1. UGA’s Visa Sponsorship Request Portal
iStart
Hello, and Welcome to the International Student, Scholar & Immigration Services’ recorded training workshop for iStart, our new visa sponsorship online request portal.
UGA’s Visa Sponsorship Request Portal

2. Agenda Background (brief!) on visa workflows and processes
Introduction to UGA’s new case management system – Sunapsis
Orientation to the iStart request portal
Overview of the online request process
J-1 scholars
PR sponsorship
More request options to be added in the future…
Questions?
Our agenda today will cover a brief background on visa sponsorship requests; we’ll tell you a little bit about our new case management system, Sunapsis; We’ll give an overview of the department request access portal to Sunapsis, called iStart; We’ll cover in detail the process departments follow to request permission to access iStart; We’ll then explain how to request a new or extended J-1 international scholar sponsorship, and tell you about plans for adding more requests to iStart. Finally, you will be able to submit questions about the system to us via telephone or . We will respond to you very quickly, generally within one business day.
Agenda

3. Sample Workflow – J-1 Request
Dept submits “Applicant Access Form”, and all other dept. sub-forms
Scholar receives with link to their required forms
Scholar submits all their sub-forms, and the “Notify Department” form
Department logs back into iStart and completes the “Dept. Compliance Certification” form
ISSIS Advisor receives the completed request, reviews all information and documents, and issues the DS-2019 form
The workflow overall has not changed. The information we collect is essentially the same as it was with our old formsite system.
For a J-1 sponsorship, for example, the Dept. submits the first form in the Department e-form group, called the “Applicant Access Form”. This sends an automated to the scholar, alerting them to the link for their required personal forms. The department complete the other department information and fee forms. The scholar completes his or her forms, and finally completes the “Notify Department” form. This form sends an automated to the department representative, alerting him or her to the fact that the scholars has finished the form s process, and he or she must now log in to finalize the request by submitting the “Dept. Compliance Certification form”. This form triggers the alert to the ISSIS advisor, who can then review the information, and issue the required DS-2019 form.
Sample Workflow – J-1 Request

4. J-1 Visa Sponsorship Process
Request to ISSIS for sponsorship
From department
From international scholar
Issuance of sponsorship paperwork (DS-2019 form for J visa)
International scholar applies for U.S. visa from U.S. embassy
Scholar applies for entry at U.S. Port of Entry
Scholar arrives at UGA and checks in with ISSIS, showing correct visa status
Possible issues:
timing
costs (fee sheet:
delays
When your department wishes to sponsor an international scholar to come to UGA for an academic research or teaching program, you must request that sponsorship form our office. This is a two part request – the first part being information form the department, and the second being personal information from the international scholar. Once we have all of the required information, our office accesses a government database and issues paperwork – specifically the government form DS This form allows the international to apply for a J-1 visa at a U.S. embassy in the home country, or to transfer an existing J-1 program from another U.SA. School to UGA. After the visa is issued, the scholar travels to the U.S. Port of Entry, and presents the DS-2019 and J-1 visa in order to enter the U.S. in the correct J-1 status. The scholar checks in with our office when he/she arrives on campus, and our office then registers the academic program with the federal government – Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. State Department.
It generally takes between 2 and 3 months from the start of the paperwork, to the point where the scholar can arrive at UGA and begin the academic program. This could be a shorter timeframe if the scholar is transferring form another U.S. school; or it could be a longer timeframe, if the scholar is placed into a security clearance check at the U.S. embassy.
As our office was set up as a cost recovery program in 2003, there is an internal charge to departments for our visa sponsorship services. This fee will be assessed to your department when you submit the online request forms. You can view our current fee structure by clicking on the link shown in the last bullet.
Delays beyond our control in this process can, unfortunately, occur. If the scholar is selected for a visa security check, it can delay the process by a month or two – rarely longer.
J-1 Visa Sponsorship Process

