Hosting a Visitor at Harpur College | Harpur College of Arts and Sciences

Faculty Guide Overview

A visitor who stays more than two weeks, works in a laboratory at any length of stay, teaches, or uses university facilities needs a formal Visiting Scholar, Visiting Professional, or Volunteer appointment approved before the visit begins. Only the faculty host can submit the request. International visitors require additional steps through International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), and the host must have completed CITI Export Control Training within the past four years.

Please note that every visitor who will enter a research laboratory, for any length of time and whether or not the host accompanies the visitor, must also be reported to Research Compliance in the Division of Research before the visit, so that the visitor and the visitor's institutions can be screened against federal restricted-party lists. Visitors affiliated with an institution on one of those lists, or with an institution in a foreign country of concern, require additional review and may be denied laboratory access.

Use the table below to find which steps apply to your visitor.

Type of visit	Formal appointment?	Steps that apply
Up to two weeks, no entry to a research laboratory (for example, a seminar speaker or an outside member of a thesis or dissertation committee)	No	The host accompanies the visitor at all times on campus.
Up to two weeks, with entry to a research laboratory for any purpose (for example, a laboratory tour, a meeting held in a laboratory, or observation of an experiment)	No, unless the visitor performs research	Research Access Notification to Research Compliance, and clearance, before the visitor enters any laboratory. The host accompanies the visitor at all times (see "Research security and foreign government screening").
More than two weeks, or any teaching, research, or use of university facilities	Yes	Provost e-form, then an HR transaction form (see "Steps for the faculty host").
Laboratory work, any length of stay	Yes	As above, plus departmental, Environmental Health and Safety, and Division of Research requirements. Research Access Notification and clearance from Research Compliance before laboratory access.
International visitor in J-1 status	Yes	As above, plus the DS-2019 request to ISSS and host CITI Export Control Training (see "Additional requirements for international visitors").
International visitor in another status (for example, B-1/B-2 or the Visa Waiver Program)	Depends	Contact ISSS before inviting the visitor .
Visitor affiliated with a foreign government, a foreign public university delegation, a foreign country of concern, or an institution on a federal restricted-party list	Depends on length and activity, as above	Also review the foreign government meetings policy and contact Research Compliance (see "Research security and foreign government screening").

Lead time. No campus office states a minimum lead time for the e-form. ISSS issues a DS-2019 within five business days of receiving a complete request, and the visitor must then obtain a visa abroad. Start the request as soon as the visit is agreed. Research Compliance must finish restricted-party screening before the visitor enters any laboratory, so submit the Research Access Notification when you invite the visitor.

Steps for the Faculty Host:

The host is accountable for the visitor's conduct for the whole visit and is the only person who can submit the request.

1. Before Submitting

Use the Overview table to decide whether the visitor needs a formal appointment. For an international visitor, contact ISSS at the start to confirm the correct immigration status.
If the visitor is international, confirm that you have completed the CITI Export Control course within the past four years. Keep the completion certificate.
If the visitor is affiliated with a foreign government, arrives as part of a delegation from a foreign public university, comes from a foreign country of concern, or is affiliated with an institution on a federal restricted-party list, complete the steps under "Research security and foreign government screening" before the visit.
Laboratory access, any visitor, any length of visit. If the visitor will enter a research laboratory for any reason, submit a Research Access Notification to Research Compliance before the visit. Give the visitor's full name, country of citizenship, current employer, other institutional affiliations (including appointments at foreign universities, government bodies, and talent recruitment programs), sources of funding, the dates of the visit, the laboratories the visitor will enter, and the projects, sponsors, equipment, data, and materials in those laboratories. Do not arrange laboratory entry or card access until Research Compliance confirms that screening is complete and states any conditions.
Gather the attachments:
- All visitors: the visitor's current CV and a written request for visiting status. The written request must describe the visitor's background, duties (what, when, where, and with whom), required training, how resources will be provided, the value the visitor brings, a supervision plan, and an export compliance plan if one is needed.
- International visitors, in addition: one PDF containing the completed ISSS DS-2019 Request Form, the passport biographical page for the visitor and each dependent, and proof of funding; proof of English proficiency; and your CITI certificate.
For a J-1 visitor, agree with your department on who pays the ISSS administrative fee of $95 per semester.

2. Submitting and Approval

Submit the Request for Visiting Scholars/Professionals and Volunteers e-form in myBinghamton (My Dashboard, Other, Provost Office E-forms, fifth tab). Select Harpur College as the school, name your chair as supervisor, and check the box agreeing to supervise the visitor. The Dean's letter is added by the Dean's office.
The request routes to your chair, the Harpur Dean's office, the Provost's office, ISSS (international visitors only), and Human Resources. You receive an email at submission and an email with the outcome and any conditions. Any approver may return the request for changes or deny it.

