Permanent Residency Process at Vanderbilt University

Permanent residency is a lengthy and costly process.  The department should consult the following resources before determining if permanent residency is the right step.  Contact ois@vanderbilt.edu  with any questions. 

• See details on the possible permanent residency options.
• See the fee table.  Note that recruitment, if necessary for the Labor Certification, is additional.   
• See frequently asked questions regarding permanent residency.

Permanent Residency Process at Vanderbilt University

1. Collect the information necessary to complete the request form including: appropriate department contacts, COA/POET number(s), employee's country of birth and citizenship, employee's contact information, employee's current status and expiration, job description, CV/resume, qualifying criteria (EB1), qualifying research (NIW) and completed Visa Deemed Export Questionnaire.  
2. Complete the Permanent Residency Request for University Employees.  
3. A representative of VU's contracted law firm will contact the employee for additional information (including the employee's immigration history).  
4. OIS will contact the department, typically within 1 week, to confirm the type of case.  
5. If the case includes Labor Certification the process will generally take 12-18 months.  See the list of necessary steps here.  If the petition will be in a category not requiring the Labor Certification most interaction will be directly with the employee to request appropriate documentation of qualifications.  These cases are individual and processing times vary widely.  

NOTE: To sponsor an employee for permanent residency that employee must be in a full-time, permanent position (example: postdocs do not qualify).