ACT Documents
IFSIS plays no role in HR processes after an immigration document necessary for work authorization (such as a USCIS approval or receipt notice) is received. All other onboarding processes should proceed as for any other employee. All non-citizen ACT documents flow through the Oracle queue of UAB's International Payment Compliance Specialist, who analyzes whether an international tax determination is needed. If needed, the International Payment Compliance Specialist will email the international employee detailed instructions to complete an FNIS form online and schedule an appointment as necessary. Questions about the ACT document approval workflow can be directed to
No SSN Yet? Request a Temporary ID for Oracle Purposes
If your international employee has just arrived in the US for the first time, or has been in the US for a while but never had a job before, they will likely need a temporary ID assigned by Financial Affairs so that you can create an ACT document. Please visit https://www.uab.edu/financialaffairs/forms/trainee-determination-checklist, complete the form there, and submit it along with requested attachments directly to
Form I-9 Completion
IFSIS plays no role in the I-9 process. All new employees--US or international--receive an initial email from the Perfect Compliance (Guardian) system during the Taleo process or from the Guardian POC from their unit with instructions to complete Section 1 of Form I-9. International employees will not be able to complete Section 2 of Form I-9 until USCIS issues the necessary employment authorization document (approval notice for new hires or those who changed immigration status, receipt notice for extensions, EAD card, etc.). International employees receive emails from the LawLogix Edge database when the necessary work authorization document arrives in the mail containing explicit instructions about how to schedule an appointment to pick up their document and complete Section 2 of Form I-9 with the appropriate UAB office.
Dually-appointed clinical faculty receive instructions to pick up their documents and complete Section 2 with HSF HR in Whitaker by emailing
"Visa Types" (more correctly, "immigration statuses") in Oracle
Non-citizens can have many types of work authorization (often incorrectly but colloquially called "visas"). A visa stamp in someone's passport never confers work authorization and never determines how long someone can remain in the US. A visa is basically a travel document that simply allows someone to request entry into the United States at an airport or land border. Please never use the start or end date of someone's visa as an indication of US work authorization, and do not put the visa's end date in Oracle. USCIS does NOT accept visas as an acceptable document for I-9 verification. View acceptable documents.
Individuals with US work authorization will have a separate document specifically conferring work authorization (usually a USCIS approval notice Form I-797 or an EAD "work card").
To complete an ACT document for a non-citizen appointment in Oracle, go to the "Person Data" tab, “Employment” sub-tab and click in the “Visa Type” drop-down field.
Please refer to the chart below to a) select what type of work authorization (incorrectly referred to in Oracle as a "Visa Type") the person has, and b) how to determine the end date of the person's work authorization (incorrectly labeled in Oracle as "Work Visa Expiration Date"). NEVER ENTER THE EXPIRATION DATE OF SOMEONE'S VISA STAMP IN THEIR PASSPORT, OR THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE PASSPORT ITSELF. Neither of these dates have any meaning whatsoever for someone's "work authorization" in the US.
| Oracle “Visa Type” Option | Immigration Status/Work Authorization Description | What is the “Work Visa Expiration Date”? |
|---|---|---|
|
B-1 |
Visitor for business (cannot be paid salary or hold any type of appointment, can receive honorarium with appropriate documentation) |
Either a) Ask the employee to provide their most recent Form I-94, or b) enter the date of their last expected affiliation with UAB/reason to be on campus, whichever is SHORTER; email |
|
B-2 |
Visitor for tourism (cannot be paid salary or hold any type of appointment, can receive honorarium with appropriate documentation) |
Either a) Ask the employee to provide their most recent Form I-94, or b) enter the date of their last expected affiliation with UAB/reason to be on campus, whichever is SHORTER; email |
|
EAC |
This stands for “Employment Authorization Card,” more commonly called EAD (“Employment Authorization Document”). Several US immigration statuses use EADs as evidence of US work authorization. Individuals with the following immigration statuses must provide an EAD in order to be employed at UAB:
|
Enter the date in the “Card Expires” field in the bottom-left-hand corner of the EAD card; email |
|
F-1 |
Full-Time Student (can work on-campus up to 20 hours per week on the basis of their Form I-20 while still in school; if they have graduated, see “EAC” above re: OPT and STEM OPT employment). |
Enter the “Program End Date” located in the center of the third box (Program of Study section) of the Form I-20; email |
|
H-1 |
This means “H-1B,” Temporary Non-immigrant Worker (USCIS Form I-797 Notice of Action) |
Enter the end date listed in the “Valid to” line in the top right corner of employee's Form I-797, Notice of Action (USCIS approval notice); email |
|
J-1 |
Exchange Visitor (can work pursuant to Form DS-2019); if a former student who has graduated, can work with special annotation on Form DS-2019 called “Academic Training” |
Enter the “To” date found in Box 3 of Form DS-2019 (the “Form Covers Period” section); email |
|
O-1 |
Alien of Extraordinary Ability in the Arts or Sciences |
Enter the end date listed in the “Valid to” line in the top right corner of their Form I-797, Notice of Action (USCIS approval notice) Or, if extension relying solely on receipt notice for 240 days: add one year from current expiration date; email |
