E-3 Visa - SCHOLARS

E-3 SCHOLARS

Applying for an E-3
E-3 Extension
Travel
E-3 Dependent

The E-3 specialty occupation visa category is for Australian nationals (AN) who have been identified as highly skilled staff members with a bachelor's degree or higher. E-3 beneficiaries are eligible for an unlimited amount of time in this visa category. The initial and extensions are permitted in two-year increments.

If you would like to apply for an E-3 visa or seek to maintain it through extension or amendment, please begin the process by speaking with your sponsoring department concerning your current visa status and what type of visa your supervisor will sponsor. The IO only accepts E-3 requests from NU sponsoring departments.

If your department has confirmed their sponsorship of your E-3, then you are ready to Apply for an E-3.

Reminder for E-3 Beneficiaries:

• Initial E-3 Beneficiaries from outside the U.S., please check in with the International Office upon arrival in the U.S. to start your position. Please complete the E-3 Beneficiary Check-In Form and bring your immigration documents for the IO to copy and keep on file.
• After all trips outside the U.S., please bring your original I-797 approval notice back to the IO for us to keep on file.

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APPLYING FOR AN E-3

If your department has confirmed their sponsorship of your E-3 visa, please complete one of the following E-3 applications specific to your case.

All forms associated with the E-3 can be found here under the 'Scholars' heading.

INITIAL E-3

Initial E-3 applications are for Australian nationals (AN) outside the U.S. and those currently in the U.S. in other visa categories such as F-1, J-1, B1/B2, etc.

Please do the following:

1. Collect documents on E-3 Beneficiary Checklist.
2. Send documents to your sponsoring department.
3. Complete the U.S Visa - Main Questionnaire in Immigration Tracker. The International Office (IO) will send you your Immigration Tracker login information after your sponsoring department has submitted their request to the IO.

E-3 EXTENSION

If you already hold an E-3 at Northwestern and your department would like to extend the end date of your employment (and possibly change your job specifications), they will be requesting an E-3 Extension on your behalf.

Please do the following:

1. Collect documents on E-3 Beneficiary Checklist.
2. Send documents to your sponsoring department.
3. Update your information in Immigration Tracker by completing the U.S Visa - Main Questionnaire. The International Office (IO) will send you your Immigration Tracker login information after your sponsoring department has submitted their request to the IO.

AMENDED E-3

If you currently hold an E-3 at Northwestern but have recently had or will have a change in your job specifications, such as a promotion, transfer for departments, salary increase, etc., your department will be requesting an Amended E-3 on your behalf.

Please do the following:

1. Collect documents on E-3 Beneficiary Checklist.
2. Send documents to your sponsoring department.
3. Update your information in Immigration Tracker by completing the U.S Visa - Main Questionnaire. The International Office (IO) will send you your Immigration Tracker login information after your sponsoring department has submitted their request to the IO.

CHANGE OF EMPLOYER (COE) E-3

If you currently hold an E-3 at another institution (non-profit or for profit) and will be starting employment to Northwestern University your department will be requesting a Change of Employer (COE) E-3 on your behalf.

Please do the following:

1. Collect documents on E-3 Beneficiary Checklist.
2. Send documents to your sponsoring department.
3. Complete the U.S Visa - Main Questionnaire in Immigration Tracker. The International Office (IO) will send you your Immigration Tracker login information after your sponsoring department has submitted their request to the IO.

TRANSFERRING AN E-3

Joining Northwestern

If you currently hold an E-3 at another institution (non-profit or for profit) and will be starting employment to Northwestern University, please refer to the information above on details of the IO change of employer (COE) application process.

Currently with Northwestern

If you are seeking to change employers from Northwestern University to another nonprofit institution, please speak with your new employer and sponsoring department for details on their COE application process.

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E-3 EXTENSION

E-3 EXTENSION

If you already hold an E-3 at Northwestern University and your department would like to extend the end date (and possibly change your job specifications) of your employment, they will be requesting an E-3 Extension (EOS) on your behalf.

Please complete the following steps:

1. Collect documents on E-3 Beneficiary Checklist.
2. Send documents to your sponsoring department.
3. Update your information in Immigration Tracker by completing the U.S Visa - Main Questionnaire. The International Office (IO) will send you your Immigration Tracker login information after your sponsoring department has submitted their request to the IO.

H-1B Extensions are important in maintaining your E-3 status. Please keep the following points in mind to during the extension process:

• If you have dependents in the U.S. please remember to file the I-539 form to extend their E-3 status.
• Please inform your sponsoring department and the International Office if you are traveling outside the U.S. during the process. Please refer to Travel.

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TRAVEL

If an E-3 beneficiary is traveling outside the U.S. while on an E-3 visa, he/she must travel in accordance with the following guidelines:

• To enter the U.S. all E-3 visa holders must have a valid E-3 visa stamp and valid passport.
• If an E-3 beneficiary has a valid visa stamp and valid passport, documents provided by the IO are only in support of his/her E-3 status and are not required for travel.

TRAVELING OUTSIDE THE U.S. WHILE AN E-3 EXTENSION IN THE U.S. IS PENDING:

• Traveling outside the U.S. while an extension is pending (PLEASE notify IO)
• If an E-3 beneficiary is traveling while an extension is pending and will be re-entering the U.S. close to the expiration date of his/her current E-3, he/she is encouraged to take his/her extension receipt notice (I-797C) and copies of the extension petition with him/her while traveling.
• It is possible for E-3 beneficiaries to travel while an extension is pending and can re-enter the U.S. after the expiration date of his/her current E-3; however, please notify the IO of your plans.

OBTAINING AN E-3 VISA STAMP

• All E-3 visa stamps must be obtained outside the U.S.
• Please call or visit the website of the respective consulate for details on this process.
• Please see our IO Guidelines for Obtaining a Visa Stamp

OBTAINING IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS FOR TRAVEL

The IO has the following documents on file and will be able to provide them to Northwestern University E-3 beneficiaries upon request:

1. Original E-3 approval notice (I-797A) -- If an E-3 visa holder received his/her E-3 visa stamp in Australia, he/she will not have this document
2. Original E-3 extension receipt notice (I-797C)
3. Copies of USCIS approval (COS/COE) petition
4. Copies of USCIS extension (EOS) petition
5. E-3 visa support letter
6. E-3 status letter

Please request these documents through the International Office Scholar Electronic Document Request and allow 2 weeks for processing. The IO will notify you when we receive your request and when your request has been processed.

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E-3 DEPENDENT

The E-3 dependent visa category is for dependents of the E-3 beneficiary. E-3 dependents are eligible for full-time and part-time study. When E-3 dependent children reach the age of 21 years old, they will "age out" of the E-3 dependent visa category and will have to obtain their own visa status in an appropriate category.

E-3 dependents are eligible for full or part time employment with an Employment Authorization Document Card (EAD). E-3 dependents must complete the form I-765 for E-3 dependent employment authorization.

I-539 FORM

When maintaining an E-3 through Change of Status within the U.S., Extensions and Change of Employer applications, E-3 dependent status should also be maintained through filing the I-539 form. This form can be found on the USCIS website with instructions. In addition to thoroughly reading USCIS I-539 instructions, please refer to the International Office Guidelines for Filing the I-539 for E-3 dependents when filing this form with the E-3 application.