INS PUBLISHES MEMORANDUM ON ENFORCEMENT OF ACADEMIC HONORARIA REGULATIONS

Responding to concerns expressed by groups involved in international education, the INS has clarified its policy regarding the admission of B-visa holders who will receive honoraria while in the United States.  The memorandum, issued on November 30 memorandum, called attention to a provision of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998, which allows B-1 and B-2 scholars who engage in academic activities to receive honoraria.

The memorandum was necessary because the INS has not yet published regulations to implement this law.  This failure has led to differences in practices at INS field offices, and caused difficulties for foreign scholars seeking admission into the United States.  Ordinarily, visitors to the US on a B visa are not allowed to earn money while in the US.  The memo was prompted by concerns that applications were being denied because of this, without regard to the exception created in 1998. 

Under the law, which will hopefully be applied evenly at each INS office, visitors may receive honoraria from academic institutions in exchange for services that benefit the institution, so long as the visitor has not accepted other honoraria from more than five institutions in the previous six months.

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