Our Role

Advise faculty, departments and ISD Human Resources Delivery Service Teams on immigration options and collaborate to prepare immigration documents and/or file immigration applications and petitions with the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Advise prospective and current international scholars and employees on immigration options and immigration regulations for unpaid activities or employment at Iowa State University. Prepare Form I-9 for ISU’s international employees and monitor employment to ensure compliance with regulations.

Advising, filing immigration petitions, preparing immigration documents:

  • J-1 Exchange Visitors (scholars and student interns)
  • H-1B petitions for ISU employment
  • O-1, TN, E-3 petitions for ISU employment
  • B-1/B-2 visitors at ISU for conferences, training, scholarly activity
  • U.S. legal permanent resident (LPR) petitions for ISU employment (green cards)

Employment-related services for international scholars and students:

  • Form I-9 for international employees
  • Workday onboarding assistance
  • Non-resident tax and employment issues

Contact Information

Scholar Unit e-mail address: issoscholar@iastate.edu

Staff Responsibilities

Deb Vance

Contacts: 294-0373, dvance@iastate.edu

Consults on following topics:

  • Employment based green card requests (EB-2, EB-3)
  • J-1, H-1B, TN, E-3 and O-1 requests
  • B-1/B-2, Visa Waiver (WB/WT) questions
  • Outstanding Professor/Researcher green card requests (EB-1B)
  • Nonresident tax and employment issues
  • Cystart training for new users
  • Immigration training for departments and ISD HR teams
  • Workday employment issues

Jessica Fincham
Contacts: 294-0377, jfincham@iastate.edu

Consults on following topics:

  • Employment based green card requests (EB-2, EB-3)
  • J-1, H-1B, TN, E-3 and O-1 requests
  • B-1/B-2, Visa Waiver (WB/WT) questions
  • Outstanding Professor/Researcher green card requests (EB-1B)
  • Cystart training for new users
  • Immigration training for departments and ISD HR teams

Karen Clement

Contacts: 294-5877, kclement@iastate.edu

Assists in following areas:

  • Cystart training and trouble shooting for J-1 Scholar Requests
  • Prepares DS-2019 forms (initial, extension, add dependent)
  • Distributes DS-2019 forms (initial, extension, add dependent)
  • Conducts Scholar Check-In for all immigration statuses
  • Exchange Visitor (scholars in J-1 status) Orientation

Anna Powell

Contacts: 294-1121, anna17@iastate.edu

Assists in the following areas:

  • Completes Section 2 of Form I-9 for international employees
  • Monitors employment begin and end dates for international employees
  • Monitors hours worked for international student employees
  • Tax treaty benefit applications
  • Nonresident tax questions