who will accompany the beneficiary and therefore be included on the H-1B petition. The information must be entered per each dependent. Multiple dependents can be added by clicking the + Add button in the top right corner. delete dependent records by clicking the trashcan icon directly to the right of each name. 

• Relationship
• Family Name
• Given Name
• Date of Birth
• Current Immigration Status

Residential U.S. Address Information

This information should only contain the physical address.

• Street number and name
• Apartment/Suite/Floor classification
• Apartment/Suite/Floor designation
• City
• State
• Zip Code

Previous J student information

Complete this information if the principal or beneficiary has previously held J status.

• 212(e) requirement
• 212(e) waiver information
• Level of Education
• Post-degree experience
• Major/Primary field of study
• Degree Issuing Institution
• Degree Award date
• License/Certification information

Education & Experience

• Highest level of education
• Years of post-degree experience
• Major/Field of study
• Awarded By
• Awarded Date
• License or Certification information

Current Employment Information

• Position information (if in the U.S.)
• I-140 information (if applicable)

Employment History

This information is entered per position. Add multiple positions by clicking the + Add button in the top right corner. Delete previous positions by clicking the trashcan icon directly to the right of each name. 

• Position Title
• Employer/Company
• Start/End dates
• Country

 

Additional Information

This tab contains specific content and workflow configured by the ISSS office - for example, information the Department Administrator completed as part of the initial New Sponsorship Request relating to the 212(e) requirement or export control. The ISSS Admin completely controls this page. More information on configuring content on this page is located in Scholar Admin: Form Management. The scholar can ONLY view information that the ISSS Admin has assigned to the Scholar when the workflow was configured. Note, this page will display as a blank page from the scholar's view, if all content is given only Departmental view permissions.

 

 

H-1B Information

Only the ISSS Admin can see this tab. The purpose of this tab is to collect information about the H-1B petitioner and employer. 

Petitioner Information:

• FEIN number
• Individual IRS tax number
• US SSN (if applicable)
• Company/Organization Name
• Mailing address information
• Contact information

Information about the Petition:

• Basis for classification
• USCIS receipt number
• Requested Action
• Total number of workers (should auto-calculate)
• Requested Nonimmigrant Classification (should show H-1B)

Basic Information about Proposed Employment/Employer

• Position title
• LCA or ETA case number
• Work address
• Premium processing flag
• Itinerary information
• Other work location information
• CNMI information
• Full-time position information
• Wage information (amount and other compensation)
• Dates of intended employment
• Type of Business
• Years established
• Current number of U.S. employees
• Gross annual income
• Net annual income

 

I-129 Supplements

The ISSS Admin can only see this tab. This screen is intended to gather information needed for the I-129 supplement form. Included fields are:

Classification Supplement

• Petitioner first name
• Petitioner Middle Name
• Petitioner Last Name
• Beneficiary family name (auto-populated)
• Given Name (auto-populated)
• Middle Name (auto-populated)
• Prior stay information (name, period of stay dates)
• Guam-CNMI cap exemption
• Ownership interest information
• Proposed duties
• Beneficiary's present occupation and summary of work experience
• H-1B specialty occupation and H-1B1 Chile and Singapore declaration
• H-1B specialty occupation and U.S. Department of Defense declaration
• H-1B U.S. Department of Defense (project only) declaration

Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement

• Petitioner Name
• Beneficiary Name
• Cap-out date
• Actual Wage
• Case Type
• General Information 
• Is the Petitioner an H-1B dependent employer?
• Has the Petitioner ever been found to be a willful violator?
• Is the beneficiary an H-1B nonimmigrant exempt from the department of Labor attestation requirements?
• If yes, is it because the beneficiary's annual rate of pay is equal to at least $60,000?
• Or is it because the beneficiary has a master's degree or higher degree in a specialty related to employment?
• Does the petitioner employ 50 or more individuals in the United States?
• Highest degree achieved
• Major/Primary field of study
• Rate of Pay per year
• DOT Code
• NAICS Code

Fee Exemption and/or Determination

• Are you an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1001(a)?
• Are you a nonprofit organization or entity related to or affiliated with an institution of higher education, as defined in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(19)(iii)(B)?
• Are you a nonprofit research organization or a governmental research organization, as defined in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(19)(iii)(C)?
• Is this the second or subsequent request for an extension of stay that this petitioner has filed for this alien?
• Is this an amended petition that does not contain any request for extensions of stay?
• Are you filing the petition to correct a USCIS error?
• Is the petitioner a primary or secondary education institution?
• Is the petitioner a nonprofit entity that engages in an established curriculum-related clinical training of students registered at such an institution?
• Do you currently employ a total of 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in the United States, including all affiliates or subsidiaries of this company/organization?

Numerical Limitation Information

• Specify the type of H-1B petition you are filing

Off-Site Assignment of H-1B Beneficiaries

• The beneficiary of this petition will be assigned to work at an off-site location for all or part of the period for which the H-1B classification sought.
• Placement of the beneficiary off-site during the period of employment will comply with the statutory and regulatory requirements of the H-1B nonimmigrant classification.
• The beneficiary will be paid the higher of the prevailing or actual wage at any and all off-site locations.