| OUTUSA | Individual will be working, volunteering, or otherwise affiliated with UAB solely while OUTSIDE the United States | Enter the end anticipated end date of the affiliation with the university as stated on the individual's offer or appointment letter (NOT 31DEC4712) or as reported by the supervisor |
|
PR |
Permanent Resident (must have actual green card in hand) |
31DEC4712, since this is perpetual work authorization |
|
TN |
Treaty National under NAFTA (Canada and Mexico) |
Enter the end date listed in the “Valid from” section in the top right corner of their Form I-797, Notice of Action (USCIS approval notice); email |
|
USCZ |
US Citizen (do NOT use for permanent residents/green card holders) |
N/A |
|
VWB |
Visa Waiver Business (cannot be paid salary or hold any type of appointment, can receive honorarium with appropriate documentation) |
Either a) Ask the employee to provide their most recent Form I-94, or b) enter the date of their last expected affiliation with UAB/reason to be on campus, whichever is SHORTER; email |
|
VWT |
Visa Waiver Tourism (cannot be paid salary or hold any type of appointment, can receive honorarium with appropriate documentation) |
Either a) Ask the employee to provide their most recent Form I-94, or b) enter the date of their last expected affiliation with UAB/reason to be on campus, whichever is SHORTER; email |
|
WB1 |
Canadian Walkover for Business (cannot be paid salary or hold any type of appointment, can receive honorarium with appropriate documentation) |
Either a) Ask the employee to provide their most recent Form I-94, or b) enter the date of their last expected affiliation with UAB/reason to be on campus, whichever is SHORTER; email |
|
WB2 |
Canadian Walkover for Tourism (cannot be paid salary or hold any type of appointment, can receive honorarium with appropriate documentation) |
Either a) Ask the employee to provide their most recent Form I-94, or b) enter the date of their last expected affiliation with UAB/reason to be on campus, whichever is SHORTER; email |
|
XX |
Granted asylum in the US (can be employed on the basis of asylum approval or can present an asylum-based EAD) |
Enter the date in the “Card Expires” field in the bottom-left-hand corner of the person’s EAD card or email |
***Note: someone who enters the US to attend a conference or speak on the basis of the ESTA visa waiver program for certain countries does NOT have US work authorization. These individuals can receive an honorarium with appropriate documentation, but CANNOT be employed. Oracle does not have an option for ESTA; please select B-1 for these individuals to assist with data review.
Oracle Tips for Volunteer, Out of US, Independent Contractor, and Consultant/Requisition Appointments
The “Work Visa Expiration Date” for anyone in these roles needs to be the end date of their anticipated affiliation with UAB--never the expiration date on a visa stamp in their passport, never the expiration date of the passport itself, and never the date 31DEC4712. Visa stamps and international passports never confer work authorization or the right to remain in the US and should not be treated as any sort of "Work Visa," and the 31DEC4712 date is reserved ONLY for individuals who hold a green card. Consult the offer/appointment/contract letter provided to the individual to find the end of the anticipated relationship with UAB, and ask the supervisor or faculty member who invited the individual to campus if you cannot tell from the letter.
Example 1: Bob is coming from Jupiter to speak at a UAB conference on interplanetary currency exchanges. He has an invitation letter stating that he will be on campus on June 7, 2023 and shows you a B visitor visa stamp in his passport valid through December 31, 2027. Enter "B-1" in the "Work Visa" field in Oracle and 07JUN2023 in the "Work Visa Expiration Date" field in Oracle. It doesn't matter how long his visa or passport are valid--his relationship with UAB will last only for one day, and he needs to appear on an Oracle expiration report after that day accordingly.
Example 2: Dr. Health is 100% funded/employed by HSF but needs a 60 Volunteer appointment to access UAB systems, libraries, and clinical spaces. She presents you with an H-1B approval notice valid through June 30, 2030 and has every intention of finishing her career with HSF/UAB and never leaving. Enter "H-1B" in the "Work Visa" field in Oracle and 30JUN2030 in the "Work Visa Expiration Date" field in Oracle. It doesn't matter how long she intends to remain affiliated with HSF/UAB--her immigration document is valid only through June 2030, and a new, valid immigration document will need to be provided then (and her Oracle record updated!) to continue the Volunteer appointment.
Example 3: Patty Postdoc will be working for UAB in Zambia and will never set foot on campus here in Birmingham. However, she visited New York in 2018 and submits a copy of a B visitor visa valid through October 31, 2028 with her new hire paperwork. Enter "OUTUSA" in the "Work Visa" field in Oracle (because she will be working exclusively outside the US) and the approximate end date on her postdoc appointment letter in the "Work Visa Expiration Date" field in Oracle. No immigration document is relevant here because she will not be working inside the US. Still, the "Work Visa Expiration Date" needs to reflect the anticipated end date of her relationship with the university.
Example 4: Dr. Teacher has been appointed to teach medical students in Tuscaloosa, but accreditation requires her to have a faculty appointment with UAB as well. She provides an H-1B approval notice valid through May 31, 2025 and a passport that expires in June 2032. Enter "H-1B" in the "Work Visa" field in Oracle and 31MAY2025 in the "Work Visa Expiration Date" field in Oracle.