I. Definitions

Host
The University representative who is responsible for the International Scholar/Staff Member. Each International Scholar/Staff Member must be assigned to — and supported by — a Host. The supervisor of an employed International Scholar/Staff Member typically also serves as their Host. See also our full discussion of Host procedures. 
Host Unit
The Purdue University department or unit that issues the Invitation or Offer to the International Scholar/Staff Member. (See also HR Policy VI.B.3)
International Scholar

A Scholar who is not a US Person (see definition below). The following sub-categories of International Scholar are based on the type of appointment held.

  • International Faculty. An International Scholar who is a tenured, tenure-track, clinical, professional, or research appointee, or a visiting faculty appointee where the visiting faculty member receives a wage from the University.
  • International Lecturers. An International Scholar with a Lecturer or Limited Term Lecturer appointment. Note that HR policy and procedures consider these staff — not faculty —
  • International Postdoctoral Researchers. An International Scholar with a postdoctoral research appointment.
  • International Visiting Scholars. An International Scholar with a Visiting Scholar appointment, including visiting faculty appointments where the visiting faculty member does NOT receive a wage from the University.
International Staff
An employee of Purdue University, or an affiliate or partner of the University, who is not a US Person.
Proper Recommendation
Appointment to the University as a Visiting Scholar requires both recommendation by the host and approval by the applicable Unit Head. (See also HR Policy VI.B.3)
Request (also called an International Scholar Services Request)
The process of asking International Scholar Services to begin a workflow for a Sponsored immigration benefit, such as a work visa status or permanent residence process. Requests may be submitted only by Hosts or Host Units.
Scholarly Activities
Scholarly Activities include (but are not limited to) research, instruction, teaching, collaboration, consultation, observation, and demonstration. Scholarly Activities do not include regular staff or administrative activities.
Sponsorship (also referred to as Immigration Sponsorship)
The process by which the University requests or facilitates the approval or grant of immigration visa status to an International Scholar/Staff Member, on behalf of the Host Unit and/or Host.
University-Sponsored
Immigration requests which, by law, require the University to submit the request, petition or application to the US government. These include J-1, H-1B, E-3, TN, and O-1 temporary visa status classifications, and EB-1B and EB-2 labor certification-based permanent residence.
Sponsored International Scholar / Staff Member
An International Scholar/Staff Member who has received their immigration visa status or permanent residence as a result of the University’s request.
Self-Sponsored International Scholar / Staff Member
An International Scholar/Staff Member who can apply for work permission, visa status, or permanent residence on their own,  without a request by the University’s.
US Person
A person who is a US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or approved US asylee/refugee.
Visiting Scholar Appointment
An appointment — following Proper Recommendation — to engage in Scholarly Activities on the University campus for the mutual enrichment of both the appointee and Host Unit. (See also HR Policy VI.B.3) People visiting the University for limited academic purposes – such as attending workshops, conferences, meetings, or other activities where they will be in public areas of the University – do not need a Visiting Scholar Appointment.
Visitor (Short Term Visitor / "B" Visitor)

Visitor (also referred to as a Short-Term Visitor) is a person who 

  • Visits the campus for a specific, fixed, short duration (less than 6 months)
  • While at Purdue, engages only in superficial activities including but not limited to
    • attending conferences, seminars, conventions, workshops or other professional/scientific/business events
    • participating in meetings, discussions, negotiations or preliminary transactions in anticipation of future collaborative or contactual work
    • engaging in independent research-related tasks that is not in collaboration with Purdue 
  • Maintains a 'permanent' residence abroad to which the visitor will return at the end of the visit to Purdue

A Visitor to the US may hold any citizenship and any immigration status. Often, international visitors hold “business visitor” status in the USA (also known as B-1/B-2 status, ESTA, Visa Waiver, or VW). Occasionally, visitors may be admitted to the US as tourists (B-2 / VT).  Visitors who are international (who are not US Pesons) are governed both by screening requirements (per Purdue's Office of Export Controls) and immigration limits (coordinated by the International Scholar Services team).

  • Screening
    • Purdue's Office of Export Controls has information relating to hosting international visitors here: https://www.purdue.edu/research/oevprp/regulatory-affairs/export-controls/international-visitors.php
    • If a Purdue invitation is required to facilitate an application at a US Consulate or admission to the USA, then before any invitation on Purdue letterhead may be issued to the visitor, screening is required. Screening is supported by the Purdue International Scholar Assistance (PISA) team, but ultimately is managed by the Office of Export Controls. If, for diplomatic or other purposes, confirmation that the visitor will be invited to Purdue or other form of letter must be issued to the visitor in advance of Purdue's screening and invitation procedure, the host faculty member or host department should contact the Office of Export Controls to discuss what form of letter may be extended.
    • Screening is important to protect both the host faculty member's ability to obtain external funding and participate in sponsored research, and to protect the university's interests in externally fonded / sponsored research. For example, the presence within a Purdue research laboratory of a visitor associated with an international institution that is viewed negatively by the US government, could have significant future impact on the faculty member's future grant requests. 
  • Immigration
    • US rules limit business visitors to engaging in specific, limited activities, where those visits are for specific, limited, durations
    • If visitors exceed the permitted scope of activities, then there are two consequences:
      • The individual may be considered to have violated their immigration status. This could impact their future visits to the USA, especially if at a future point in time they do pursue a work/research authorizing status.
      • Purdue may be viewed as permitting the violation of US immigration laws. The US government has pursued sanctions against organizations where business visitor (B / ESTA / Visa Waiver) status has been utilized in place of formal work authorizing immigration statuses such as H-1B or, presumably, J-1. Such sanctions have been based on arguments such as: the organization has engaged in a pattern of supporting immigration violations, or (more recently) that the organization has avoided the payment of government fees when it avoided pursing work/research authorizing statuses where such fees would normally be paid to the US government.