If you received a Science and Security Expedited J-1 approval dated from 3/1/2026 to 5/1/2026, the Export Compliance Office (ECO) honors this approval as satisfying Export Compliance and Research Security (ECRS) review requirements
You may certify that you have ECRS approval in the International Scholar and Student Services (ISSS) portal.
On June 30th, 2026, ISSS updated the ISSS portal so the hosting unit and the ECO each certify that the beneficiary has received Export Compliance and Research Security approval.
This supplants the prior ECO and the Research Security Office (RSO) expedited review process, as ECO and RSO processes have merged, and the ECO assumed sole responsibility for visa sponsorship review.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What has changed about the ECRS visa review request?
A: Now that the ECO and the RSO have restructured, only the ECO provides ECRS approval for all H-1B, H-1B1, O-1, and J-1 requests. The ECO reviews from both perspectives to maintain appropriate recordkeeping and procure government licenses, if needed.
Q: When should I submit for ECRS visa review?
A: Submit the ECRS Visa Review Request form when you begin an H-1B, H-1B1, O-1, or J-1 request with ISSS. For J-1 Exchange Visitors, ISSS provides further guidance in the J-1 Playbook.
Q: When is ECRS approval required?
A: ECRS approval is required for certain immigration-related requests and is collected by ISSS as part of its review process. Please refer to the applicable ISSS workflow for additional guidance. ECRS approval is valid for one year.
Submit a new ECRS Visa Review Request Form for updated ECO review as needed.
Q: I received expedited approval from the RSO (formerly Science and Security Office) between 3/1/2026 and 5/1/2026. How do these changes impact me?
A: The ECO honors Expedited Science and Security approval as satisfying Export Compliance and Research Security (ECRS) review requirements. Certify that you have ECRS approval in the ISSS portal.
Q: How does the ECO provide approval?
A: The ECO sends an approval letter to the hosting unit and principal investigator. The hosting unit certifies that they have received the approval letter. The ECO also certifies the record in the ISSS Portal.