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We all know that scientists at NIH often work with highly sensitive materials. There are many safety precautions in place to ensure that these scientists and their research are kept safe. The Division of International Services (DIS) would like to remind the community that it is equally important to take precautions when sending Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

DIS receives thousands of documents by or on behalf of foreign nationals each year, and many immigration documents contain PII. When sending documents containing sensitive information, it is always necessary to use a secure delivery method. Although sending a fax or hand-carrying documents to the DIS office are both secure, these methods aren’t always feasible.

For documents submitted electronically, using a Secure Electronic File Transfer (SEFT) to send an e-mail encrypts the document and ensures that PII is protected. A SEFT account can easily be obtained by contacting your IT department. Please remember, however, that resource accounts and general mailboxes (including dis@mail.nih.gov) cannot receive encrypted e-mails. Hence, if using a SEFT to send an encrypted e-mail to DIS, please call ahead so that we can provide you with the relevant staff member’s e-mail address.

When sending personal information, it is always best to err on the side of caution. Using a secure method to send files ensures the continued protection of Visiting Scientists and NIH Staff.

For more information or questions, please contact DIS at (301) 496-6166.