Office of Human Resources

This webpage is to help provide you with general information towards foreign nationals, the general H-1B process, and the general permanent residency process. Please understand that all processes will present unique aspects specific to individual situations and can have the ability to deviate from the information provided below. In addition, this is meant for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

For more information regarding any subject listed below, please contact Immigration Support at immigrationsupport@appstate.edu. Immigration Support is part of the Appalachian State University Office of Human Resources.

Appalachian State University seeks to provide support for foreign nationals employed at the University where eligibility applies.

In general, the University provides support for foreign national students through the F-1 visa and J-1 visa. In some cases, the J-1 visa may be eligible for employment support. If you would like more information on these visas, please contact the Office of International Programs at oip@appstate.edu and visit https://international.appstate.edu/.

In general, the University provides support for foreign nationals seeking employment through employment authorization and the H-1B visa. If you would like more information on these statuses, please contact Immigration Support at immigrationsupport@appstate.edu.

Throughout the H-1B process and permanent residency process, several individuals and offices may be involved, including but not limited to: Immigration Support, Human Resources, General Counsel (App State), General Counsel (UNC System Office), Academic Affairs, Office of the Provost, Controller’s Office, International Programs, the hiring department, and the involved foreign national.

It is the responsibility of Immigration Support to:

• Conduct the processes pertaining to the employer filed H-1B petition,
• Conduct the employer filed permanent residency processes if eligible,
• Consult with appropriate offices and coordinate resources,
• Discuss statuses and conflicts with appropriate offices,
• And ensure filing deadlines are met with earnest effort.

It is the responsibility of the foreign national to:

• Provide clear and accurate documentation of qualifications, previous visas, work history, and dependents information,
• Provide timely notification of international travel and/or changes/updates in documentation,
• Provide all requested documentation by the required deadlines,
• To be knowledgeable and aware of the processes being pursued and estimated timeframes for completion,
• And respond promptly to requests made by Immigration Support.

It is the responsibility of the hiring department to:

• Provide clear and accurate documentation of search processes and foreign national’s qualifications,
• Provide all requested documentation by the required deadlines,
• To be knowledgeable and aware of the processes being pursued and estimated timeframes for completion,
• And respond promptly to requests made by Immigration Support.

Immigration Support and the University do not provide legal advice to foreign nationals.

It is recommended that foreign nationals consult an immigration lawyer regarding their individual situations. This will be an additional cost, but it can be helpful in ensuring these processes are handled correctly and to provide further context of an individual’s situation. Appalachian State University cannot identify any specific lawyer for foreign nationals, however we can recommend using the American Immigration Lawyers Association search tool to begin this process: https://www.ailalawyer.com/

The University does not provide reimbursement or payment for fees associated with hiring your own private immigration lawyer.

In the United States, a foreign national is defined as a non-US citizen. At Appalachian State University, we define a foreign national as either a non-resident foreign national or as a lawful permanent resident.

A non-resident foreign national refers to an individual who has a visa status and may or may not be engaging in permanent residency processes. Visa statuses can include but not be limited to: H-1B, F-1, J-1, TN, E-3, and O-visa.

A lawful permanent resident refers to an individual who has successfully obtained approval to remain in the US and no longer requires visa status. A lawful permanent resident may also be referred to as a “green card holder”.

It is considered the responsibility of the individual to know what visa they have and pertinent information regarding their visa. It is also considered the responsibility of the individual to know if they are eligible for permanent residency and what part of the process they are in for permanent residency.

Foreign nationals who are not eligible for employer based permanent residency processes can still pursue self-filing options for permanent residency.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a US government agency under the Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for the legal processing of immigration and naturalization services in the United States.

USCIS is viewed as the governing force for policies and procedures, and Appalachian State University seeks strict adherence to the policies and procedures set by USCIS.

All foreign nationals (both non-resident foreign national and lawful permanent resident) are required to notify USCIS if their home address changes. This includes temporarily or permanently, or even if only moving within the town of Boone). It is advised to share a change of address with the Office of Human Resources as well.

Foreign nationals with a change in home address should go to this USCIS website and provide an AR-11 Change of Address Form to USCIS. This process can be done by paper form or it can be done online. Submitting this form to USCIS is considered a self-filing process; the University does not submit this on your behalf.