 

Processing 

The ISSS Admin view and Departmental Admin view of this tab are identical. This page is intended to help the ISSS Admin gather information with reference to USCIS forms. 

Processing:

• Notification Office (Consulate, Office Address - City, Office Address - U.S. State or Foreign Country)
• Beneficiary Foreign Address
• Beneficiary passport information
• Additional petition information
• Removal proceedings information
• Previous beneficiary petition information
• Entertainment group information
• Previous J-1 or J-2 information

Export Control:

• Is an export control license required?

 

Documents

The ISSS Admin view, Departmental Admin view, and Scholar's view of this tab are identical.  The Documents tab categorizes all documents contained within a beneficiary's record, from passport ID pages and proof of English proficiency to a resume or CV and appointment letters. The Beneficiary, Department, and ISSS office may all upload documents here. The ISSS Admin has the option to make documents visible to the Department Admin and Scholar, check out the Uploading Documents KB for more information.

 

 

Request/Petition Status

Only the ISSS Admin can only see this tab. This tab is only available to the ISSS Admin and is a convenient place to track the history of each H-1B application. Each phase has the following available status indicators. Terra Dotta's best practice uses are also included:

Request for Sponsorship

• Pending - Used to indicate that the application has been started, but is not yet ready for comprehensive ISSS review for readiness to move forward.
• Under Review - Used to indicate ISSS Admin is currently reviewing the application.
• Approved - Used once ISSS Admin has reviewed the application materials and is ready to move on to putting together the application to USCIS. This simply refers to the Sponsorship Request itself, not an approval of the H-1B status by USCIS.
• Ineligible - Used when ISSS Admin has determined that the candidate is not eligible for sponsorship

Prevailing wage

• Initiated 
• In Process 
• Determination Issued 
• Redetermination 
• Voided 
• Withdrawn 
• Not-Applicable 

LCA

• Initiated 
• In Process 
• Certified
• Denied 
• Withdrawn 
• Voided 
• Invalidated 
• Rejected

USCIS Petition

• Acceptance - Used to indicate an application has been mailed to USCIS.
• Initial Review - Used once a receipt notice has been issued. We recommend including the Receipt Number in the Notes.
• Request for Evidence - Used to indicate USCIS has issued an RFE. We suggest including brief notes in the Notes section.
• Testing and Interview -
• Decision - Used to indicate a USCIS decision. To move the application to Active tab, a Decision status will need to be recorded. Our recommendation is to use this once approval has been issued and to record the approval information in Notes.
• Denied - Used to indicate a USCIS denial decision.
• Rejected - Used to indicate USCIS has rejected the application.

In addition, the USCIS Petition phase helps to control where the beneficiary is found on the Dashboard. If the USCIS Petition status is marked as ‘Decision’ AND the employment dates are current, the employee will be found on the Active tab of the Dashboard.

The ISSS Admin can also view the history of petitions in the History Log at the bottom of this tab. This will display the request type, notes, decision date, updated by, and date uploaded.

 

 

History Log

The History Log captures date stamps and communication.

Scholar documents can now be moved after upload between document categories; if a document was unintentionally uploaded into the wrong document category, it can be moved into the correct document category. Additionally, i f the scholar was first designated for a visa type different from the current visa status type, that information will be indexed in this location. See Scholar Admin: Change Scholar Visa Type Processing Decision for more information. 

This information is categorized by:

• Overview - shows a compiled overview of all categories listed below
• General History - traps date and time stamps on actions
• Document Log - date stamps documents as well as stores previous documents submitted either through the creation process or once the scholar gains access to Requests)
• Communication Log - records copies of emails sent within the portal system - this will not include email conversations that are then continued through the general email system of the university
• Comments - typically appointment notes or comments attached to requests

 

Bottom Panel

As with the Header, the Bottom Panel section will remain on the screen when the ISSS Admin moves from tabs. These include the following features:

• Back to Dashboard 
• Premium Processing 
• iCert Portal
• FLAG

Premium Processing

Premium Processing information is accessible in the lower right corner of the ISSS view of the Processing tab.

Similar to the I-129 above, if all the fields on this screen have been completed and saved, the ISSS Admin can click on the Generate I-907 button located at the bottom of the screen to download a completed form filled I-907 to accompany documentation sent to USCIS.

iCert Portal

Located adjacent to the Premium Processing button, the iCert Portal button connects directly to the U.S. Department of Labor iCert Portal System for easy access. This will open in a new tab. Note that this feature does not operate in the same manner as RTI Connect.

FLAG

Located adjacent to the iCert button, the FLAG button connects directly to the U.S. Department of Labor Foreign Labor Application Gateway for easy access. This will open in a new tab. Note that this feature does not operate in the same manner as RTI Connect.