3. After Approval

Ask your department's HR representative to submit an HR Transaction Form for the appointment. The visitor cannot get an ID card, parking, or email until this form is processed.
Stay in contact with the visitor before arrival. For a J-1 visitor, notify ISSS of any change to arrival plans.

4. During and After the Visit

Make sure the visitor obtains a university ID on arrival and wears it on outer clothing in laboratories. The department's building administrator sets laboratory access. Do not request laboratory card access until Research Compliance has cleared the visitor.
To change dates, extend, or end the visit early, use "Update and Resubmit" on the original workflow (from the final email, or My Workflows). Changes go through the same approvals. HR ends privileges on the tentative end date, or one year after the start date if none was given. If the visitor will enter a laboratory, or use equipment, data, or materials not described in the Research Access Notification, tell Research Compliance before the change.
At the end of the visit, collect the visitor's ID card. The policy requires returning it to the host and destroying it.

Steps for the Visitor:

The visitor supplies documents to the host before the request is submitted, then completes campus check-in after arrival. International visitors also complete the steps under "Additional requirements for international visitors."

1. Before Arrival

Send the host a current CV, a phone number, and a legal address. For any visit that includes laboratory entry, also send your country of citizenship, current employer, other institutional affiliations, and sources of funding. The host needs these for the Research Access Notification.
Give the department's HR representative the information for the HR Transaction Form: birth date, local and permanent addresses, degree information, and an emergency contact. A visitor who has a Social Security number gives it to HR directly, not to the department.

2. After Arrival

Obtain a university ID card. HR advises waiting about one week after the appointment is submitted. Visiting researchers, scholars, and professionals receive faculty-level access; volunteers receive limited access.
With the ID, request a computer and email account in person at the ITS Help Desk.
If needed, buy a parking decal ($25) from Parking Services, ground floor of the Couper Administration Building.
Before laboratory work, complete the training required by the department, Environmental Health and Safety, and the Division of Research. Wear the ID on a lanyard on outer clothing in laboratories and secure areas.

3. Throughout the Visit

Follow university policies and federal, state, and local law. Provide identification, contact information, and the reason for being on campus when University Police or another university official asks.
Return the ID card to the host at the end of the visit, or to any authorized official who requests it.

Additional Requirements for International Visitors

Binghamton sponsors international scholars in J-1 Exchange Visitor status through ISSS. The DS-2019 request travels inside the Provost e-form, and ISSS issues the DS-2019 within five business days of receiving a complete request. Current ISSS guidance covers J-1 only; for any other status, contact ISSS before inviting the visitor.

J-1 Eligibility

The visitor must hold at least the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree, have adequate funding, and come on a temporary basis. J-1 status cannot be used for a tenure-track position. The visitor must work in person at least 60% of the time. Undergraduates follow the separate J-1 Student Intern Request.

J-1 category	Primary activity	Maximum stay	12- and 24-month bars
Short-Term Scholar	Research or teaching	6 months	Do not apply
Research Scholar	Research, may teach	5 years (extension of stay required after 4; see below)	Apply
Professor	Teaching, may research	5 years (extension of stay required after 4; see below)	Apply

The 12-month bar applies to anyone who held any J-1 status in the U.S. in the prior 12 months, with exceptions for stays under six months and prior Short-Term Scholar status. The 24-month bar applies to anyone whose previous J-1 was as a Research Scholar or Professor. Ask the visitor about prior J-1 stays before choosing a category.

Fixed Admission Period

Under a Department of Homeland Security final rule published July 17, 2026 and effective September 15, 2026, J-1 exchange visitors are no longer admitted for "duration of status." A J-1 visitor admitted on or after that date receives a fixed admission date equal to the program end date on the DS-2019, up to a maximum of four years, plus a 30-day grace period. A Research Scholar or Professor whose program runs longer than four years must apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for an extension of stay before the admission date passes. ISSS issues current guidance on the transition rules for visitors already in the United States.

Funding Minimums (Per Month)

Scholar: $1,700
Accompanying spouse: $700
Each accompanying child: $500

Financial documents must be in English or carry a certified translation. Bank statements must show the bank name, account holder, currency, date, and available balance. Support from a friend or family member requires a letter of support plus that person's bank statement.

English Proficiency

The department documents this through a recognized test score, a signed letter from an English language school, or an interview recorded on the ISSS assessment form.

Host Responsibilities Specific to J-1 Visitors

Provide a signed invitation or offer letter. The visitor presents it at the visa interview.
Notify ISSS of any change to the arrival date.
Help the visitor obtain a university ID, email, and other access after arrival.

Visitor Responsibilities Specific to J-1 Visitors (Before You Arrive)

Print the DS-2019 and sign page 1 in ink.
Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee at fmjfee.com and print the receipt. The ISSS page lists the fee as $220 but was last updated in May 2023; confirm the current amount on the payment site.
Complete the DS-160 and schedule a visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Bring to the interview: a passport valid at least six months past entry, two photos, the visa fee, the SEVIS receipt, the signed DS-2019, the invitation letter, proof of funding and English proficiency, and evidence of ties to the home country. Each J-2 dependent applies for a separate visa.
Arrange housing. ISSS does not assist with housing; see Off Campus College housing or ask the host department.
Arrive no more than 30 days before the DS-2019 start date. If arrival will be more than two weeks after the start date, notify the host and ISSS.
Attend the required ISSS orientation after arrival. Missing it can put the visitor's immigration status at risk.
Maintain U.S. health insurance for the visitor and all dependents for the whole stay (requirements). ISSS enrolls scholars at orientation.
If Binghamton pays the visitor, apply for a Social Security number. File U.S. tax returns each year.

Research Security and Foreign Government Screening

Federal research security and export control rules govern who may enter a research laboratory and what a visitor may see, handle, or receive there. These rules apply to short visits and tours as well as to formal appointments, and several changed in 2025 and 2026. Binghamton's Research Security Plan under National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) is in draft, with full implementation and certification pending. The Harpur and Binghamton requirements below apply now; the federal rules that follow explain why.

HarpurRequirement: Research Access Notification for Every Laboratory Visitor

Harpur College requires notification of all visitor access to research laboratories, regardless of the length of the visit, the visitor's citizenship, or whether the host accompanies the visitor. This includes seminar speakers who tour a laboratory, committee members who meet in a laboratory, and prospective collaborators. Before the visit, the host submits a Research Access Notification to Research Compliance (Heather Bragg, hbragg@binghamton.edu) with the information listed under "Before submitting" in "Steps for the faculty host." Research Compliance screens the visitor and the visitor's institutions against the lists below and reviews the laboratories for export-controlled items, controlled data, and sponsor restrictions. It then clears the visit, sets conditions (for example, a continuous escort, excluded areas, or a technology control plan), or denies laboratory access. The host keeps the clearance with the visit records.

Current Binghamton Requirements

Export control training. A host of any international visitor must have completed the CITI Export Control course within the past four years. The same course is required of PIs and senior personnel on NSF awards made after August 1, 2022.
Export compliance plan. If the visitor will have access to export-controlled items, technology, or software, the written request must include an export compliance plan. Contact Research Compliance before submitting (Export Control).
Foreign government meetings policy. A visit is reviewed under the Statewide Policy on Meetings with Foreign Government Representatives when it involves any government official or political representative from China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea, or a non-routine in-person delegation from a government-affiliated organization, including a foreign public university. Submit the "Meetings with Foreign Representatives" form to International Education & Global Affairs (IEGA). SUNY review takes at least 14 days. Faculty-level academic collaboration is excluded. The policy covers in-person, video, and telephone meetings. For a meeting abroad, submit the Travel Office Request & Authorization at least 30 days before the meeting; the Travel Office forwards it to IEGA.

Restricted-Party Lists

Research Compliance screens laboratory visitors and their institutions against U.S. government lists that include the following. A match does not always bar a visit, but no laboratory access may be given until Research Compliance resolves it.

Consolidated Screening List (U.S. Department of Commerce). It combines lists maintained by Commerce, State, and Treasury, including the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Entity List (15 CFR Part 744, Supplement No. 4), the Military End-User List (Supplement No. 7), the Unverified List, the Denied Persons List, and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals List.
Department of War Section 1286 list (Section 1286 of the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act, Public Law 115-232). The update released in July 2026 names 130 academic and research institutions in China, Russia, and Iran. The list changes at least once a year; do not rely on a downloaded copy.
Department of War Section 1260H list of Chinese military companies (Section 1260H of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act).
BIS Affiliates Rule. An interim final rule (90 FR 47201, September 30, 2025) extends Entity List and Military End-User List restrictions to any entity owned 50 percent or more by listed parties. BIS suspended the rule on November 10, 2025 (90 FR 50857) and has extended the suspension through January 10, 2027 (FR Doc. 2026-22793). If the suspension ends, screening must also consider who owns the visitor's employer. Please note that the Affiliates Rule suspension ends January 10, 2027 unless BIS acts again.

