NIH ID Badge for Nonimmigrants (Foreign Nationals)

The Division of International Services (DIS) is responsible for verifying that all non-immigrants (individuals who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents) placed at the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

Have been lawfully admitted to the United States and
Are undertaking activities at NIH that are appropriate for their immigration status.

Such individuals must be cleared by the DIS before they are eligible for a NIH Identification Badge.

If you are a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident, e.g. you have a Form
I-551 Permanent Resident card or “green card”, please ask your Administrative Official to update the “Permanent U.S. Resident” field in your NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) record. You do not need to be cleared by DIS, and you can go to badge enrollment after your Administrative Official has updated your NED record.

NIH Sponsored Nonimmigrants Through DIS

If you are directly sponsored by the NIH, please visit the DIS per our check-in procedures. To know if you are considered “NIH sponsored,” you received an invitation letter and/or immigration documents directly from the DIS. DIS will notify DPSAC that you have checked in and are cleared for a badge.

Visitors (B-1/WB status) Invited by an NIH Institute/Center

If you were admitted in B-1 or WB visitor status and you received a letter directly from a DIS-designated Institute/Center (i.e. not from the DIS), please visit the DIS for clearance between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday (except when closed due to government holidays or other official events). No appointment is necessary.

Nonimmigrants Sponsored by Another Employer and Placed at NIH

If you are a contract worker (i.e. your immigration status is sponsored by another employer and/or you are paid by that employer such as Kelly Scientific Services, Lockheed Martin, ORISE, SAIC, etc.), please visit the DIS for clearance between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday (except when closed due to government holidays or other official events). No appointment is necessary. If you do not work at the main NIH campus in Bethesda, you may ask your Administrative Official to fax the required documents to DIS at 301-496-0847, ATTN: BADGE CLEARANCE.

When visiting the DIS for clearance, a B-1/WB Visitor or Contract Worker should bring the documents detailed in the "Summary of Requirements By Immigration Status" for his/her specific immigration status.