International Travel

ISSS advises caution with any international travel for the foreseeable future. We recommend only mandatory or absolutely necessary travel and strongly advise scheduling an appointment to talk with an ISSS advisor before traveling. If you're planning to travel internationally soon, here are a few helpful tips that may make your reentry into the US easier:

Engaging with Customs and Border Protection

Be prepared to present all necessary documents and answer Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers' questions about your travel upon re-entry. Have all necessary paperwork easily accessible before encountering the border officers: 

  • Passports: Ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your planned return date.
  • Visas: Confirm your visa is still valid and appropriate for re-entry.
  • Advance Parole: If you have a pending adjustment of status application (Form I-485), ensure you have a valid and approved Advance Parole document to re-enter.
  • Employment Authorization Document (EAD): Carry your valid EAD card, if applicable.
  • Student Status: Form I-20 or DS-2019, proof of financial support, evidence of ties to your home country, evidence of acceptance into program, and SEVIS fee payment receipt.

Expect Delays and Increased Scrutiny 

Potential staffing shortages within CBP may lead to longer processing times at airports and ports of entry. In addition, increased scrutiny and a heightened number of secondary inspections for non-immigrant visitors, immigrants, and US citizens are also likely to lead to extended wait times upon reentry.

Consular Processing

Expect delays or limited availability for visa renewals and initial issuances of visas at US consulates and embassies abroad. In addition, current administrative policies requiring extreme vetting of all visa applicants may lead to greater visa refusals and delays in visa issuances.

I-94 Arrival Record

Upon clearance by CBP, your passport may be stamped to show the date and class of admission and period of authorized stay. For F-1 and J-1 students your period of authorized stay should always read “D/S” with no fixed expiration date. If you do not receive a passport stamp, this is fine; however, your entry information must be logged into CBP’s online record system, and your I-94 arrival record must be updated. Please be sure to review your I-94 upon entry to ensure accuracy. You may retrieve your I-94 from the Customs and Border Protection website. 

Before You Travel

  • Meet with an ISSS advisor before your trip to ensure that your SEVIS I-20 is up to date and in active status.
  • Make sure you have ISSS contact information, including a daytime phone number and an emergency phone number.
  • Check that everything you packed is allowed through Transportation Security Administration security.
  • Make sure to pack your passport, student visa, and I-20 or DS-2019 with valid travel signature.

Upon Return to the US

  • When returning to the United States, be sure to keep your passport, student visa, and I-20 or DS-2019 in your carry-on bag and not in your checked luggage. When you arrive at a U.S. port of entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will meet with you for inspections and may ask you for these documents.
  • The CBP officer could issue you a Form I-515A, “Notice to Student of Exchange Visitor,” if you do not have an active I-20 or forgot to get a travel signature. Form I-515 allows you to enter the United States for up to 30 days while you obtain and submit the required documentation to the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP).
  • Notify an ISSS advisor right away if you receive a Form I-515A. If you do not respond to a Form I-515A within 30 days, it could negatively affect your F or M status and you may be required to leave the United States.

Carry these documents when re-entering the U.S:

We recommend you plan your travel in consultation with an ISSS advisor, consider consulting an attorney, and prepare for sudden change. Upon re-entry, US Customs and Border Protection may ask for more evidence of your connection to UO. For that reason, when entering the US, carry the following documents with you and ensure that they are up to date: 

For enrolled students: 

  • A valid passport (at least 6 months in the future)
  • Unexpired I-20 (F-1 students) or DS-2019 (J-1 students) - must be printed, signed and dated
  • Valid travel signature on I-20 or DS-2019 within past 12 months
  • Unexpired F-1 or J-1 visa (or other unexpired US visa)*
  • Evidence of funding or OPT/Academic Training employment
  • Copy of class schedule printed from DuckWeb
  • Official transcript or ‘advising’ transcript provided by ISSS 

For graduated students on F-1 OPT/STEM OPT or J-1 Academic Training: 

  • A valid passport (at least 6 months in the future)
  • Unexpired I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) - must be printed, signed and dated
  • Valid travel signature on I-20 or DS-2019 within past 6 months
  • Unexpired F-1 or J-1 visa (or other unexpired US visa)*
  • UO diplomas and official transcript (evidence of degree award)
  • Evidence of employment (i.e. job offer, contract)
  • F-1 Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or J-1 Work Authorization Letter from ISSS
  • If working remotely outside the US a letter from employer agreeing to this arrangement 

*Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa to enter the US, but must present all of the other documents listed above to request F-1 or J-1 status when entering the US.

Travel to and from Mexico, Canada & Adjacent US Islands

F-1 and J-1 students may travel to Canada, Mexico, and Adjacent Islands and re-enter the US on an expired F-1 or J-1 visa if the trip does not exceed 30 days and the purpose of the trip is not to apply for a new F-1 or J-1 visa at one of the US consulates located in these countries. This ability to travel on an expired visa is referred to as automatic revalidation. In order to benefit from automatic visa revalidation, you must carry the documents indicated above as well as your latest I-94 arrival record. To retrieve your I-94, go the the I-94 CBP Travel Website and click on 'Get Most Recent I-94.'

A visitor's visa may be required to enter Mexico, Canada & Adjacent Islands, depending on your country of citizenship. If you are planning a trip to Canada or Mexico, you should contact a consulate from one of those countries to determine whether a visa is required prior to your trip. Please plan ahead as it may take some time to obtain a visitor visa to one of these countries.

Travel to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and U.S. territories and possessions

Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and certain other U.S. territories and possessions are part of the United States, so an F and J nonimmigrant does not need a visa to travel to those locations from within the 50 United States, or to return to the 50 United States from those locations. However, students and scholars should always carry full documentation (passport, I-20 or DS-2019, and most recent I-94) during such travel. Also, exchange visitors should be careful to verify that their travel does not involve transit through or short stays in other countries, since full documentation (including a visa) for return to the U.S. may be necessary.