{"id":2234,"date":"2026-03-03T14:57:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T19:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/?page_id=2234"},"modified":"2026-07-27T14:35:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T18:35:53","slug":"maintaining-immigration-status","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/scholars\/maintaining-immigration-status\/","title":{"rendered":"Maintaining Immigration Status"},"content":{"rendered":"<nav class=\"toc-wrapper\" id=\"toc\" aria-label=\"Page Section Navigation\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"toc-heading toc-nav-toggle\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Toggle Page Contents Navigation\" aria-expanded=\"true\">Page Contents<\/span><\/nav>\n<p class=\"mb-2 whitespace-pre-wrap\">Research, teaching and employment at BU are supported in a variety of nonimmigrant immigration classifications. It is important to understand your responsibilities as a foreign national in the U.S. to avoid engaging in activities that could jeopardize the terms of your immigration status. The ISSO is here to educate and guide you, but it is your responsibility to keep track of your employment eligibility and your <a href=\"\/isso\/resources\/understanding-your-immigration-documents\/\">immigration documents<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-2 whitespace-pre-wrap\">You, your host department and the ISSO all play different roles in supporting your activities and your immigration status here at BU:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"mb-2 whitespace-pre-wrap\"><strong> You (Scholar\/Employee)<\/strong>: Maintain lawful status throughout your BU stay. Provide documents to ISSO and consult the ISSO before any changes to your work, status, or personal information.<\/li>\n<li class=\"mb-2 whitespace-pre-wrap\"><strong>Hiring\/Host Department<\/strong>: Provide mentorship and logistical support. Share accurate, timely appointment details with ISSO and consult with ISSO before any changes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"mb-2 whitespace-pre-wrap\"><strong>ISSO<\/strong>: Supports research, teaching, and employment by managing visa sponsorship, onboarding, updates, reminders, and immigration guidance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <a href=\"\/isso\/scholars\/scholar-employee-advisor-assignments\/\">ISSO Scholar Services Team<\/a> is here to help &#8211; schedule a virtual or in-person appointment or contact us anytime.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button-primary\" href=\"\/isso\/scholars\/maintaining-immigration-status\/j-1-scholar-regulations-and-responsibilities\/\">J-1 Regulations &amp; Responsibilities<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"button-tertiary\" href=\"\/isso\/scholars\/maintaining-immigration-status\/h-1b-regulations-and-responsibilities\/\">H-1B Regulations &amp; Responsibilities<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Changes to Research, Teaching or Employment at BU<\/h2>\n<p>Your<a href=\"\/isso\/scholars\/record-expiration\/profile-management\/\"> ISSO profile<\/a> expiration date reflects the earliest of either:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The expiration of your immigration status, or<\/li>\n<li>Your employment authorization, or<\/li>\n<li>Your projected employment end date.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>It is critical that you notify ISSO before any changes or extensions to your BU appointment\/affiliation so we can determine how this impacts your current immigration status. Extensions and certain changes will require ISSO to issue a new immigration document and\/or request an extension\/amendment from USCIS. Plan ahead to avoid gaps in your employment, research, or teaching at BU.<\/p>\n<h2>Notify the ISSO<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>If you expect your employment\/appointment to be extended<\/li>\n<li>You are expecting a promotion or other change in job title, rank or job classification<\/li>\n<li>Your job duties\/responsibilities will be changing substantially<\/li>\n<li>You expect any changes to your funding source or amount<\/li>\n<li>You expect a decrease or substantial increase in salary\/benefits (other than standard annual adjustments)<\/li>\n<li>Your work location(s) will change<\/li>\n<li>You are approved for a flexible work arrangement<\/li>\n<li>Your position will be changing from full-time to part-time (or part-time to full-time)<\/li>\n<li>Your employment\/appointment at BU will be interrupted (medical leave, sabbatical, research elsewhere, visa or immigration processing delays, personal issues, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Your employment\/appointment will be shifted to another BU host department<\/li>\n<li>You will be ending your employment\/appointment and <a href=\"\/isso\/scholars\/preparing-to-exit-bu\/\">leaving your position at BU<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Personal Changes<\/h2>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Change of Address<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\">\n<p>All non U.S. citizens (including permanent residents, and international scholars) must notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of any U.S. residential address change within 10 days.<\/p>\n<p>Report directly to USCIS using their online portal. If you cannot use the online option, download, complete, and mail Form AR-11 within 10 days. In addition, you should notify the ISSO and your host department. BU employees must also update their address in BUWorks Central.<\/p>\n<p>If you are in F-1 or J-1 status, your change of address must be reported via SEVIS. The ISSO will do this for J-1 sponsored scholars\/employees. All others should consult with their F or J program sponsor.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Change of Personal Information<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>If your legal name, marital status or family situation changes, notify ISSO in advance so that we can advise you and your dependent family members on how this could impact your immigration documents or status.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Applying for U.S. Permanent Residence<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>There are several pathways to apply for U.S. permanent residence. While ISSO is authorized to sponsor individuals in temporary nonimmigrant statuses, you would generally work with an immigration attorney to assess your permanent residence eligibility and to apply.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Common pathways<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Family-based: e.g., marriage to a U.S. citizen<\/li>\n<li>Self-sponsored: generally reserved for individuals who qualify under EB-1A (extraordinary ability) or EB-2 NIW (national interest)<\/li>\n<li>Employment-based: Requires employer-sponsorship; <a href=\"\/isso\/scholars\/maintaining-immigration-status\/bu-sponsorship-of-employment-based-u-s-permanent-residence-green-card\/\">See guidelines, requirements and timelines for BU employment-based permanent residence sponsorship<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>It is important that you inform ISSO:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you begin an application for U.S. permanent residence as your travel and work authorization may be affected.