5. PR Sponsorship Process
Request to ISSIS for sponsorship through iStart
From department
From international employee
Initiation of the sponsorship process
Review of advertising and recruitment
Dept. of Labor application
Dept. Homeland Security application
Adjustment of status application
Possible issues:
Timing – can take 18 months to several years to complete
costs (fee sheet:
Separate workshop on the PR process is available from ISSIS
The process for requesting a U.S. permanent residency sponsorship is similar to the J-1 process, from an “iStart” perspective. The information needed is different, however, and the timing and complexity are both greater. The department representative requests the sponsorship through iStart, and the employee receives an auto- alerting them to the sponsorship initiation, and the need for the employee to fill out the required personal forms. The overall process is covered in a separate workshop, and it is fairly detailed, and time-consuming.
Moving on to review our new system - Sunapsis has provided many improvements for us.
PR Sponsorship Process

6. Sunapsis: International Case Management System
Streamlines our workload and processes
Provides detailed and robust case tracking and reporting
Allows for online intake forms that we can link directly to the international's record
Facilitates document management and filing within the international’s record
Allows for direct (embedded) access to the government’s required reporting system (SEVIS)
Allows templated auto form population for government forms
The new Sunapsis case management system has many advantages for our office, and for the overall process.
Because the information is input directly into our system, processing goes more quickly and smoothly.
We have improved case tracking ability, and can develop robust reports on pending and approved cases.
The secure online forms link directly to the scholar’s record, so a separate filing system is not needed.
The forms allow for integrated document upload functions, which again link directly to the record, where they are saved in a customized indexing structure.
Sunapsis allows us direct, embedded access to the government’s SEVIS reporting system, greatly reducing required double data entry.
It also allows data population from international record data into government forms.
Sunapsis: International Case Management System

7. iStart: Sponsorship Request Portal
User portal to access ISSIS services
Request access at:
Will be expanded to include more services
Accessible to departmental users and to international students and scholars
Secure
Form request and document upload functionality
Allows department user to track all cases owned by that department
The “public” side of Sunapsis is the iStart portal used by departments and internationals to request sponsorship benefits.
Currently, this portal offers forms links to request J-1 scholar and employee permanent residency sponsorship requests. In the fall of 2014, we will be adding the H-1B request forms as well.
This is a secure portal, allowing users to log on through CAS (central authentication services) using their UGA myID.
As you will see when we look at some screen shots, the portal allows departments to see what cases are pending with our office, and at what stage the applications are currently.
iStart: Sponsorship Request Portal

8. Login Portal: istart.uga.edu
Navigate your browser (we recommend Firefox) to
To login, approved department users would click on the link entitled “Administrative Services for University Departments” as indicated by the red arrow.
Login Portal: istart.uga.edu

9. Click on “Departmental Services” in the left-hand menu (red arrow).
Click on “Departmental Access Request” in the sub-menu (green arrow)
Fill out all the fields on the request form (blue arrow), mark the checkbox after reading the statement, and then click “Request Access” at the bottom of the screen (orange arrow).
Approval generally happens within one business day – and often with a few minutes of the request submission.
iStart access

10. Department Home Screen
OVPR’s Visiting Researcher Scholar Process:
After being approved for access, The department representative can then login to the iStart portal. The department rep can now view the links available under “Departmental Services” in the left hand menu. These include administrative functions such as “Add new person”, and “Update your Information”. If you are beginning a J-1 request for a new person who has not been at UGA before, you would start by clicking on “Add New Person”. Note that in most cases, you should wait until you have gone thorough the Visiting Researcher Scholar (VRS) process with the Office of the Vice President for Research, to get the scholar’s 81x number prior to adding a new record. Information on this process can be found by clicking on the link shown. If your scholar does not need to go through the VRS process, you may create a record without an 81x number.
If you need to update your department contact information, you would click on “Update Your Information”.
Department Home Screen

