Immigration Services
The area of Immigration Services within the Office of Human Resources provides assistance to departments who would like to hire faculty and staff members who are foreign nationals. Our office is responsible for promoting and monitoring University compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and University policies and procedures with an emphasis on immigration. Our mission is to promote an effective, informed, low-risk workplace and facilitate an understanding our dynamic regulatory environment. Our office must adhere to strict federal guidelines and regulations of the US Department of State (DOS), US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and US Department of Labor (DOL) when petitioning for employment sponsorship of faculty and staff.
We offer assistance and resources in a variety of areas, including:
- Monitoring developments in Congress, federal agencies, and in the courts for information that may be pertinent to the University.
- Alerting UTPA to issues of interest identified by federal and state agencies such as Department of Labor, Department of Homeland Security, and others
- Overseeing and helping to ensure that non-immigrant visa and permanent residency (green card) processing is done properly
- Overseeing the employment sponsorship process and providing training to departments
- Facilitating policy development within UTPA and assisting with the documentation for review by the University HOP Committee for Policy Review
- Providing legislative analysis of bills potentially impacting the UTPA foreign national community
PLEASE NOTE: We do not provide legal advice, but can help refer questions requiring legal counsel to Immigration counsel specially appointed by the State of Texas Attorney General to advise the University. Individuals seeking or needing personal legal advice should consult their own attorney.
Employment Sponsorship and Immigration Services (IS) Packet
Department heads are encouraged to consult with HR's Immigration Services Coordinator – Janette Garcia at (956) 292-7464 regarding the possibility of sponsorship and processing requirements before extending a formal invitation or offer of employment to a foreign national. Typically, our office coordinates the H-1B visa, TN visa and permanent residency petitions. Please click on the hyperlink below for the appropriate IS packet:
Department heads are encouraged to consult with HR's Immigration Services Coordinator – Janette Garcia at (956) 292-7464 regarding the possibility of sponsorship and processing requirements before extending a formal invitation or offer of employment to a foreign national. Typically, our office coordinates the H-1B visa, TN visa and permanent residency petitions.
Appointments
We welcome any questions or concerns you may have. If you believe your question will take longer than 10 minutes, we request that you schedule an appointment to ensure availability and sufficient time is allotted for your question by the Immigration Coordinator.
For assistance with student visas, please contact the Office of International Admissions and Services – Charlotte Kibler at (956)381-2922. For assistance with Exchange Scholar Programs, please contact the Office of International Programs – Dr. Yvonne Quintanilla at (956) 381-3572.
