Travel

To be readmitted to the U.S. after a trip abroad you will be required to show the following documents:

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months into the future
  • Valid F-1 or J-1 Visa, if required*
    • Number of entries: most students have visas issued for multiple entries. If your visa was issued for one or two entries be sure you have entries remaining.
    • Expiry Date: most students are issued visas valid for 5 years or the length of their program of study. However, some visas are issued for a shorter period. Be sure that your visa will not be expired on your date of return.
    • *Citizens of Bermuda and Canada are not required to have a visa (a label pasted on a page of the passport at a U.S. embassy or consulate) to enter or reenter the U.S.
  • I-20/DS-2019 signed for travel within the last 12 months for currently enrolled students.

We also suggest that you carry:

  • Documentation of your student status (e.g. Transcript, Enrollment Verification Certificate, print out of class schedule from MySlice, etc.)
  • Documentation of financial support (e.g. assistantship letter, bank statements, letter from financial sponsor, etc.)
  • SU Student Health Insurance Card or documentation of other health insurance coverage
  • SU ID Card

 

After returning to the U.S. check your most recent I-94 to be sure it indicates the correct Class of Admission (F-1/J-1) and Admit Until Date of “D/S” (Duration of Status).

To be readmitted to the U.S. after a trip abroad you will be required to show the following documents:

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months into the future
  • Valid F-1 or J-1 Visa, if required*
    • Number of entries: most students have visas issued for multiple entries. If your visa was issued for one or two entries be sure you have entries remaining.
    • Expiry Date: most students are issued visas valid for 5 years or the length of their program of study. However, some visas are issued for a shorter period. Be sure that your visa will not be expired on your date of return.
    • *Citizens of Bermuda and Canada are not required to have a visa (a label pasted on a page of the passport at a U.S. embassy or consulate) to enter or reenter the U.S.
  • I-20/DS-2019 signed for travel within the last 6 months
  • Your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Card (F-1 Students)
  • Documentation that you are entering the U.S. to begin or resume employment (e.g. a job offer letter with a start date in the near future, a letter from your employer, a recent paystub, etc.)

We also suggest that you carry documentation of your health insurance coverage.

 

After returning to the U.S. check your most recent I-94 to be sure it indicates the correct Class of Admission (F-1/J-1) and Admit Until Date of “D/S” (Duration of Status).

To be readmitted to the U.S. after a trip to Canada, Mexico, or a U.S. Adjacent Island you will be required to show the following documents:

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months into the future
  • I-20/DS-2019 signed for travel within the last 12 months
  • Valid F-1 or J-1 Visa unless your trip meets the requirements for Automatic Visa Revalidation:
    • Your trip was solely to Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands
    • Your trip was less than 30 days
    • You are carrying your passport that has your expired non-immigrant visa
    • If you changed your immigration status to F-1 or J-1 within the U.S., documentation of the approved change of status (I-797 approval notice)
    • You did not apply for a U.S. visa while in Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands
    • You are not a citizen of:
      • Iran
      • Sudan
      • Syria or
      • Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
      • Citizens of these countries MUST have an unexpired visa if they seek to reenter the U.S.

We also suggest that you carry:

  • Documentation of your student status (e.g. Transcript, Enrollment Verification Certificate, print out of class schedule from MySlice, etc.)
  • Documentation of financial support (e.g. assistantship letter, bank statements, letter from financial sponsor, etc.)
  • SU Student Health Insurance Card or documentation of other health insurance coverage
  • SU ID Card

 

After returning to the U.S. check your most recent I-94 to be sure it indicates the correct Class of Admission (F-1/J-1) and Admit Until Date of “D/S” (Duration of Status).

 

For Additional Information:

U.S Customs and Border Protection – Automatic Revalidation for Certain Temporary Visitors

Department of State – Automatic Revalidation

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Travel Re-entry: F-1 Visa

To be readmitted to the U.S. after a trip to Canada, Mexico, or a U.S. Adjacent Island you will be required to show the following documents:

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months into the future
  • I-20/DS-2019 signed for travel within the last 6 months
  • Your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Card (F-1 Students)
  • Documentation that you are entering the U.S. to begin or resume employment (e.g. a job offer letter with a start date in the near future, a letter from your employer, a recent paystub, etc.)
  • Valid F-1 or J-1 Visa unless your trip meets the requirements for Automatic Visa Revalidation:
    • Your trip was solely to Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands
    • Your trip was less than 30 days
    • You are carrying your passport that has your expired non-immigrant visa
    • If you changed your immigration status to F-1 or J-1 within the U.S., documentation of the approved change of status (I-797 approval notice)
    • You did not apply for a U.S. visa while in Canada, Mexico or the adjacent islands
    • You are not a citizen of:
      • Iran
      • Sudan
      • Syria or
      • Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
      • Citizens of these countries MUST have an unexpired visa if they seek to reenter the U.S.

We also suggest that you carry documentation of your health insurance coverage.

 

After returning to the U.S. check your most recent I-94 to be sure it indicates the correct Class of Admission (F-1/J-1) and Admit Until Date of “D/S” (Duration of Status).

 

For Additional Information:

U.S Customs and Border Protection – Automatic Revalidation for Certain Temporary Visitors

Department of State – Automatic Revalidation

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Travel Re-entry: F-1 Visa

Additional Travel Information

If you will be traveling outside the U.S., you must have a valid travel signature on your I-20 or DS-2019 form to reenter the U.S.  A travel signature from the Center for International Services advisor is valid for 12 months, or six months if on post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM Extension OPT.

