H-1B/E-3/TN Initial Requests

Your H-1B request will be initiated by your department.

Once your department initiates the request, you will receive an email invitation from ischolars@ucsd.edu to log into the system and provide your information and documents.

Please click on the provided Link to Update Information and provide the following information:

• Date of Birth
• iServices ID number (provided in email)
• Limited Access Pin Number (provided in email)

Please be sure to save your login information that is emailed to you so that you can continue to access your request.

Once logged in, your current requests will appear, and you can select the request to access your eforms.

Trouble logging in? Please email ischolars@ucsd.edu if you encounter errors or difficulties accessing your record.

When completing this form, please make sure to use standard roman characters: characters with accents cannot be read by the iServices system and may cause errors in the submitted information. 

Passport and Biographical Information

Passport Information

All name information should be entered as it is shown on the MRZ. Please use ALL CAPS for your family or last name.  Example: 

Last Name: LASTNAME

First name: Given Name

After providing your passport information, including the passport number, dates, and issuing country, you will also be asked to upload a copy of the biographical page of your passport. 

Helpful Passport Tips: 

• Multiple names will be divided by one "<" bracket. Make sure to include your full last name and first name! 
• You may see names referred to by different terms. The "last name" is also known as a "surname" or "family name," while the "first name" is your "given name." 
• Your middle name may be part of your "given name." These will also be separated by one ">" on the MRZ
• For further information regarding naming conventions visit the Department of Homeland Security naming standards page.
• Your passport should be valid for a minimum of 6 months into the future at all times
• Please make sure to enter your gender as it is indicated on your passport

Preferred Name

Do you have a name you prefer to be called, which differs from the name on your passport? Let us know! For immigration matters, such as the I-129, your name must match your passport. However, we will used your preferred name in communications where your legal name is not required. 

For more information please visit ISEO's Gender Recognition Act information section. 

Country and Province or State of Birth

Please enter your City of Birth and the Province or State that city is located in, if applicable. Province or state are required if your country has them! 

Address Information

Your permanent address should be your international address. If you are currently residing in the US, please provide us your permanent international address first, and then select "Yes" under "Do you have a U.S. residential address?" in order to provide your US address as well. 

Upcoming Travel Information

Are you planning to travel any time within the next several months? Please make sure to list all travel dates, even if they're only tentative. 

Important! International travel while changing status to or porting an H-1B can require very precise planning. Making your advisor aware of all potential travel plans will help us best advise you and ensure that you have a smooth transition to your H-1B appointment at UC San Diego. Undisclosed travel plans can have repercussions for changing status, porting, or traveling internationally during this process. 

Please let us know if you will have dependents requiring H-4 status! You will need to provide each dependent's name, gender, country of birth, and relationship to the H-1B applicant. 

If your dependents are outside of the US: 

• Dependents outside of the US can apply for H-4 visa stamps abroad in order to enter the US in H-4 status. This does not require an I-539 application to be filed with USCIS

If your dependents are inside of the US: 

• Dependents within the US may either choose to travel and apply for an H-4 visa stamp from outside the US OR can file an I-539 with USCIS to request a change of status to H-4. 
• The I-539 can be filed concurrently with the H-1B request. These documents can be submitted to ISEO either by a single PDF file in iServices, or with physical copies provided to our front desk 
• All I-539 applications must be fully completed and reviewed by the applicants - as these are personal applications, ISEO is not able to provide a full review of the I-539

Do you have questions about how your dependents should file for H-4 status? Reach out to an advisor so that we can discuss the process with you! 

During your iServices request, you will be asked if you are currently in the United States. If yes, we will ask you for your  I-94 and Visa information. Please make sure to have copies of these documents available to upload.

Regardless of whether you are currently in the US, we will also request details about your immigration history, including: 

• Have you previously been in J-1 or J-2 status? We will need to list all previous J status on the H-1B application
• Have you ever been subject to 212e? 
• Have you been in H-1B status before? 
• Have you filed an I-130, I-140, or I-485? 
• Are you currently in removal proceedings? 
• Are you a Canadian citizen? 

If the answer to any of these is yes, you will need to provide additional information and documents, so please be sure to prepare any DS-2019s, I-797 notices, or waiver documentation for upload to iServices. 

As part of this form, you will also need to provide the U.S. consulate (outside of the U.S.) at which you are most likely to apply for an H-1B visa stamp. This is required for all H-1B petitions, even if you are changing status within the U.S. 

As part of the H-1B request, we will need to show how you qualify for the potion and for H-1B status. 

Please prepare your highest degree received, any medical licenses (if applicable), and supporting documents for your highest degree received. 

Potential additional evidence which may be required: 

• Translation
  • If your degree is not in English, a translation will be required
  • This includes degrees from US institutions issued in Latin or other languages
• Credential Evaluation
  • A credential evaluation will be required if your degree was received from an institution outside of the U.S. 
  • Exception: Clinical Care appointments do not need evaluations of foreign MD degrees.
  • The evaluation should include field of study, a detailed description of the material evaluated, rather than conclusions, and a brief description of the qualifications and experience of the evaluator.
  • TN requests will not need evaluations for Mexican or Canadian degrees.
• Transcripts
  • If your degree does not indicate a specific field of study, transcripts may be required as supporting evidence
  • Note: if the nature of your research is interdisciplinary, we may ask for transcripts if they have not been provided

If you are currently in J status, you will now be able to submit your portion of the H-1B request. 

If you are not in J status, you will be asked to read J-1 or H-1B: A Comparison, and agree that you have read this information and wish to continue with H-1B status.