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Travel Outside the U.S.

As an F-1 or J-1 student, you may temporarily leave the US to return home or to another country but please keep in mind you must have the necessary documents in order to re-enter the US.  In addition, if traveling to a country that is not your own, you need to confirm that you have the required entry visa documents for that country.   You should contact the embassy or consulate of the particular country you plan to visit for detailed information on what you need to do to apply for an entry visa should you need one.  

Travel Documents Needed to Return to the U.S. 

We recommend that when you travel, you keep the following documents with you:
 
  • Valid Passport 
    • Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States
  • Unexpired U.S. visa (Canadian citizens exempt)
    • It is not possible to apply for or renew non-immigrant visas inside the U.S. 
    • A visa is used solely for the purpose of entry and reentry to the U.S.  It does not determine how long an individual may remain in the U.S.  Therefore, an individual may stay beyond the expiration date of a visa as long as the visa document (I-20/DS-2019) is valid
  • Unexpired immigration document (I-20/DS-2019)
    • For current students, please check the program end date and be sure this is in the future
    • For OPT/STEM OPT students, please be sure your employment information and OPT status is correctly listed on page 2 of your I-20
  • Unexpired travel signature on I-20 or DS-2019
    • For current students, this signature should be no older than 12 months 
    • For OPT/STEM OPT students, this signature should be no older than 6 months
    • If you need to request a travel signature, you may do so from the Student Requests tab in the International Student Portal
  • SEVIS fee (I-901) payment receipt
    • If you have lost your receipt, you may print one out here.  
  • Financial information showing proof of necessary funds to cover tuition and living expenses (recommended)
  • Current students: Proof of full-time student status (official transcript and/or current or future class schedule showing course enrollment) (recommended)