All new Caltech international scholars, faculty and staff must validate their visa status and report your arrival to the United States to verify that you were admitted in the accurate visa status. If you are already present in the U.S. you must validate your work authorization. ISS must also verify your personal address and phone number.

To validate your status you must complete the form: ISS Status Validation Form prior to or on your start date, and after you have arrived in the United States.

If you will receive a salary from Caltech, please follow these instructions carefully in order to successfully verify your U.S. employment eligibility by completing Form I-9, as required by federal regulations:

Online New Hire Packet (Form I-9 Section 1)
Access HERE

Please complete your Online New Hire Packet (Form I-9 Section 1) on or before your first day of employment. Note the following:

• Location: International Offices
  Exception: If you are staring a position at LIGO in Washington or Louisiana, select the appropriate LIGO location.
• Social security number: If you do not have one, select "Applied For".
• Employment Date: Your first date of work. Confirm with your supervisor/host if you are not sure.
• Complete Personal Information AND I-9 Section One. You should receive a confirmation code at the end to confirm you have completed both parts.

Exceptions:

• Off campus start date: If you have been authorized by Human Resources to start your employment from off campus (excluding LIGO or other Caltech-managed locations), access the Online New Hire Packet HERE. After you complete the Online New Hire Packet (Form I-9 Section 1), you will be prompted to schedule an appointment with an agent nearby to your location. You will present your documents to the agent (Form I-9 Section 2).

In-Person Document Presentation (Form I-9 Section 2)
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday | 1:15 - 2:15 PM | International Scholar Services, 266 S. Chester Avenue

After you have submitted the Online New Hire Packet (Form I-9 Section 1), bring your acceptable I-9 documents to ISS to complete Form I-9 Section 2 on or before your third day of employment during the ISS I-9 Walk In Hours noted above.

We welcome individuals on a first come, first serve basis. You will need to show original physical documents. We cannot accept electronic documents on a phone or computer.

Caltech students who will begin employment as a postdoc or staff member at Caltech are considered new hires. Please review the scenarios which best describes your situation to understand the instructions in order to successfully verify your U.S. employment eligibility by completing Form I-9, as required by federal regulations.

Scenario A:

There is a gap between your graduation date and your employment start date.

*For example your graduation date is June 15 and your employment start date is July 1.

Step 1: Complete online New Hire Packet (Form I-9 Section 1) accessed HERE

Please complete your Online New Hire Packet (Form I-9 Section 1) on or before your first day of employment. Note the following:

• Location: International Offices
• Social security number: If you do not have one, select "Applied For".
• Employment Date: Your first date of work. Confirm with your supervisor/host if you are not sure.
• Complete Personal Information AND I-9 Section One. You should receive a confirmation code at the end to confirm you have completed both parts.

Step 2: In-Person Document Presentation (Form I-9 Section 2)

After you have submitted the Online New Hire Packet (Form I-9 Section 1), bring your acceptable I-9 documents to ISS to complete Form I-9 Section 2 on or before your third day of employment during the ISS new hire I-9 Walk In Hours:

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday | 1:15 - 2:15 PM | International Scholar Services, 266 S. Chester Avenue

__________________________________________________________________________

Scenario B:

There is no gap between your graduation date and your employment start date.

*For example, your graduation date is June 15 and your employment start date is June 16 OR your graduation date is a Friday and your employment start date is a Monday

Bring your acceptable I-9 documents to ISS to complete Form I-9 Supplement B on or before your third day of employment during the ISS new hire I-9 Walk In Hours:

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday | 1:15 - 2:15 PM | International Scholar Services, 266 S. Chester Avenue

If your work authorization has been extended, you will need to re-verify your Form I-9 with updated, acceptable documents . ISS will contact you via email when any new documentation is ready and request that you visit us during the walk-in hours below:

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday | 1:15 - 2:15 PM | International Scholar Services, 266 S. Chester Avenue

All first-time Caltech J-1 Exchange Visitors are required to attend orientation. All other new scholars, spouses/partners, and families are welcome to participate. The International Scholar Orientation presentation provides information about regulations affecting your immigration status in the United States as well as advice to assist you and your family while you transition to life in Pasadena. New scholars who have arrived in the U.S. and submitted the ISS Status Validation will be invited to attend. ISS will send the invitation via email.

There will be refreshments served and opportunities for breaks.

First Tuesday of every month | 9:00 - 11:00 AM

LOCATION: Conference Room 239 in the Gordon Betty Moore Laboratory of Engineering

2025 Orientation Schedule:

• July 8
• August 12
• September 9
• October 14
• November 11
• December 9