Export Controls Processing Times

Due to personnel changes, the Office of Export Controls (OEC)  requires 5-6 weeks to review all visa Export Control clearances for visa applications.

  • Keep this in mind when submitting initial, extension, and amendment requests for DS-2019 forms (J-1 visas) and H-1B filings.
    • DS-2019 requests should be submitted 3-4 months prior to the requested start date.
    • H-1B requests should be submitted 6 months prior to the requested start date.

If there is a time-sensitive DS-2019 (J-1) or H-1B request, contact your assigned ISSS advisor.

Exchange Visitor HCM Record Requirement

Departments must add a position or Person of Interest (POI) in HCM (directly or with the assistance of the HR Service Center) for all incoming J-1 exchange visitor scholars and interns prior to taking any actions in the MyISSS Departmental Services Portal or submitting DS-2019 request paperwork to ISSS. 

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Exchange Visitor Program Overview

The  Exchange Visitor Program is intended to foster international exchange, understanding, and collaboration. Exchange visitor program regulations require program sponsors to:

  • Verify and document that the prospective exchange visitor has sufficient English proficiency to function independently both on and off campus.
  • Verify and document that the prospective exchange visitor has sufficient funding for the program
  • Ensure the exchange visitor pursues their exchange visitor program goals and objectives at least 20 hours per week
    • At least 3 days a week must be on the CU Boulder campus or primary CU-sponsored work site
  • Monitor compliance with the exchange visitor insurance requirement
  • Provide cross-cultural activities "to give their exchange visitors the broadest exposure to American society, culture, and institutions; and encourage exchange visitors to participate voluntarily in activities that are for the purpose of sharing the language, culture, or history of their home country with Americans, provided such activities do not delay the completion of the exchange visitor’s program" [22 CFR §62.8 (d)].  

Any international scholar for whom the university undertakes visa sponsorship must have some sort of CU Boulder affiliation. This does not mean that the visitor must be on the payroll of the university. Scholars may receive funding from various sources including: the home government, a U.S. government agency, an employer, and/or other sources.

Review our Hosting International Scholars as Exchange Visitors on J-1 Visas prior to initiating a DS-2019 request.

Scholar Exchange Visitor Categories

Category Minimum Participation Maximum Participation Acceptable Activities Special Requirements / Restrictions
Research Scholar / Professor 3 weeks 5 years Teaching, lecturing, observing, consulting and conducting research Bachelor's degree required. No tenure track positions.
Short-Term Scholar 1 day 6 months Lecturing, observing, consulting, training, demonstrating special skills. Bachelor's degree expected.
Specialist 3 weeks 1 year Observing, consulting, demonstrating special knowledge or skills. Sharing expertise. Cannot be filling a permanent or long-term position.
Student Intern 3 weeks 1 year Full-fill educational objectives for degree program in home country. DS-7002 Internship Plan.

Internship position. Good academic standing. Must return home to finish degree.

Department must submit the Exchange Visitor Student Intern Request

Host Supervisors of Exchange Visitor Scholars

The exchange visitor’s supervisor is full-time CU faculty (not an adjunct) who will be present (not on sabbatical) for the duration of the exchange visitor’s program. Full-time advanced researchers (not on a post-doc position) and have a supervisory role at CU Boulder are also allowed. If a part-time CU Boulder faculty or staff member would like to sponsor a J-1 exchange visitor, they must find someone in the department that meets these supervisor requirements to co-supervise the exchange visitor.

  • A research institute/department submitting an exchange visitor program DS-2019 Request where the host supervisor for the program is not full-time CU Boulder faculty/staff, must submit the CU Boulder Supervisor Form as part of their DS-2019 Request (available on the DS-2019 Request e-form landing page in the Departmental Services Portal).

If the host supervisor changes or the host supervisors goes on sabbatical during the exchange visitor program, the department administrator must submit the Exchange Visitor (Scholar) Change in Supervisor Form (available in the Departmental Services Portalto notify ISSS of the change in supervision.

Scholar Exchange Visitor DS-2019 Request Process

The CU host department/ research institute and/or the inviting faculty/ research member is required to confirm the prospective exchange visitor has the appropriate credentials for the position and exchange visitor category and sufficient English language proficiency for participation in the proposed exchange visitor program.

Departments/institutes should prepare all DS-2019 Request materials well in advance of the requested exchange visitor program (DS-2019) start date.

DS-2019 Request Timeline

DS-2019 Request Checklist

  • Ensure that the speedtype for the ISSS processing fee is not a Fund 30, 31, 35, 50, 71, 72, 73,74, 78, 80, or 99

Create/Update Person of Interest (POI) Record in HCM

Before completing the Add New Person e-form or initiating a DS-2019 Request in the MyISSS Departmental Services portal, departments must first add/update a position or Person of Interest (POI) in HCM (directly or with the assistance of the HR Service Center).

Determine if there is Already an HCM Record

Start by determining whether the prospective exchange visitor already has an HCM record.

  • Duplicate records can cause failures in online hiring steps, create tax compliance issues, and may lead to issues accessing university portals (e.g., MyISSS Student/Scholar portal, MyCUinfo).

