Visa Information
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States (U.S.) must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport. At CSUSB we host 2 categories of student/scholar visas: F-1 and J-1. The H-1B visa, a working visa, is mainly used for tenure track faculty positions, along with certain eligible staff positions.
While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the U.S., it does indicate a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad has determined you are eligible to seek entry to the U.S. DHS / Customs and Border Protection officers are responsible for the admission of travelers to the U.S. for a specified status and period of time, when they arrive.
F-1 VISA
The F-1 status is a non-immigrant, full-time, student visa that allows foreign nationals to pursue education in the U.S. When an applicant is accepted into an academic program at CSUSB, the Center for International Studies and Programs will issue a form I-20 which lists your program and biographical information. A student will use the I-20 to apply for an F-1 visa at a U.S. Embassy/Consulate. Please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy/Consulate for instructions on how to apply for an F-1 visa. To apply to CSUSB as an F-1 student go here: Admissions
J-1 VISA
Student
To become a J-1 student, a student must apply as a Non-Degree Seeking (Transitory) student at CSUSB from the home institution. The department in charge of study abroad or exchanges can determine if there is an agreement between CSUSB and your home institution. To apply to CSUSB as an J-1 student go here: Non-Degree Seeking (Transitory)
Faculty/Scholar
The exchange visitor (J-1) nonimmigrant visa category is provided for scholars who are approved to participate in exchange visitor programs in the U.S. The scholar must first apply, meet university requirements, and be accepted into an Exchange Visitor Program at CSUSB. To become a research scholar, you must contact an academic department to host your stay at CSUSB. To apply to CSUSB as an J-1 student go here: Non-Degree Seeking (Transitory)
Eligible categories are:
- Professor
- Research Scholar
- Short-term Scholar
- Specialist
H-1B VISA
The Center for International Studies and Programs will process the H-1B petition for new tenure-track nonresident faculty only. For all other positions, the beneficiary first contact Human Resources. To learn more about the H-1B visa process go here.