Foreign Nationals (Non-US Citizens) Access Program

Entry Requirements for Foreign Nationals

To ensure compliance and avoid unnecessary delays, all individuals planning to initiate an invitation or onboarding for a foreign national at SLAC are required to thoroughly review the information set forth below prior to initiating the process.

SLAC is an internationally leading research institution principally funded by the U.S. Government. As such, we need to continuously strike an appropriate balance between international engagement and research security, both of which are essential to our success. 

One domain where this plays out is in the many international colleagues and partners who come to SLAC as assignee, facility users, or employees. Such visits are governed by DOE Order 142.3C and related DOE guidance and implemented at SLAC through the VUE Center and our Site Compliance Plan.

All SLAC access request, in coordination with their host, need to submit a visit request through SLAC Site Access form and can only access SLAC resources when onsite & remote requests are approved by VUE center. A host is a SLAC employee or DOE contractor who invites a foreign national and is responsible for their visit, assignment, or access while they are at SLAC or working remotely. Approval timelines can vary depending on type of assignee, scope of work, and foreign affiliations of our colleagues; nevertheless, anticipating a 60-day approval window is prudent. We encourage you to initiate the process as early as possible to ensure that individuals coming to SLAC are processed on time and experience no delays.

Most recently, in coordination with DOE, we have made some changes to our expectations of hosts and to some of our review processes. As a result, you may experience different approval timelines than in the past. Questions or concerns can be addressed to VUE@slac.Stanford.edu .

The Department of Energy (DOE) Unclassified Foreign National Access Program (UFNAP) outlines the requirements and exemptions for non-U.S. employees, assignee, and other foreign nationals seeking access to DOE national laboratories. Access is only granted after completion of FACTS entry and indices checks, with approval from the VUE center. There are three primary components: 

  1. Assignee Site Access: All foreign national assignees coming onsite for a meeting, collaboration or conference must be granted DOE approval before access is granted
  2. New Employee and Non-Employee: All foreign national employees and non-employees must complete FACTS entry and indices checks before their start date. These can no longer be completed after the fact, as they have in the past.
  3. Hosting: Foreign National Employees from Countries of Risk (COR) are restricted from hosting assignees, employees and non-employees that are from Countries of Risk (COR), Sensitive Countries List (SCL) & State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST).

Prior to Planning Travel to SLAC 

Additional steps must be completed prior to arrival for foreign nationals from certain countries.

  • Foreign nationals who are not US citizens and were born in, are citizens of, or represent or have ongoing affiliations with certain countries (SLAC login required to view list) may have additional requirements for access to SLAC depending on the nature of the work or assignee.
  • Advance federal review and approval may be required before individuals are permitted access to the Laboratory (including remote IT access); this process can take longer than 12 months. Advanced approval is not required if you are only attending a public tour or a public event. Please ask your SLAC point of contact and work with the International Services Office (iso@slac.stanford.edu) for more information before planning to travel to SLAC.

Arrival and Check-in at SLAC – New Requirements

  • Site entry is limited to weekday business hours, Monday through Friday, from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm. Check-ins during evenings or on weekends are no longer permitted.
  • Due to the new requirements, time to complete processing upon arrival will take longer. Providing complete information to your host in advance, submitting the site access request well before the expected start date, and timely submission of all VUE center requested documents will help reduce the chance of additional delays.
  • Non-US citizens must bring a valid original passport and applicable visa with all immigration documentation supporting the visa status and/or renewals when checking in at the VUE center.
  • Provide a printed copy of your curriculum vitae (CV) chronologically listing all academic institutions and work positions, including science and technology activities and specialties, with no gaps in time since college (Associates/Bachelors or equivalent).

Please click on the link below to view a list of documents you must bring depending on your visa type. Foreign Visitors: Documents Required for Check-in at SLAC (PDF)

 

Users and Invited Visitors

Visa Sponsorship

If you have been invited to SLAC to participate in collaborative research or conduct work at SLAC (including participation in SLAC-program-sponsored experiments at SSRL, LCLS, FACET or the Test Facilities) and require immigration sponsorship, in order to initiate the immigration process you will need to contact the SLAC International Services Office at least 60 days before your intended travel dates. The ISO can provide guidance to you on the appropriate visa and processing times, and will advise you what information and/or documentation will be needed from you.

Travel and Expense Reimbursement

Because SLAC is a national laboratory supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), we must follow the regulations of the DOE and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) relating to reimbursement of travel expenses. Visitors who are not U.S. citizens or US lawful permanent residents (a.k.a. "green card holders"), please refer to Foreign Visitors: Documents Required for Check-in at SLAC.

Travel Reimbursement Guidelines

SLAC International Services Office

SLAC's ISO provides visa and immigration services to our international visitors and employees, representing over 80 countries around the globe.

The team helps facilitate the visa process for employees and affiliates, and provides expert advice to foreign nationals, division management, and HR partners. We assist with preparing documents necessary to gain and maintain legal status in the US, including nonimmigrant and permanent residency status; serve as a resource on immigration issues and concerns; partner with Laboratory Counsel; and consult with external legal counsel on complex immigration issues.

The team is located in the VUE Center and is here to help if you have questions regarding appropriate visas and documentation for your visit to SLAC. Contact: iso@slac.stanford.edu

As SLAC administers its visa and immigration services under the Stanford Bechtel International Center programs, we encourage you to visit their site where you will find more detailed information about the visa programs for visitors and employees, as well as workshops available to international students and scholars: