Getting Started: HR Training and ISSS Link Access

ISSS Link is the online system that Emory department administrators use to submit requests for ISSS to issue immigration documents for J-1, H-1B, O-1, TN and E-3 scholars. Department administrators who are new to the international scholar request process will need to complete some additional steps before getting access to ISSS Link. Once a department administrator has ISSS Link access, they may log into ISSS Link using their Emory NetID and password and submit scholar e-form requests. ISSS Link also acts as Emory's online portal for international students and scholars. Using their Emory credentials, international students and scholars can log into ISSS Link, review their information and submit e-form requests. 

It is recommended that departments complete the "To Do List" below as early as possible as getting a visa can take several months. For example, an H-1B visa can take up to eight months. The J-1 process is faster, but can still take up to three months.

To Do List

1. Obtain answers to these basic questions about the prospective scholar:
   • What country is the scholar from?
   • Where is the scholar currently living? Are they already in the US?
   • Will the scholar be paid, and by whom?
   • What is the scholar's field of interest?
   • Does the scholar have a degree (bachelor's degree or higher) in the appropriate field?
   • What will be the scholar's basic duties? What is the purpose of their stay in the US?
   • What is the scholar's plans at the end of their stay? Do they want to remain in the US permanently?
      
2. Review the various Non-Immigrant Status Options
   • Nearly all of Emory's international scholars carry an H-1B or a J-1 visa, but there are a few other options as well including O-1, TN, and E-3.
   • The type of visa an international scholar needs depends on the type of work they will do in the US. ISSS can help departments decide which visa is the best choice.
   • For a brief overview of the different immigration status types, download ISSS' "Choosing the Right Immigration Status" handout.
      
3. Sign up and attend ISSS' HR training session.
   • "Bringing the World to Emory: Basics of Hiring Foreign Nationals" is a three-hour training session offered once a month via Brainier. 
   • The training includes:
     • basic information to help departments decide the appropriate visa type for a new scholar
     • overview of relevant immigration regulations
     • directions for using the ISSS Link system
   • Attendance is required of all department administrators who will initiate scholar requests in ISSS Link. 
   • See the Training Schedule below for a list of dates.
   • Sign up for a "Bringing the World to Emory" training session using Brainier.
      
4. Complete a Departmental Access Authorization Form.
   • To be considered complete, the form must be signed by the department or unit chair/head.
   • Administrators in the School of Medicine or School of Public Health will also need a signature from the school's Dean or Dean’s designee.
      
5. Request access to ISSS Link by emailing the completed Departmental Access Authorization Form to isss@emory.edu.
   • A department administrator will be granted ISSS Link access only after ISSS has confirmed they have attended a "Bringing the World to Emory" training session and received a completed Departmental Access Authorization Form. 
      
6. Determine the appropriate immigration status for the prospective scholar and gather the required documents
   • Review the document lists for each immigration status on ISSS' International Scholar Request Process page.
   • Most of the information will come from the scholar, and this can take time, especially if they are outside the US. 
      
7. Log into ISSS Link (using an Emory NetID and password) and initiate the request. 

Sign up for a "Bringing the World to Emory" training session using Brainier