HOLIDAY TRAVEL
To travel internationally and re-enter the US, you need the following:
- Valid passport
- Valid visa showing current visa category
- Current I-20 with a travel authorization signature dated within one year of the date you plan to re-enter the US
- Transcript (Recommended for current students)
- EAD and Employer letter (Required for OPT students)
Passports
Many countries allow you to renew your passport prior to expiration without leaving the US. Contact the appropriate office in your country for renewal procedures. International Student Services can provide you with a letter of good standing to accompany your renewal submission, if required.
Visas
The visa page in your passport shows an expiration date. After this date you cannot use that document to re-enter the US. However, it is legal for you to remain in the US after the date expires. You maintain visa status by complying with the regulations connected with your student visa and by keeping your I-20 current.
To renew your visa you should return to your home country. "Third country" renewals in Canada or Mexico (renewing a visa in a country not your own) have dropped dramatically. If you are determined to attempt a renewal, you should first contact a border consulate to attain more information about your particular situation and the process. Do not travel to renew your visa in Canada or Mexico when your visa has expired unless you have contacted the border consulate and received an appointment for visa renewal from them. If the visa is denied, you will not be able to return to the US.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has announced that beginning Monday, October 17, 2005, an eligible Third Country National (TCN) who wishes to apply for a visa at a U.S. consulate in Mexico must make the interview appointment on-line via a new Web site. Also announced are specific policies on who is and is not eligible for TCN processing in Mexico.
Click http://www.visa-usa.com.mx/DetermineTCN.aspx
Be aware that visa security checks have extended visa renewal times dramatically for some countries. Do not attempt to renew your visa on a brief school holiday break. You could become stranded, waiting up to several months for your renewal.
Some students become confused if they have had more than one visa during their educational career. You can have only one visa status at a time. If, for example, you entered the US on a B-1/B-2 visitor visa (including Canadians who only "declare" their status at port of entry) and later changed to F-1 student status, your visitor visa was canceled when you obtained the F-1 status, even if the dates on the visitor visa have not expired. You must adhere to the regulations of the student visa.
Links to US embassies and consulates worldwide: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/embassies/embassies_1214.html.
I-20s
You should keep the information on your I-20 valid at all times. This is especially important when traveling. Check that your degree level and major are correct and that the "program end date" on Item #5 has not passed. Then turn to page three to check the travel endorsement at the bottom of the page. Each signature lasts for one year. If your I-20 is signed by an international student adviser and the date by that signature is within one year from the date you want to re-enter the US after your travel, you do not require anything further.
IMPORTANT: An I-20 does not allow for re-entry into the US once you complete the degree listed on your I-20, even if the program end date has not passed. The I-20 automatically expires when your studies are completed.
Transcripts (Recommended for current students)
Some students feel safer if they travel with a transcript showing school enrollment and classes taken. Unofficial transcripts can be obtained through WebTrax or the Registrar's Office located in the Administration building. You should allow 2-3 days to obtain documents from the Registrar.
EADs and Employer letter (Required for OPT students)
It is more difficult to re-enter the US as an OPT student than as a continuing full-time student. Visa regulations state that a student who has been approved for OPT may re-enter the US "to resume employment." Port of entry officials have been instructed to deny re-enter to OPT students who cannot present proof of OPT approval and proof of current employment. To meet these requirements, OPT students should carry their EAD and a letter from their OPT employer, in addition to the passport, visa and endorsed I-20. It is not, therefore, recommended that students travel outside the US after OPT approval and before obtaining employment.
