Travelling Information
Travel Advisories and Visa Issuance
What documents do I need to take with me when I travel?
Be sure to carry the following documents with you for travel abroad:
- Passport, Visa, I-94 Card
- I-20 or DS-2019 signed for travel by an ISS Staff member
- Official transcript (Registrar’s Office - transcript section, 322 Student Union)
- Letter of Enrollment (Registrar’s Office - certifications section, 322 Student Union)
- SEVIS Fee Receipt (if the start date of your initial F-1 program is on or after 09/01/2004)
- Proof of financial support (a personal bank statement, Research Assistant/Teaching
- Assistantship verification letter that includes salary and tuition payment details, or sponsor's letter and sponsor's bank statement).
- Documentation of approval to take a reduced course load, if applicable
- Evidence of concurrent enrollment, if applicable
US-VISIT Exit Procedures
Be sure to check with the airline personnel at the airport of your departure if the airport is equipped with US-VISIT exit facility. Checking out of the U.S. using the US-VISIT exit procedure is mandatory where an exit procedure is in place at the port of departure. If you fail to check out through these facilities, it could affect your ability to re-enter the country. You will not be penalized if an exit procedure is not yet installed at your point of departure. (See list below – Subject to change)
More information on US-VISIT
At this time, the following ports have US-VISIT Exit procedures:
Baltimore/Washington International, Chicago O’Hare International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County International, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Luis Muñoz Marin International in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Newark Liberty International, Philadelphia International, San Francisco International, and Seattle-Tacoma International.
If you leave from one of these ports, you are required to confirm your departure using US VISIT exit procedures. Your check out will include the scanning of your visa or passport and repeating the simple inkless finger scanning process for first your left index finger and then your right index finger. A workstation attendant will be available if you need assistance. The exit confirmation will be added to your travel records to demonstrate compliance with the terms of your admission.
Applying for a visa in your home country
ISS recommends that you apply for a visa at the US Consulate or Embassy in your home country. Most consulates require a personal interview with a consular officer, as well as collection of biometric identifiers (fingerprints and digital photograph). It is always advisable to check with the consulate or embassy where you will be applying to determine current application and documentation requirements, as well as processing times. To find out about processing times and procedures, please consult the website of the consulate to which you plan to apply by clicking here.
10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa
Proof of ties to your home country
Not only will you need to provide the documents above you will need to show proof of ties to your home country. The Department of State web site states: “Student visa applicants must establish to the satisfaction of the consular officer that they have binding ties to a residence in a foreign country which they have no intention of abandoning, and that they will depart the United States when they have completed their studies. It is impossible to specify the exact form the evidence should take since applicants’ circumstances vary greatly”. Examples of such evidence may include: copies of bank statements from a bank in your home country, evidence of ownership of property or residence in your home country, a job offer letter from home, or letters from family.
Background and security checks
Consulates and embassies are more frequently conducting background checks on individuals, resulting in possible delays in visa issuance. Background/security checks can be triggered by, but not limited to, arrests in the United States, certain courses that appear on your transcript, or your field of study. Background/security checks can take up to several months and possibly even longer.
What if I travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean?
If you plan to travel to a country that is contiguous* to the U.S. (but not Cuba!) and you intend to stay there less than 30 days and will not apply for a new U.S. visa, you may re-enter the U.S. on an expired visa stamp (this regulation is knows as Automatic Visa Revalidation). Please note that citizens of Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, North Korea, and Cuba will not be allowed to re-enter the U.S. with an expired U.S. visa stamp, even if the trip is to a contiguous country.
* Saint Pierre, Miquelon, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, The Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique, or other British, French or Netherlands territories or possessions in, or bordering, the Caribbean Sea.
How does Automatic Visa Revalidation work?
When traveling to a contiguous country, keep your I-94 card with you upon exiting the U.S. Tell the immigration official at the port of exit (border) that you intend to stay outside the U.S. for less than 30 days and that your U.S. visa is expired. Make sure to have your I-20 or DS-2019 signed by an ISS Staff member before you travel and present that document along with your valid passport, I-94, and expired (or current) visa to re-enter the U.S.
Can I renew my U.S. visa while in Mexico or Canada?
If you are planning to apply for a U.S. visa in Mexico or Canada, please visit with an ISS staff member first. In general, ISS does not recommend that third-country nationals apply for a U.S. visa in Mexico or Canada because of lengthy delays due to background/security checks and complications in case of visa denial. Re-entry back into the United States will be based only on the successful approval of a visa. If your visa application is denied, you would need to depart directly to your home country to apply for a new visa to re-enter the U.S. You may not use Automatic Visa Revalidation if you applied for a visa while abroad! You can also see the web site for the U.S. Consulate in Cuidad Juarez for detailed information.
Visa Application process in Mexico or Canada
The U.S. Consulates in Mexico only process F-1 visa renewals for continuing students in full-time degree programs who can demonstrate that their initial F-1 visa was issued in their home country.
An appointment for a visa renewal in Mexico or Canada is made in advance in one of the following ways:
For consulates in Mexico:
- Web Address: http://www.visa-usa.com.mx/default.aspx
- Call 1-900-476-1212. You can pay by the minute using a U.S. 900 number. Charges will appear on your telephone bill.
- Call 1-800-919-1754. You can charge a flat transaction fee per call to your Visa or MasterCard using a toll-free U.S. 800 number.
For consulates in Canada:
- Web Address: http://www.nvars.com/. A flat fee will be charged ($15 Canadian) payable by credit card.
- Call 1-888-840-0032 or 1-900-443-3131. A per-minute fee will be charged on your phone bill for the U.S. 888 number. The U.S. 900 number is not accessible from all phones, and the charge for the connection can be paid only by credit card.
Do I need a visa to enter Mexico or Canada?
If you are traveling to Mexico or Canada, or any country that is not your country of citizenship, you may need a visa to enter that country. The following contacts may be helpful to determine if you need a visa to enter another country:
Canada
Phone: (213) 346-2711
Website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/index.asp
Mexico:
Phone: (512) 478-2866
Website: http://www.sre.gob.mx/dallas/
Foreign consular offices in the United States: http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fco/
Special Registration students leaving the U.S.
Students who went through Special Registration at the port of entry or local Department of Homeland Security (formerly INS) office need to register with DHS when leaving the U.S. It is very important that you find DHS representatives at the airport or port that you are leaving from and register with an immigration officer. Please see detailed instructions on how to find an immigration officer at ports of entry at the DHS web site.
If you do not register with DHS when leaving the U.S., you may find it difficult to re-enter the U.S. in the future.