Important Note 1: When UH pays any of the fees associated with a step of the green card process, UH is required to employ the services of a law firm that has been contracted by the Office of General Counsel (OGC).  In this case, OGC will assign one of these law firms through a memorandum sent to the green card beneficiary and copying the head and business manager of the sponsoring department.

Important Note 2: Only Human Resources is authorized to sign USCIS green card forms on behalf of UH.

This page is divided into two sections:

- Sponsorship request procedures for faculty
- Sponsorship request procedures for staff.

See Guidelines for Sponsoring for Permanent Residency

Faculty Sponsorship Request Procedures

Complete, sign, and send to the Immigration Specialist the following items:

1. Request to Sponsor for Permanent Residency

2. Up-to-date CV/résumé of faculty being sponsored.

Staff Sponsorship Request Procedures

The staff member must have been employed for at least 3 uninterrupted years in a benefits-eligible exempt position. Please complete, sign, and send to Human Resources the following items:

1. Request to Sponsor for Permanent Residency

2. Written justification signed by the Chair (or the equivalent) to include information about:

- The uniqueness and criticality of the position for which the staff member is being sponsored for the green card

- The uniqueness of the staff member as demonstrated by the impact he or she has had in the success of the department's goals and mission

- The department's long-term plans for the staff member's employment at UH and the projected benefits UH is to receive from his or her services

3. Up-to-date CV/résumé of staff member being sponsored.

4. Human Resources will review the request for feasibility and appropriateness. Any attempt to circumvent this step will result in denial of the request.

5. If the request is approved, the request will be sent to the Office of the General Counsel where the Legal Assistant or designee will work with the department on next steps.

It is critical that the department, the Office of the General Counsel and Human Resources remain in close contact throughout the process. Failure to do so could result in significant delays that could ultimately affect the sponsee's ability to maintain work status in the United States.