The DIS Seminar Series is designed to support administrative staff in their work with the Visiting Program. Through this series, we will provide information, resources, and best practices related to DIS processes and compliance. Each session will focus on practical, up-to-date information to help staff navigate complex topics in partnership with DIS.
All events will be held in-person only, in Building 31/6C.
Registration
Instructions to register:
- Visit our registration page
- Select which sessions you would like to attend
- Click “Submit Registration"
- Check your email for registration confirmation
Schedule
Starting October 16th, DIS will offer weekly seminars focused on topics of most interest to our administrative community. The first week we will kick off the series with two basic seminars and a networking lunch! Even if you are already familiar with the seminar topics and won’t be attending those sessions, the networking lunch is open to all.
|
Time |
Thursday, October 16 |
Room |
|---|
| 10:00AM – 11:30AM |
An Immigration Expedition: A Scientist's Journey to NIH | Building 31/6C, Room F & G |
| 12:00PM – 1:30PM |
Networking Lunch | Building 31/6C, Room F & G |
| 2:00PM – 3:30PM |
J-1 & H-1B Basics | Building 31/6C, Room F & G |
|
Time |
Thursday, October 23 |
Room |
|---|
| 10:00AM – 11:30AM |
DIS Customer Portal | Building 31/6C, Room A & B |
|
Time |
Thursday, October 30 |
Room |
|---|
| 10:00AM – 11:30AM |
NIH Policy | Building 31/6C, Room F & G |
|
Time |
Thursday. November 6 |
Room |
|---|
| 2:00PM – 3:30PM |
Campus Access: NED, VisitNIH, and DPS Information | Building 31/6C, Room A & B
|
Session Descriptions
An Immigration Expedition: A Scientist's Journey to NIH: We'll give you your passport at the door and take you on an exciting immigration journey! This session will walk you through the same process our Visiting Program Scientists navigate to arrive in the United States and begin their research program. This hands-on experience will highlight the steps in the U.S. arrival process, from the time the scientist is selected for a position to their check-in with DIS. You will come away with a deeper understanding of the U.S. immigration system, including the agencies involved and the documents required at each step along the way. Additionally, you will gain further insight into the important role the Institute/Center/Office (ICO) Administrators and DIS staff contribute to this process. This is a highly interactive session, so come prepared to participate!
Networking Lunch: Join us for an informal networking lunch to reconnect with colleagues and friends. This is a great opportunity to catch up, share updates, and simply enjoy some time together in a relaxed setting. Bring or purchase your own lunch. This session is open to all interested participants, even if you will not be attending one of the other sessions that day. Candelario Zapata, the Director of DIS, will be on hand to offer a brief welcome and say hello. We can't wait to see you there!
J-1 & H-1B Basics: The J‐1 & H‐1B visa statuses are the most commonly used for Visiting Program participants. This session will introduce both to the beginning practitioner. Topics will include eligibility for and advantages and limitations of each status. We will also offer guidelines on preparing case requests for DIS. Topics will include dependents, outside activities, terminations, and travel.
DIS Customer Portal: You can submit cases through the DIS Customer Portal! This session will focus on how to unlock the full potential of the portal and make use of all its features. It is highly encouraged for all Administrative Officers and other administrative staff who work within the NIH Visiting Program to attend as portal case submission will become a requirement later this calendar year. This portal is used to submit cases, track case status, run termination reports, receive documents from DIS, and more!
NIH Policy: NIH policy impacts the recruitment and retention of foreign national scientists in the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP). This session will highlight how IRP policies are set and where to find them. Specific policy topics to be discussed include durations of non-FTE and FTE designations, including exceptional extensions; funding; eligibility for designations and conversions; campus access.
Campus Access: NED, VisitNIH, and DPS Information: DIS and VisitNIH representatives will present on the hosting and NIH badging process for foreign nationals in the NIH Visiting Program, contractors, tenants, and volunteers. The roles of DIS, Institute/Center/Office (ICO) administrative staff, and the Division of Personnel Security will be discussed.
Revised 09/2025
