Off-Campus Payment / Reimbursement Authorization: J-1 Exchange Visitors
Any off-campus payment or reimbursement for occasional lectures or consultations must be pre-approved by an advisor at Office of International Affairs before accepting payment of the proposed activity.
Professors, Research Scholars and Short-Term Scholar participants in the (J-1) Exchange Visitor Program are allowed to receive payment for occasional lectures or consultations off-campus if prior written authorization is given by an International Scholar Adviser/Alternate Responsible Officer at UC Merced before accepting such payment. With prior written authorization and notation in SEVIS, a scholar may be compensated, paid, or reimbursed for occasional off-campus lectures, consultations, or seminars. Receiving unauthorized payment is a violation of J-1 status. Follow the instructions below if you will be engaged in such activity.
Eligibility
J regulations require that the occasional lectures or short-term consultations must:
- be directly related to the objectives of the J-1 Exchange Visitor's program;
- be incidental to the J-1 Exchange Visitor's primary program activities;
- not delay the completion date of the J-1 Exchange Visitor's program; and
- be documented in SEVIS.
- Must be occasional in nature. ‘Occasional embodies the concept of single events rather than an ongoing activity.
- If not a reimbursement, must be paid as an independent contractor
- If reimbursement, no need to be paid as independent contractor
Application Instructions
Follow the steps below at least 10 working days prior to your proposed compensated activity. Receiving unauthorized payment is a violation of J-1 status.
- Complete the “Off Campus Employment Authorization Form.”
- Gather the required attachments (listed on Request Form).
- Submit all the above the Office of International Affairs.
Please allow 10 business days to receive your letter of authorization. You may pick it up or have it mailed to you.
