Postdoctoral Research Associates (PDRAs) and Postdoctoral Fellows in the BPLO bargaining unit are eligible for reimbursement of administrative fees, travel expenses, and other necessary expenses incurred in connection with obtaining or renewing their visa for their postdoctoral appointment at Brown.
Postdoctoral appointees must notify their PI or faculty supervisor in advance that visa-related fees and associated travel costs may be incurred in connection with approved Brown-related work travel. The PI or faculty supervisor is responsible for identifying funds to cover any applicable visa-related fees and associated travel costs.
What Expenses Are Eligible
- Eligible expenses incurred may be reimbursed up to $1,500.
- These expenses cannot have been reimbursed by other University funds.
- If the University has paid employment-related visa fees or premium processing fees, those payments count toward the $1,500.
- Expenses must be directly related to obtaining or renewing the visa for a Brown postdoctoral appointment.
- Travel costs that are required to maintain visa status for the Brown postdoctoral appointment. Examples may include a change of status from F-1 to J-1 or travel undertaken for approved Brown-related work purposes that necessitates obtaining a new J-1 visa in order to return to the United States.
- Any travel expenses must comply with Brown’s Travel Policy.
- Please note, a confirmation from TravelSafe must be included with all reimbursement or funding requests before any Brown funds can be disbursed for international travel, consistent with Brown’s requirement that all travel expenses comply with the University’s Travel Policy. If your reimbursement request includes travel expenses, those travel expenses will be denied without a confirmation from TravelSafe. Like all faculty, students, and staff, postdoctoral appointees traveling internationally on Brown-related travel are required to register their travel plans in TravelSafe before departure and to update their registration if their itinerary changes.
What Is Not Eligible
- Expenses related to family members.
- Expenses related to legal fees.
- Travel that is not required to maintain visa status or associated with approved Brown-related work travel is generally not eligible for reimbursement, even if the travel results in a visa renewal while abroad. For example, if an individual elects to travel internationally and renews their visa during that trip, the associated visa and travel costs are not reimbursable.
- Reimbursement requests for travel expenses that do not include confirmation from TravelSafe, consistent with Brown’s requirement that all travel expenses comply with the University’s Travel Policy. Like all faculty, students, and staff, postdoctoral appointees traveling internationally on Brown-related travel are required to register their travel plans in TravelSafe before departure and to update their registration if their itinerary changes.
Please note: In most cases, a postdoctoral appointee can maintain J-1 status while inside the United States with a valid DS-2019 and active SEVIS record, without renewing their visa. J-1 visa renewal is generally necessary only when the individual travels outside the United States and needs to re-enter. As a result, visa application fees and related travel expenses are eligible for reimbursement only in limited circumstances. These may include situations in which a postdoctoral appointee is approved to travel internationally for Brown-related work and needs a valid J-1 visa to return to the United States, or when the individual is changing immigration status, such as from F-1 to J-1. In other circumstances, associated visa application fees and travel expenses are not eligible for reimbursement.
Update: Any changes resulting from the Department of Homeland Security’s final rule eliminating duration of status will be reflected here once additional guidance is available from the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Please see the more detailed message posted on the ISSS website.
Submitting a Reimbursement Request
To request reimbursement, please submit the necessary receipts and/or proof of payment (as well as confirmation from TravelSafe if applicable) to the Department Administrative Manager or Financial Administrator responsible for processing reimbursements in your Faculty Affairs Area.
Postdoctoral scholars within the School of Public Health should submit these materials to SPHFA@brown.edu.
Important Notes
- The maximum reimbursement is $1,500 per postdoctoral appointee per fiscal year (July 1–June 30).
- For the current fiscal year only, expenses incurred between October 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 will be considered.
- Decisions regarding reimbursement eligibility and approved amounts are final and not grievable.
- There is no centralized University fund designated to reimburse administrative fees, travel expenses, or other necessary costs associated with obtaining or renewing a visa for a postdoctoral appointment at Brown. Faculty supervisors or PIs are responsible for funding these reimbursements. Faculty members who do not have sufficient funds should coordinate with their departments and, as needed, their dean’s office.
Note for Postdoctoral Research Fellows
If you are a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (previously known as a Postdoctoral Fellow whose stipend is paid directly by an external grant or fellowship and therefore not processed through the University payroll system)—and thus not part of the BPLO bargaining unit—this notice does not apply.
Questions
If you are a postdoctoral appointee and have questions about your specific situation, please begin by contacting your Department Administrative Manager.
If you are an administrator and have questions about whether an expense is eligible for reimbursement, please contact OUPA at postdoc-affairs@brown.edu and ISSS for additional guidance.