INFORMATION FOR CURRENT STUDENTS

Travel Abroad, Visa Renewals , and Reentry

Nonimmigrants in F or J visa status who wish to travel outside the United States before returning to Washington University should be aware of regulations concerning their reentry into the U.S. It is the responsibility of each nonimmigrant to be informed about these regulations, especially given the development of enhanced national security procedures.

Note on differentiating "Visa" and "Status"

An entry visa is a sticker stamped on a page in a person's passport by a consular officer. Once the entry visa has been obtained by the nonimmigrant, it is needed only at the time s/he presents him-/herself at the port of entry to the U.S. It allows the nonimmigrant to enter the country. Thus, the entry visa's expiration date concerns only the limit of validity to enter the United States, and does not affect the status of the nonimmigrant once in the country. If the nonimmigrant leaves the country and then wishes to return, s/he must have an entry visa with an unexpired date of validity; if the entry visa has expired, the nonimmigrant must apply for a new entry visa at a U.S. consular office before being allowed to gain reentry to the U.S.

Nonimmigrant status indicates a legal condition granted to an alien by an immigration officer at the port of entry into the U.S. This status is maintained by following DHS regulations that detail the responsibilities of nonimmigrants in each status category (e.g., J-1). The DS-2019 is the document that provides information about a nonimmigrant in J status and shows eligibility to apply for a U.S. entry visa.

Travel Outside the United States

For information on gaining entry into specific countries, students should consult the Embassy of the country they would like to visit. The following websites contain information on foreign consular offices:

• List of Foreign Consular Offices in the U.S.
• Links to websites of foreign embassies in the U.S.
• Canadian Embassy
• Mexican Embassy
• Links to U.S. embassies and consulates in other countries

Documents Needed for Reentry into the U.S.

Individuals seeking admission to the U.S. in F or J status must have:

Note: Washington University students who apply for entry visas (i.e., visa renewals) while continuing in their academic programs are NOT subject to the SEVIS fee provided they have maintained F-1 or J-1 status.

Applying for a Visa in a Country other than the Home Country

Nonimmigrants wishing to apply for a visa in a country other than their country of citizenship are referred to as "Third Country Nationals" (TCNs). Students should be aware that although some consular offices do accept visa applications from TCNs, the process will likely be more time-consuming, and the possibility of denial of a visa is significantly higher than if the student were applying in his or her own country. The officer in these cases has to take the extra necessary measures to become informed about the applicant's relationship to his/her home country and the U.S.

• Students or scholars who want to apply for a US visa in Canada or Mexico must have an appointment at a U.S. consulate. More information on making an appointment.

Automatic Revalidation of Visa Validity after Travel to Canada or Mexico

Automatic Revalidation of Visa Validity after Travel to Canada or Mexico For non-immigrants with expired visas, trips to Canada or Mexico may not require a new visa application. This benefit is known as automatic revalidation and it refers to a one-time revalidation of the non-immigrant visa. This benefit allows certain non-immigrants with expired visas to reenter the U.S. after a 30-day or less visit to "contiguous territory" including Canada, Mexico, and adjacent islands including Saint Pierre, Miquelon, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, the Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique, and other British, French, and Netherlands territory or possessions in or bordering on the Caribbean Sea.

Individuals seeking to benefit from automatic revalidation must retain their I-94 when leaving the U.S. as it is essential for re-entry. In addition, all other travel documents relevant to the particular status (passport, I-20 or DS-2019) must be carried and properly endorsed.

If you are planning to use Automatic Revalidation, please read our Information Sheet for further details and instructions.

Dependents (F-2s or J-2s) may reenter the country under the same guidelines as the F-1 or J-1.

• Note that there is NEVER a guarantee that an individual in F or J status seeking reentry will be admitted; even if all of the above criteria are met. Border officials have discretion to approve or deny entry to whomever they choose for reasons that may or may not be apparent to the applicant for admission.

Travel after a Change of Visa Status

Nonimmigrants who travel and have changed status, whether within a visa category (e.g., F-2 to F-1, or J-2 to J-1) or between categories (e.g., F-1 to H-1B, of F-1 to J-1), while in the U.S. must apply for a visa in the new category in order to be readmitted.

Travel during Pending OPT Application and Approved OPT (F-1 students only)

Students intending to travel during processing of their OPT application should be aware that the USCIS may consider their departure from the U.S. an abandonment of the application. There is no way of predicting this; students choosing to travel are making the choice of possibly forfeiting their OPT employment eligibility. Furthermore, OPT applicants must be in possession of the EAD (card showing work permission, known as the "Employment Authorization Document") upon returning to the U.S. Other required documentation includes a valid passport, a valid F-1 entry visa, and an I-20 recently signed by an OISS advisor - this signature can be provided only after seeing the student’s EAD. Pursuant to possible interpretations of F-1 regulations, students seeking admission to the U.S. during OPT may be asked by immigration officials to produce evidence that they are returning to "resume employment" (i.e., a letter verifying continued employment or a job offer).

Security Clearances

Interviews are required of all visa applicants. Additionally, certain applicants may encounter security clearance procedures that could delay, or possibly even result in a denial of, the application. The Department of State has its own reasons for running these "checks" on an applicant; there is no way of predicting with certainty who will finally be subject to them. Because of this, it is advisable that the student or scholar apply for a visa well in advance of the date they wish to travel to the U.S. Individuals already in the U.S. whose visas have expired and are planning to be out of the country for a short time should consider the risk having to delay their return to the U.S. in the event of a security check. As the worst case scenario is being refused reentry, F-1s and J-1s must evaluate their reasons for travel in light of their desire to continue studying in the U.S.