If you are admitted as a student, offered a postdoctoral position or other job, or match with a clinical training program at UT Southwestern Medical Center and need a visa, the Office of International Affairs will work with you and the inviting program or department to identify and secure the appropriate visa classification.

The nature of your UT Southwestern activities as well as your prior U.S. immigration status, long-term professional goals, and institutional policy will be considered in determining the appropriate visa classification for you. We will contact you with detailed instructions and are available to answer your questions throughout the visa process.

The Office of International Affairs prepares the following visa documents and applications in house:

• J-1 Exchange Visitor
• F-1 Student
• H-1B Specialty Occupation Worker
• TN (Treaty NAFTA) visa (Canadian or Mexican citizen only.) 

Requests for J-1 visa sponsorship through the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) must be coordinated through our office. Applicants for U.S. permanent residency, J-2 dependents of J-1 Exchange visitors, and other categories of individuals holding valid Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) may study or work at UT Southwestern.

Certain UT Southwestern faculty may be sponsored for O-1 visas. Research track and tenure-track faculty with titles of Instructor or above may be sponsored for a U.S. permanent residency green card. These applications are coordinated through the Office of International Affairs but must be prepared and filed by a qualified immigration attorney.

Glossary of Some Common Visa Classifications

B-1/B-2

This is a visitor’s visa for business or tourism. Payment of honoraria and/or expense reimbursement allowed only if U.S. visit does not exceed nine (9) days and U.S. visits over prior six months do not exceed five (5); may be requested initially for several months with possibility of extending once in the U.S. up to a maximum of 12 months.

EAD

Employment Authorization Document issued to applicants for U.S. permanent residency, J-2 dependents of J-1 Exchange Visitors, and other individuals granted temporary permission to remain and work in the U.S.; usually must be renewed annually.

ECFMG J-1

J-1 Exchange Visitor Alien Physician Trainee sponsored by the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) for medical residencies and fellowships; annual renewals for progressively more complex training may be possible for up to a maximum of seven years.

For more information visit the ECFMG website.

F-1

Student visa for degree-seeking students and visiting senior medical students at UT Southwestern; may be extended for the duration of the educational objective. Read more.

H-1B

Employment visa for positions that require the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree or higher in a specialized field; maximum presence is six years. Your U.S. employer must file this application on your behalf. Policies and procedures vary; contact your prospective U.S. employer for more information.

J-1

Exchange Visitor visa for students (for duration of degree program), short-term scholars (limited to 6 months), or research scholars (limited to 5 years); J-1 students must be participants in a reciprocal exchange program, sponsored by a government or international organization, and/or substantially funded by UT Southwestern.

For more information visit the Exchange Visitor visas section of the U.S. State Department website.

O-1

Temporary work visa for individual with documented extraordinary ability in a field of endeavor; issued initially for up to three years, with one-year extensions for an unlimited period thereafter.

For more information, visit the O-1 visa section of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

TN

Trade NAFTA visa for professional positions held by citizens of Mexico and Canada; issued initially for up to three years, and renewable in three-year increments for an unlimited period provided no steps are taken to apply for U.S. permanent residency (green card).

For more information, visit the Visas for Mexican and Canadian NAFTA Professional Workers section of the U.S. State Department website.

WT/WB

Visa Waiver program for tourism or business available to nationals of certain countries; payment of honoraria and/or expense reimbursement allowed only if U.S. visit does not exceed nine (9) days and U.S. visits over prior six months do not exceed five (5); limited to a maximum of 90 days with no extension or change of visa classification allowed.

For more information, see the Visitor visas section of the U.S. State Department website.