The B-1/WB Delegate Program allows appointed administrative staff members within an Institute/Center (IC) to coordinate the short-term stay of foreign national scientists (visitors at NIH for
less than 90 days) without sending a case to DIS. These administrative staff members, or B-1/WB Delegates, provide an invitation letter and pre-arrival guidance to short-term visitors
eligible for B-1 or WB status. The Delegate invitation letter templates are not online; DIS sends the templates to administrative staff once they join the Delegate Program.
To join the Delegate Program, an administrative staff member must attend a DIS training and submit a completed
Delegate Attestation form to DIS.
A list of current Delegates can be found on the bottom of the
KeyCon List/ IC Data Sheet webpage.
Consult the
B-1/WB Temporary Visitors webpage for more information on B-1 and WB status, including how to determine which short-term business visitor status is most appropriate.
Delegate Responsibilities
General
- Attend a DIS B-1/WB Delegate training at least once every two years.
- Use the Delegate Program for Intramural Research Program use only.
- Do not delegate any Delegate responsibilities to other individuals who are not DIS-approved Delegates themselves.
- Acknowledge that DIS can conduct audits of any short-term B-1/WB visitor records.
- Read all email updates and program reminders sent from the B-1/WB Delegate email listserv.
- Notify DIS if unable to accept any updated delegate responsibilities.
- Notify DIS and transfer any visitor records to another DIS-approved Delegate in the IC before leaving current IC.
Before Visitor Arrival
- Determine the visitor's eligibility for B-1/WB status at the NIH per the B-1/WB Statement.
- Send a case to DIS for processing if the visitor's stay at the NIH has the potential to exceed 90 days.
- Depending on the visitor's country of citizenship, issue the correct and most recently updated invitation letter (B-1, WB, China, or Canada).
- If applicable, determine the individual's eligibility for honorarium per DIS guidance.
- If applicable, remind all WB visitors to register for ESTA and all Chinese visitors to enroll in EVUS prior to their travel to the United States.
After Visitor Arrival
- Meet with the visitor upon arrival to NIH to review immigration documents and, if IC is requesting a NIH badge, make copies of those documents to send to DIS.
- Do not send the visitor to the DIS office for badge clearance.
- If the IC is requesting a NIH badge for the visitor, fax to DIS the following:
- Retain all documents regarding the visitor's visit in a secure location and keep copies on file in accordance with IC program area file retention requirement.
- Contact DIS
immediately if the foreign national has been entered in WT or B-2 status and forward the above-mentioned documents along with initial invitation letter.
