Off-Campus Work Authorization for J-1 Research Scholars

The Department of State regulations governing the J-1 exchange program permit professors and research scholars to participate in occasional lectures and short-term consultations, unless disallowed by their UMMS faculty host. This activity must be incidental to the exchange visitor's primary program activity at UMMS.  This benefit does not apply to individuals in the J-1 student category.

If you will receive wages or other remuneration for lectures or consultations, the DOS requires that you act as an independent contractor. The lectures or short-term consultations must be directly related to the objectives of your program, be incidental to your primary program activities, and must not delay the completion date of your program at UMMS.

Procedures:

  1. Contact your department administrator to determine whether you are eligible for consulting privileges.
  2. Provide a letter from the offering organization setting forth the terms and conditions of the offer to lecture or consult, including the duration, number of hours, field or subject, amount of compensation if any, a description of the activity. [This must be on letterhead. We do not accept requests via e-mail].
  3. Provide a letter on UMMS letterhead from your UMMS department head or faculty host recommending the activity as stated in the offer letter. This letter must contain all the conditions of the activity as stated in the offer letter. It must also explain briefly how this activity would enhance your research program at UMMS and state that the completion date of your program at UMMS will not be delayed by this activity. The letter should be addressed to the appropriate ISSO Immigration Coordinator for the sponsoring department, International Students & Scholars Office, UMMS – HR, 333 South Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

The International Students & Scholars Office will review these letters. If the work is deemed to be in accordance with the DOS regulations, an authorization letter will be issued. You may then present this authorization letter to the offering organization.