Date
Address
Dear:
Thank you for agreeing to present your most recent paper during our Spring conference which will be held at the University of New Hampshire on (insert date).
The United States government permits academic institutions to provide honoraria and reimbursement of expenses to foreign nationals who enter the U.S. in B-1/VWB (visitor for business) or B-2/VWT (visitor for tourism) status. However, there are several restrictions within the law:
- the foreign national be present in the U.S. in B-1/B-2 or VWB/ VWT status;
- academic activities at UNH cannot exceed nine days;
- the foreign national not have accepted similar payments from more than five other U.S. institutions during the six-month period immediately preceding the visit to UNH.
If you need to apply for a B-1/B2 visa, please take this letter along with your valid passport to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate which serves your place of residence.
At this time we ask that you complete the enclosed Visitor Declaration Form verifying your eligibility to receive payment. To process the payments and to meet all federal laws and regulations, UNH needs to make copies of your passport identification pages, U.S. visa and your Form I-94 (Arrival and Departure Record). If you are receiving an honorarium, it will also be necessary for you to present a U.S. Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. If you do not currently have either number, the law requires that you inform us in writing. Please note that a 30% U.S. income tax may be withheld from honorarium payments. Receipts are required for reimbursement of expenses.
We look forward to your participation in XXXXXX. If you have any questions about applying for your visa, please contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (oiss@unh.edu).
Sincerely,