11. If the scholar is not in Sunapsis, you will need to click on “Add New Person” and complete the required information
The “Add Person” form is relatively short and simple. If you do not have the UGA MyID, or network ID (the portion of the UGA address to the left of sign), you can still request a new record. For permanent residency sponsorships, you would usually have the 81x number as the person would already be an employee at UGA.
Start a New Request

12. Departmental Services - Overview
For an overview of the cases you have pending, click on “Departmental Services Overview”.
Departmental Services - Overview

13. Case-specific Tracking
In the middle column, you will see a list of scholars for whom you have pending cases. In the right-hand column, you will see information specific to the case on which you click.
Case-specific Tracking

14. Start /Continue a Request
You can also make a new sponsorship request within a scholar’s record by clicking on the link below the “Case Information Display”
To begin a new case for a scholar, or continue a case for a current scholar, you can click on the link below the right-hand column (Case Information Display).
Start /Continue a Request

15. If the scholar is in the Sunapsis system, all you need is the University ID and date of birth.
You can also begin a new case by clicking directly on the link in the left-hand column, “J-1 Scholar Application”, or “J-1 Scholar Extension”, as appropriate. You will then need to enter the University ID and Date of Birth for the scholar. Click “Find Record” to begin your sponsorship request for this person.
Start a New Request

16. Form Progression Tracking
This shows you all the sub-forms required by the department (red arrow), and the forms that must be completed by the scholar (green arrow)
The new screen will have the scholar’s name above the list of e-forms, with the e-forms required by the department showing on the top, and e-forms required by the scholar showing on the bottom. You can track the progress of the case by looking at the icons next to each form, and referring to the key at the bottom of the screen.
All the department e-forms must be submitted in order for the case to be processed.
The “Dept Applicant Access” form must be submitted in order to give your scholar access to the scholar required forms. Once all the other forms are completed by the scholar, he or she must submit the “Scholar Notify Department of Form Completion”. This sends a notification to the department representative that he or she must log into iStart to complete and submit the final “Dept. Compliance Certification form”. This form is the “keystone” form which triggers the alert to our advisor that the case is ready for processing. This form is not accessible to the department representative until all the prior required forms have been submitted by the rep, and the scholar. Until all forms are submitted, this final form will be “greyed” out and inaccessible.
Form Progression Tracking

17. Scholar Access Auto email to scholar, with secure login information
Access to all required forms through iStart, with the ability to save and return to forms
Full document upload functionality
From the other side of the process, your scholar has access to his or her required forms through the automated that is sent, once you submit the Dept. Applicant Access form.
Scholar Access

18. A current scholar at UGA can login using her MyID by clicking on the “Login” button in the left-hand box (red arrow)
A new scholar (no MyID) can login by clicking on Limited Services in the right-hand box (green arrow)
The scholar access screen is shown on this slide. The scholar has two options for logging in, depending on whether he or she has a UGA myID or a Temporary ID.
Scholar Access Screen

19. Scholar Login Form – Limited Access
The scholar logging in with Limited Services must enter the Temporary ID, the Date of Birth, and a special PIN sent to them in the . If the scholar has lost the PIN, a simple click on the link at the bottom of the page to request the PIN will allow the system to it to the address on file for the scholar.
Scholar Login Form – Limited Access

20. The home screen for the scholar is straightforward
The home screen for the scholar is straightforward. Applications for various benefits will be listed on the left. No SEVIS information will be displayed for a new scholar, as the SEVIS record has not yet been created. If s have been sent to the scholar from within the system, he or she will be able to view these s from this screen.
Scholar Home Screen

21. Scholar Forms – J-1 Scholar forms to be completed
Final Dept. form to be completed **after** scholar forms are submitted
When the scholar clicks on the appropriate link in the left-hand menu, the forms appear in the center of the page. The view is reversed however, with the scholar forms on the top, and the department forms on the bottom.
Scholar Forms – J-1

22. This is a relatively new system, and we welcome your feedback and comments to improve the process for all.
We would be happy to take your questions by . Please forward them to or call and ask for Robin Catmur.
Thank you for your time and attention, and we look forward to assisting you.
Questions?