<\/li>\n<li>If you will use temporary work authorization as it will require an I-9 employment-eligibility reverification and ISSO profile update.<\/li>\n<li>Once you have become a U.S. permanent resident so your temporary nonimmigrant status and ISSO record can be closed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<h2>External Employment\/Activities<\/h2>\n<p>If your immigration status is sponsored by BU, you are generally not permitted to work for a different employer without additional employment authorization. If you are invited to give a lecture at another institution, your host may reimburse you for direct travel expenses (i.e., transportation, hotel, food, etc.) but they cannot pay you for your services or time (i.e. honorarium, stipend or salary) <strong>Compensation without authorization is a violation of your immigration status<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>H-1B, TN and O-1 employees are prohibited from working at another employer in the U.S. unless that employer obtains a concurrent authorization from USCIS.<\/p>\n<p>Most BU sponsored J-1 exchange visitors may obtain permission to engage in and receive payment for \u201coccasional lectures and short-term consultations\u201d outside of their primary program at BU. This activity must be pre-approved by the ISSO and must compliment your original J program activity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Eligibility Criteria<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Must be directly related to the objectives of your J program at BU<\/li>\n<li>Must be incidental to your primary program activities at BU<\/li>\n<li>Must be short-term with a specific start date &amp; end date<\/li>\n<li>Must not delay the completion of your BU program<\/li>\n<li>Must be paid as an independent contractor and not via salary<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h3 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Required Paperwork to Request ISSO Authorization for the Activity<\/h3><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Offer letter from the institution\/company (on letterhead) stating the terms and conditions that include the location, start and end dates, total hours, compensation and a description of the activity.<\/li>\n<li>Letter from your BU faculty host or department chair that recommends this activity and explains how it will enhance your J program at BU. The letter must also state that the activity will NOT interfere with your BU research, teaching, or other program activities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Your ISSO Scholar Advisor will review the request and will issue a letter authorizing the activity if permissible. Please plan accordingly and allow 10 business days for ISSO processing.<\/p>\n<h2>Public Charge<\/h2>\n<p>Public Charge is a general term for an individual who is indigent or sick person who must be taken care of at public expense. Liable to become a<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>Public<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>Charge<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>is the term used in the United States to classify prospective immigrants who are denied entry due to their lack of sustainable living means.<\/p>\n<p>A long-standing Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) public charge provision at<span>\u00a0<\/span><a title=\"INA 212(a)(4)\" href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1182&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim#substructure-location_vi_4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">INA 212(a)(4)<\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span>establishes that applicants for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status are inadmissible to the United States if they are likely at any time to become a public charge. INA 212(a)(4) does not directly reference nonimmigrant applications for extension of stay (EOS) or change of status (COS), because they are not applications for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status. Agency policy guidance established by legacy INS in 1999 has therefore generally applied a formal INA 212(a)(4) review only to applicants for adjustment of status to permanent residence and in some cases, whether an alien is deportable on public charge grounds. See INS field guidance, published at<span>\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/d\/99-13202\">64 FR 28689<\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span>(May 26, 1999). That policy also narrowly defined \u201cpublic benefits\u201d to<span>\u00a0<\/span><em>exclude<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>past receipt of non-cash benefits (other than institutionalization for long-term care) or past receipt of special-purpose cash benefits not for income maintenance.<\/p>\n<p>Every nonimmigrant seeking admission or extension or change of status must satisfy the inspector or adjudicator that he or she is capable of maintaining status and will not become a public charge. Therefore, international students and scholars are required to<span>\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"\/isso\/international-students\/required-financial-documentation\/\">document sufficient sources of funding<\/a> to cover tuition, fees and living expenses<span>\u00a0<\/span>in order to be sponsored for the F-1 or J-1 status. They are also required to demonstrate sufficient private funding at the point of visa application so they will not become a public charge while in the U.S. especially because options for employment or for earning income to support these expenses are so limited in these categories.<\/p>\n<p>Please see more details on the<span>\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/archive\/public-charge-resources-0\">USDHS Public Charge Fact Sheet<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research, teaching and employment at BU are supported in a variety of nonimmigrant immigration classifications. It is important to understand your responsibilities as a foreign national in the U.S. to avoid engaging in activities that could jeopardize the terms of your immigration status. The ISSO is here to educate and guide you, but it is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10133,"featured_media":0,"parent":21,"menu_order":9,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2234"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10133"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2234"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2234\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4180,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2234\/revisions\/4180"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/isso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}