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Contact

International Services Manager:
Amanda Thompson x4203
petersen@fnal.gov

International Services Administrator:
Samantha Poeppelman x3933
sepoep2@fnal.gov

Users Office hours
Hours Wilson Hall
Monday through Friday
7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Feature

  • Welcome to the Visa Office


    Fermilab's Visa Office is in Wilson Hall, on the first floor, west side. Our entrance is directly north of the elevator banks, next to the restrooms. Regular office hours are 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, with a one hour break during lunchtime.

  • Visa versus Status


    Did you know...

    A "visa" is the stamp in your passport that suggests what you would like to do in the U.S. Your "status" sets what you are permitted to do while in the U.S. It is shown by your I-94 Card. Your visa may expire while you are in the U.S., but your status cannot expire.

    For more explanations, see our Glossary!

  • Maintenance of Status


    To maintain lawful visa status in the U.S., you should engage only in the activities that are permitted by your visa status approval. If you hold J-1 visa status, advise the Visa Office of changes in your residential address within 10 days of the move. All other non-U.S. citizens must file a Form AR-11 with the USCIS. If you need to remain in the U.S. past the expiration on your I-94 Card or DS-2019 (NEW PAGE - DS-2019), contact the Visa Office to confirm the procedure to request an extension of stay.

  • Life in the U.S.


    Adjusting to life in the U.S. sometimes can be challenging. Fermilab has many resources for non-U.S. citizens visiting or working here. The Visa Office hosts Welcome to the U.S. presentations both online, and in-person during summer months. Fermilab's Employment Office's International Orientation provides guidance on how to lease apartments or open bank accounts, and other topics. Fermilab's NALWO hosts "English as a Second Language" classes onsite. Click here for more local resources.

Visa Office


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The Visa Office provides U.S. immigration-related services or assistance to non-U.S. citizen employees and users at Fermilab, and serves as an expert resource to administration and management on matters relating to non-U.S. citizens at the Lab. Our Offices are in Wilson Hall, 1st Floor, West Side. Appointments are required for all meetings; walk-ins are accepted only in emergencies.  Please use the “Quick Link” to the right to schedule your appointment.

News & Updates

  • 03.03.11
  • Fraudulent Email Alert
  • Have you recently received an email announcing that you won the Diversity Lottery? Does the email ask you to pay fees or send money?  If so, the email is probably fraudulent. The government has issued warnings that a number of different scams relating to the U.S. Diversity Lottery are being conducted, and some Fermilab employees have received such emails. Further information about the frauds are at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1749.html and http://blog.uscis.gov/2011/03/e-mail-scam-avoid-green-card-lottery.html.  If you have received an email and are not sure as to whether it is real, please either forward it to visaoffice@fnal.gov, or bring a copy of the email by the Visa Office, and we can advise you.
  • 02.09.11
  • Overview of the Permanent Residence Process
  • Fermilab's Visa Office, in collaboration with the UEC, will present an overview of the permanent residence process on Tuesday, Feb 15, at 12:30 pm in Wilson Hall 1 West. The presentation is intended for foreign nationals new to the U.S. or just starting their green card process and will include definitions, and overview of the system, and answer common questions. This session will provide a basis for better understanding the UEC March Presentation on "Self-Sponsoring categories for Permanent Residence", which will be a detailed analysis of two common kinds of green card petitions that will be presented by outside immigration attorneys.
  • 01.21.11
  • The Unexpected Tax Obligations of Foreign Nationals Visiting the U.S.
  • The UEC will host a general information session for non-U.S. visitors and employees at Fermilab and Argonne, discussing tax filing and tax payments, entitled “The Unexpected Tax Obligations of Foreign Nationals Visiting the U.S.” Presented by KPMG, it will be held at 12:30 pm, on Tuesday, Feb. 1st, in Fermilab’s Wilson Hall 1 West, and streamed live to Argonne National Lab. People interested in attending are invited to complete a short survey at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BS862CGN4/ where you can provide information about concerns, and ask specific questions. Surveys must be completed by Friday, January 28, 2011 to be entered in the drawing.
  • 06.01.10
  • Frequently Asked Questions about E-Verify
  • Certain employees might be contacted by members of WDRS’ HR Services group as part of a review of I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Forms and the submission of data from I-9s to a Department of Homeland Security database called E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA). FRA's contract with the Department of Energy has been amended to include a requirement that we use the E-Verify system for continuing employees and new hires. Frequently Asked Questions about E-Verify are available here.
  • 05.03.10
  • New Remote Computing Privileges Procedure
  • The Computing Division has implemented a new procedure by which users request remote computing privileges. Click here to access the new procedure.
  • 05.03.10
  • Planning International Travel?
  • Many of Fermilab's non-U.S. citizen employees and users travel during the summer months. If you are planning international travel, you must consider the U.S. immigration issues that could affect your re-entry to the U.S. Read more.