Travel and Re-Entry to the U.S. on F or J Visas
SEVIS vs. Non-SEVIS forms:
The U.S. government uses the Student and Exchange Visitor
Information System (SEVIS) to manage information relating to international
students in the U.S. All international students and scholars must have a
SEVIS-generated, valid I-20 or DS-2019 form in order, to apply for an F or J
visa, to enter the U.S. to attend school or participate in an exchange visitor
program, or to remain in the U.S. as an F-1 student or J-1 student or
scholar
If you travel out of the U.S. while you are in F-1 or J-1 status, your I-20
or DS-2019 form must have a travel validation signature by one of the
designated school officials at the International Office, and you must have a
valid F-1 or J-1 visa, as appropriate, in order for you to be permitted to
re-enter the U.S (see “Contiguous Territory & Adjacent Islands”
below for a discussion of re-entry from Canada or Mexico without a valid
visa). If you are in F-1 status and applying for a visa, we
recommend a travel signature on your I-20 dated within the last 9 months.
If you are in J status, the travel signature on the DS-2019 form is valid for
up to one year. To request this signature, bring your I-20 or DS-2019 form to
the International Office along with your Dartmouth ID card. Please allow at
least three days for processing. A valid visa stamp in your passport is
also required for re-entry to the U.S., unless you are a Canadian citizen. If
your visa stamp has expired, you will need to go to the U.S. consulate (outside
of the U.S.) to apply for the new visa stamp. If you have graduated and
are on post-completion practical training, you are also required to show your
EAD card when re-entering the U.S., and proof that you have a temporary job in
the U.S. related to your field of study. Please note that it can be
difficult to re-enter the U.S. even if you have the EAD and a job offer.
Non-Immigrant Intent:
In all cases, F and J visa applicants must be able to prove non-immigrant
intent to the U.S. consular officer. This means that you need to be able to
convince the consular officer that you will be returning to your home country
at the end of your F or J academic program. You can do this by showing evidence
of strong family and economic ties to your home country. This is even
more important if you are applying for a visa after you have graduated, and are
working in the U.S. on post-graduation optional or academic practical
training.
Required Documents in the U.S.:
U.S. law requires you to carry your photo ID (passport) and your alien
registration information (I-94 card) on your person at all times.
Visa delays:
- Change to interview requirement:
There have been recent changes to the interview requirement for certain U.S.
visa applicants. Many more people will now be required to have a personal
interview before a visa can be issued. Please allow at least one to two
months for the visa application and for scheduling the interview at the
appropriate consulate, if required.
- Security clearance delays:
Current security clearance checks by the U.S. State Department can delay the
visa application process for one to three weeks, or longer. You are less likely
to be subject to a visa security check delay if you have received a U.S. visa
in the last 12 months, and were previously subject to a security check.
Whenever you apply to a U.S. consulate for a new nonimmigrant entry visa
stamp, you always run the risk that your application may be denied. While it is
allowed, the U.S. Department of State does not recommend that you apply for a
visa stamp at a U.S. consulate in a country of which you are not a
citizen. If you are denied in a “third country”, you will be required to
travel home from that country to apply for the visa. You will not be
allowed to come back to the U.S. first, even if you have applied in Canada.
Documents for Visa Application
Non-immigrant visa applicants are normally required to submit the following
documentation to the U.S. consulate abroad:
It is sometimes also advisable for continuing students to submit copies of
transcripts or an advisor's letter stating that the student is making good
progress toward the degree.
Please double check with the Consulate where you will be applying
to verify the required application documents and procedures.
You may find a list of all U.S. embassies and Consulates here: http://usembassy.state.gov/
For visa appointments at the U.S. Consulate in Canada:
Documents to re-enter the U.S.:
All travelers who plan to re-enter the U.S. require
- A valid passport
- A valid SEVIS I-20 (for F-1 visa holders) or DS-2019 (for J-1 visa holders)
with a valid travel signature on page 3 or on the back of the form (Please
allow three to five business days for processing if you need a new signature
from your advisor prior to traveling.)
- A valid F-1 or J-1 visa stamp (unless re-entering from Canada or Mexico or
the adjacent islands after a trip of less than 30 days)
- A valid Form I-94 (white card usually stapled to the passport, known as the
"arrival/departure record". You will complete this form on the plane
coming into the country, or at the land border post when you apply for entry to
the country)
- Proof of financial support
We recommend, in addition:
- Copies of academic transcripts to verify enrollment and academic progress
for students
- Paycheck stubs to verify employment for employees in H-1B status
Automatic Revalidation: Travel to Contiguous Territory & Adjacent
Islands
After initial entry to the U.S., persons in F-1 or J-1 status who have an
expired non-immigrant visa in their passport may re-enter the U.S. without
obtaining a new U.S. visa if their travel was solely to a contiguous territory
(Canada or Mexico) or adjacent islands (excluding Cuba) and their travel is for
a period not exceeding 30 days. This procedure is known as “automatic
revalidation”, and if you are planning to take advantage of it we will give you
a citation of the regulation that allows this. To take advantage of automatic
re-validation of an expired visa after travel to a contiguous territory or
islands adjacent to the U.S., travelers must have, in addition to their
passport and properly endorsed I-20 or DS-2019, a valid passport, a valid Form
I-94, and, if on post-completion OPT, a valid EAD work card and evidence of
employment in their field of study.
U.S. VISIT system:
Upon entry to the U.S., most non-U.S. citizens traveling on non-immigrant
visas or under the visa waiver program will be photographed and fingerprinted
for security purposes. Upon exiting the U.S. they will also be required
to use a U.S. VISIT exit kiosk to be photographed and fingerprinted again, to
document their departure. These exit kiosks have not yet been
installed at all airports and land border crossings, but at the ports where
they are installed, the non-immigrant must use the system to document his or
her departure. Please see the Department of Homeland Security website for
more information:
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/content_multi_image/content_multi_image_0006.xml
US VISIT Exit procedures are being tested at Baltimore-Washington
International Airport, Miami Seaport cruise line terminals, and Chicago O’Hare
International Airport. Currently, if you leave from these ports, you are
required to confirm your departure using US VISIT exit procedures.
Generally, your check out will include the scanning of your visa or
passport and repeating the simple inkless finger scanning process. An
Exit 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. Ultimately, most foreign visitors will
be required to check out before leaving the United States. (source: U.S.
DHS website)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- If you are a citizen of Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Somalia, Syria or
Libya you are not eligible for automatic revalidation of your
expired non-immigrant visa.
- If you have applied for a new visa while out of the country, you
may not re-enter the U.S. until the new visa is issued even if
your old visa is still valid.
- You may be required to have a visa from either Canada or Mexico to enter
those countries. The visa you have for the United States does not automatically
grant entry into these countries. If you are in doubt, go to the Canadian and
Mexican consulate web sites listed below
Canadian Consulate in New York:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/index.html
Mexican Consulate in New York:
http://www.consulmexny.org/
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