If you are in Syracuse, please come to the Center for International Services during walk-in advising (Monday – Friday from 11 am until 3 pm) with your most recent I-20/DS-2019 and we will sign it for travel.

If you are outside of Syracuse and need a travel signature:

  • Log in to the ISSS Portal.
  • Go to the Student Request Center on the right side of the page.
  • Find the Travel Signature Request.
  • Complete the Questionnaire.
  • Submit Request.

Within 3-5 business days you should receive an email that your travel signature request has been processed and a new I-20 (F-1 Students) is available in the ISSS portal or that your DS-2019 (J-1 Students) is available for pick-up or to be shipped.

If your F or J visa has expired or will expire before you return to the U.S. you will need to apply for a new visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate outside the U.S. You should check the website of the Embassy or Consulate where you will apply. The process may have changed since you last applied for a visa. You may not have to attend a visa interview if your visa expired less than 4 years ago and you meet specified criteria.

  • Visa Application Form: You will need to complete the DS-160 application form.
  • Photo: You will need to upload a photo to your DS-160 application.
  • Fees: You will need to pay a non-refundable visa application fee and any applicable reciprocity fees. Continuing students do not have to pay the SEVIS fee again if you are using an I-20/DS-2019 with the same SEVIS number for which you’ve already paid the SEVIS fee. You may need to submit your SEVIS Fee Receipt with your visa application.
  • Immigration Documents: You will need your valid I-20 or DS-2019 form with a travel signature signed within the last 12 months on page 2 of your I-20 or in the lower right corner of your DS-2019.  Students on OPT/ STEM OPT will need a travel signature from within the last 6 months.
  • Other Documents you might be required to submit:
    • Documentation of your student status (e.g. Transcript, Enrollment Verification Certificate, print out of class schedule from MySlice, etc.)
    • Documentation of financial support (e.g. assistantship letter, bank statements, letter from financial sponsor, etc.)
    • SU Student Health Insurance Card or documentation of other health insurance coverage
    • SU ID Card
    • Students on OPT/STEM OPT or Students on Academic Training:
      • Your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Card (F-1 Students)
      • Documentation that you are entering the U.S. to begin or resume employment (e.g. a job offer letter with a start date in the near future, a letter from your employer, a recent paystub, etc.)
    • Documentation of Non-Immigrant Intent: All F and J visa applicants must demonstrate that they have an intention to return home, a residence abroad that they have no intention of abandoning. You may be required to document your personal, professional, financial, etc. ties to your home country that will compel you to return home. You may be asked to submit bank statements, titles to property (e.g., a house or land), a job to which you will return, etc.

For additional information:

Department of State - Student Visa

Study in the States – Applying for a Visa to Travel to the United States

Where to Apply

Although it may be possible to apply for a visa at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate, you’re most likely to be issued a visa if you apply in your home country or a country to which you have ties (permanent residence, studying, family, etc.). If you plan to apply for a visa in a country that is not your home country, check the website of the embassy or consulate where you plan to apply to determine if they accept applications from third country nationals.

Expedited/Emergency Appointments

If you are having difficulty scheduling an appointment for a visa interview, check the Consulate’s website to see if you are eligible to request an expedited/emergency appointment.  Not all U.S. Consulates are able to accommodate requests for emergency/expedited appointments.  Each Consulate will have their own specific criteria and procedures that you must follow.  In general, an emergency/expedited appointment may be requested by a student who needs a visa to begin or resume a program of study in the U.S. within 60 days of the request and no appointments are available before that date.  Some U.S. Consulates may have a shorter time frame.

Follow the instructions for requesting an expedited/emergency appointment on the Consulate’s website.  Specific instructions will vary from Consulate to Consulate. You will likely have to schedule an appointment online for the earliest available date before you can request an expedited/emergency appointment.  The next semester start date is indicated in your SEVIS record, but you may need to document the next semester start date as published on the academic calendar. No additional letters are required.

Security Advisory Opinions and Delays

Please note that when you apply for a student visa, you may be subject to a security advisory opinion that can significantly delay the issuance of your visa and your return to the U.S. Such delays should be taken into account when making travel plans. If you learn that your return to the U.S. will be delayed, inform your academic department or employer about the delay and discuss the impact of it on your return to campus or your place of employment.

Common Advisory Opinions:

Field of Study: If a visa applicant's area of study is in a science or technology field, the visa officer may request a security advisory opinion. The visa cannot be issued until the results of the security advisory opinion is received by the consulate. If you are in one of the science or technology fields and are returning to the U.S. to resume your studies, research or employment you may be asked to submit documentation about your field of study, research or employment. This may include your resume, publications, information about your advisor’s work (resume, publications, lab description, etc.), your program of study, etc. You should be prepared to submit such documentation if requested.

Country of Citizenship, Nationality or Birth: A visa applicant who is a citizen or national of or was born in a country identified by the U.S. as requiring a security advisory opinion (state sponsors of terrorism, not recognized by the U.S., does not maintain diplomatic relations with the U.S.) may also experience delays.

If you have applied for a visa and believe that a security advisory opinion will delay your travel to the U.S., please contact your degree program or department immediately so that they can arrange to defer your degree program start date and/or to cover your teaching or research duties. If you have been waiting for more than one month for the results of a security advisory opinion, please contact the Center for International Services to inform us of the delay.

The above information is about returning to the U.S. from a trip abroad, however you must determine if you need a visa to enter other countries, including Canada, Mexico, and U.S. Adjacent Islands.

Reminder: You MUST determine if you need a visa to enter or transit through any country included in your travel plans.