Deemed Exports

Under the Export Administration Regulations, any release of controlled technology or source code to a foreign person in the United States, including by visual inspection or oral exchange, is a deemed export to that person's most recent country of citizenship or permanent residency (15 CFR 734.13(b) and 734.15). The International Traffic in Arms Regulations treat the release of technical data to a foreign person in the United States as an export (22 CFR 120.50(a)(2) and 120.56). Information that arises during or results from fundamental research is excluded (15 CFR 734.8). The exclusion does not cover proprietary or publication-restricted research, or controlled technology a laboratory holds from other sources, such as a manufacturer's technical data for controlled equipment. A laboratory tour or a short visit can therefore require a license or a technology control plan.

Laboratories Funded by the Department of War (Department of Defense)

Beginning in fiscal year 2026, the Department of War may not use funds for fundamental research that involves collaboration with any entity on the current Section 1286 list. Section 215 of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act continues to restrict Department of War funding for researchers who receive support from a listed entity. The Department's January 7, 2026 memorandum, "Fundamental Research Security Initiatives and Implementation," also bars fundamental research awards to Section 1260H entities and expands risk-based security reviews of funded projects. A visitor affiliated with a listed institution who works on, or receives unpublished results from, a Department of War-funded project can place that funding at risk.

Human Data, Biospecimens, and Controlled-Access Data

The Department of Justice Data Security Program (28 CFR Part 202, effective April 8, 2025) prohibits data brokerage with, and restricts vendor, employment, and investment agreements that give access to, covered persons associated with countries of concern (China, including Hong Kong and Macau; Cuba; Iran; North Korea; Russia; and Venezuela) when the agreement involves bulk U.S. sensitive personal data, such as human 'omic, biometric, health, or precise geolocation data. Transactions conducted under a federal grant, contract, or other agreement are exempt (28 CFR 202.504); work without federal funding has no comparable exemption. NIH prohibits access to NIH controlled-access data repositories and associated data by institutions located in countries of concern (NOT-OD-25-083, effective April 4, 2025) and restricts distribution of human biospecimens collected with NIH funds to institutions or parties in those countries (NOT-OD-25-160). A laboratory that holds such data or specimens must state this in the Research Access Notification.

Who Does What

The request moves in this order: host, department chair, Harpur Dean's office, Provost's office, ISSS (international visitors only), Human Resources, then the department HR representative.

Person or office	Responsibility
Faculty host	Decides whether an appointment is needed; completes CITI Export Control training (international visitors); gathers documents; submits the e-form; agrees to supervise; provides the invitation letter; accompanies short-term visitors; collects the ID at the end; accountable for the visitor's conduct; submits a Research Access Notification for any visitor who will enter a laboratory and keeps the clearance
Visitor	Provides CV, contact, identity, funding, and English proficiency documents; obtains visa (international); obtains ID, email, and parking; completes required training; follows university policy and law; returns the ID
Department chair	First approval in the e-form; named by the host as supervisor
Department HR representative	Submits the HR Transaction Form after approval so the visitor can receive an ID, email, and parking
Harpur Dean's office	Approves the request; attaches the Dean's letter; issues the formal visiting title; contacts the Provost's office on complex cases
Office of the Provost (Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs)	Approves the request; owns the policy and the e-form
ISSS	Reviews international requests; issues the DS-2019; runs orientation and health insurance enrollment for J-1 visitors
Human Resources	Processes the appointment and marks the workflow complete. Kicks off ITS processes, etc.
Research Compliance	Advises on export control, export compliance plans, and research security; receives Research Access Notifications; screens laboratory visitors and their institutions against federal restricted-party lists; clears, sets conditions on, or denies laboratory access
Department building administrator	Sets laboratory card access for a visitor after Research Compliance clearance
IEGA	Reviews visits covered by the foreign government meetings policy
HR	Creates computer and email accounts

Contacts and Forms

Topic	Contact
E-form and the visiting scholar policy	Office of the Provost, Faculty Resources
Harpur College approval	Associate Dean Carl Lipo (clipo@binghamton.edu)
J-1 visitors, DS-2019, visa status	ISSS, isss@binghamton.edu, contact page
Export control and research security	Heather Bragg, Associate Vice President for Research Ethics, Security and Compliance, hbragg@binghamton.edu, (607) 777-3824
Foreign government meetings policy	Madhusudhan Govindaraju, Vice Provost for International Education & Global Affairs, mgovinda@binghamton.edu, (607) 777-6747
Appointments, ID eligibility, end dates	Human Resources, (607) 777-2187, contact page
Email and computer accounts	ITS Help Desk

Questions?

Carl P Lipo

Associate Dean for Research and Programs

Harpur College of Arts and Sciences

607-777-4934

LN 2430D

clipo@binghamton.edu