Nearly 43% of all postdocs come to Columbia from international locales. But if one excludes residency postdocs from this total, the figure jumps to 71% of all postdocs. Serving this large population are two offices for International scholars housed on the Medical Center and Morningside Heights campuses. They are the International Students & Scholar’s Office (ISSO) and the Columbia University Medical Center International Affairs Office (IAO).

All candidates for postdoctoral appointments who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents (“green card holders”) must obtain a visa prior to starting their appointment at the University.  As a result, visa issues should be addressed prior to the issuance of a letter of appointment or an offer of extension of an appointment.

The University’s International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) on the Morningside Campus and the International Affairs Office (IAO) at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) assist international students and scholars with, among other things, documentation matters.  ISSO’s website contains a wealth of information for international postdoctoral applicants.  All non-U.S. citizen applicants should visitthe "Incoming" section of the site, specifically the following two guides: “Coming to Columbia: Essential Information for Scholars” and “Immigration Overview for Scholars”.  IAO also maintains immigration information on its own website at http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/immigration.

Your departmental administrator will advise you of the required procedure. For additional assistance, you may contact ISSO at (212)854-3587 or via email to Jane Chung or IAO at (212)305-5455 or via email to Katherine Mcveigh.

Immigration documentation is handled by ISSO and IAO.  If you are here on a J-1 visa, with Columbia sponsorship, the name and address of the appropriate university office is on your Form DS-2019 (issued by the Department of Homeland Security/SEVIS) provided with your visa information.

Although some requests for documentation submitted to ISSO and IAO may be filled on the spot, it is prudent to allow at least five business days for processing. You should bring your passport and all relevant immigration documentation (including your Form DS-2019) with you when you go to ISSO or IAO for information or document processing.

Each Postdoctoral Officer is responsible for maintaining his or her appropriate status with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and knowing and following pertinent regulations.  Postdoctoral Officers should familiarize themselves with their obligations to DHS by visiting the DHS’ website.  If you hold a J-1 visa, you may also visit the ISSO website.

If you are uncertain about your status, check with ISSO or IAO immediately.  You should also consult with ISSO or IAO before visiting the District Office of the U.S. Immigration Service.

If you take time early on to familiarize yourself with your obligations to the Department of Homeland Security, you should find it easy to maintain your legal status. If, however, you allow yourself to “fall out of status”, it may be extraordinarily difficult to be reinstated to legal J-1 status.