We offer check-in and clearance in-person or virtually depending on your immigration status and BU appointment/affiliation. Please review our appointment scheduling details to initiate this important process or contact your designated Scholar Advisor if you have questions.

Whether you will be a BU employee or uncompensated Visiting Researcher or Visiting Student, your host department will initiate the process to allow you to set up your BU email account and other required system access. Once your host department initiates the process, you should receive email instructions at your non-BU email address. Be sure to follow up with your hiring department if you do not receive any such email.

New Employee Orientation is offered by Human Resources weekly and provides detailed information about the benefits available to eligible BU employees. Your host department should arrange your attendance at the orientation so please follow up with them to be scheduled to attend the next available session. During orientation you will be provided with information on how to enroll in BU benefits.

You will find that it is very useful to have a Terrier Card. The process does vary somewhat from campus to campus. Information and guidelines on how to obtain your Terrier Card are available here.

Boston University Human Resources website for new employees provides additional information to help in ensure your transition to BU goes smoothly.

All employees who are working in the U.S. for the first time will need to obtain a social security  number.* Applications must be made in person at a Social Security Administration (SSA) office. You will need your passport, BU offer of employment, I-94 arrival record and relevant documentation to confirm your eligibility for employment (i.e. I-797 approval notice, Form DS-2019, EAD, etc.). You can find your local Social Security Administration office and hours of operation and details about the application process here.  BU employees must notify the BU Payroll Office once the number is obtained. *Non-compensated J-1 scholars in the Research Scholar, Professor or Short-term Scholar categories are also eligible.

All individuals working in the U.S. are required to pay taxes. While certain nonresidents in the U.S. are exempt from paying Social Security (FICA) or Medicare tax, they are subject to federal, state and local taxes. All foreign national employees should provide up-to-date information through Payroll’s Foreign National Information System (FNIS) website and submit copies of their immigration documents to determine U.S. tax residence status and applicable tax treaty exemptions. Tax information can be found on the Payroll website. New employees are encouraged to review the information and schedule a virtual meeting to confer with BU Payroll and ensure that they have up-to date details about your U.S. immigration history. General inquires can be sent to nrapay@bu.edu.

The PDPA is a campus-wide service center for all postdoctoral associates and postdoctoral fellows at BU. PDPA offers professional, career development resources and community building through seminars, workshops, panels and social events: www.bu.edu/pdpa/postdocs/. You can email postdocs@bu.edu with any questions.

Refer to J-1 Rights and Responsibilities anytime you need a reminder of what your responsibilities are as a J-1 exchange visitor in the U.S. This document provides a basic understanding of important obligations you have as a J-1 exchange visitor in the US.

The U.S. Department of State requires that all J-1 Exchange Visitors in the U.S. maintain a minimum level of emergency medical insurance coverage. Information about options for coverage was provided in the pre-arrival information packet. You can also find details on the ISSO website. After selecting an insurance plan that meets DOS minimums, please complete and return the Exchange Visitor Medical Insurance Disclosure to the ISSO as we are required to obtain this confirmation to verify your compliance with the DOS regulations.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR BU EMPLOYEES – BU employees who are eligible for medical insurance coverage provided under a BU offered plan should select the ‘BCBS PPO’ plan (the BU Health Savings Plan does not meet the J-1 requirements). In addition, BU employees MUST purchase a supplemental medical evacuation and repatriation policy, as this required coverage is not offered under the available BU policy. Information about options for this supplemental coverage can be found here.

Please complete and return these documents to the ISSO during your scheduled New J-1 Scholar Orientation and Check-in or as soon as possible after you attend as we are required to obtain this confirmation to verify your compliance with the DOS regulations.

• Statement of Compliance with J-1 Exchange Visitor Requirements 
• Exchange Visitor Medical Insurance Disclosure

Refer to H-1B Rights and Responsibilities anytime you need a reminder of what your responsibilities are as a H-1B employee in the U.S. This document provides a basic understanding of important obligations you have to maintain your status as an H-1B employee in the U.S.