Record Already Exists in HCM

  • Update the prospective exchange visitor's record as necessary (Entering Job Changes, Maintaining a POI Relationship, Extending the Exit Date for POI Records, Rehiring an Employee) to reflect the new exchange visitor program.
    • Departments that are HRSC-supported:
      • Submit a request to HRSC to update the appointment end date update.
      • Provide the scholar's first and last name, employee ID, POI confirmation, new appointment end date, sponsoring department, and sponsor's position number.
    • Departments that are not HRSC-supported:
      • Update the end date in HCM utilizing the ‘Maintain Person of Interest’ page.
      • Contact the HRSC with questions or for assistance.

No Record in HCM- Adding a New Position/POI

If the prospective exchange visitor does not already have a record in HCM, you will have to add a record.

To collect the information required for the HCM record, have prospective exchange visitors (including returning scholars) complete the Scholar: Prospective J-1 Exchange Visitor Intake Form and submit a copy of their passport.

  • Departments may choose to develop their own internal form for collecting information required for the HCM record.

Departments that are HRSC-Supported

Departments that are not HRSC-Supported

Previous CU Student or Scholar without Employee ID

If the prospective exchange visitor is already affiliated with the University of Colorado/CU system (previous student or scholar program) and did not previously have an Employee ID:

  • Email the prospective exchange visitor's name, University ID from the previous program, and Employee ID from the HCM record to the ISSS advisor assigned to your department as soon as it is generated so ISSS can add it to the prospective exchange visitor’s MyISSS profile.

  • The DS-2019 Request cannot be initiated until ISSS adds the Employee ID to the prospective scholar's MyISSS profile.
    • The Employee ID from the HCM record is required to initiate the DS-2019 Request and must be entered on the Host Department Information e-form.

Initiating the DS-2019 Request

Add New Person (Create a MyISSS Profile)

After a position/POI is added in HCM for the prospective exchange visitor, the department administrator can submit the Add New Person e-form (to create a MyISSS profile) for prospective exchange visitors who do not already have a CU affiliation and MyISSS profile. Departments may use the Scholar: Prospective J-1 Exchange Visitor Intake Form to collect information (optional, departments may choose to develop their own forms and processes).

  • Do not submit an Add New Person e-form for individuals already affiliated with the University of Colorado/CU system through a previous student or scholar program.
  • If you have questions about whether or not a record exists for a prospective exchange visitor, contact the ISSS advisor assigned to your department or institute.

Once the prospective exchange visitor has a MyISSS profile, the department can initiate the DS-2019 Request in the Departmental Services Portal.

DS-2019 Request

Completed DS-2019 request paperwork for a new exchange visitor program must be submitted to ISSS at least 3 to 6 months in advance of the desired exchange visitor program start date.

  • It is possible that an exchange visitor program start date may have to be delayed due to timing issues related to internal review procedures, export control licensing (if applicable), and visa acquisition.

Office of Export Controls (OEC) Review

All DS-2019 requests, initial and program extensions, must be reviewed the Office of Export Controls (OEC) for export control concerns before ISSS can begin processing the request.

  • This initial review can take 5 to 6 weeks and the outcome could require additional steps that can further delay the exchange visitor program start date.

If you are submitting a DS-2019 Request on behalf of a CU Boulder Research Institute (e.g., LASP, CIRES) that has its own internal export control review process, you will have to upload documentation of the completed internal review in the Export Control Review e-form.

The Export Control Review e-form with the internal export control review documentation will be sent to the Office of Export Controls for a final review. 

If the exchange visitor will participate in sponsored research projects, you must include complete project information and a description of the exchange visitor’s proposed project activities in the Program Information & Details e-form.

The export control review will result in one of the following outcomes:

  1. OEC determines that no export license is required for the proposed exchange visitor program.
    • OEC approves the Export Control Form, and the request is forwarded to ISSS for processing.
       
  2. OEC requires additional information from the sponsor to complete the review. Assuming OEC’s request is answered promptly, this will typically add 1 to 2 week to the review process before a final determination is made.
    • If it is determined that no license is required, OEC will approve the Export Control Form and the request will be forwarded to ISSS for processing.
    • If a license is required, the request will be processed as described below.
       
  3. OEC determines that the exchange visitor requires an export license from the US government.
    • The departments decided to modify the exchange visitor’s activities so a federal license is no longer required (since it can take 3 to 6 months to obtain an export license).  
      • OEC will indicate, “The exchange visitor's proposed activities will be modified.” on the Export Control Review Form and submit the e-form to ISSS.  The DS-2019 Request will be set to Draft Status for the department to update. All the DS-2019 Request e-forms will have to be resubmitted again including the Departmental Responsibilities & Attestation e-forms. OEC will review the request again and once OEC provides approval on the Export Control Form, the DS-2019 Request will be forwarded to ISSS for processing.
    • The department requests OEC apply for the export license.
      • OEC will indicate that they will apply for the export license on the Export Control Review Form and submit the e-form to ISSS. ISSS will not process the DS-2019 Request until the license is obtained. OEC will let ISSS know when the license is obtained. The Export Control Form will be set to Draft Status so OEC can mark, “An export license has been obtained and this Export Control Review Form is approved.”