Traveling While on a Visa

While studying at UNCG on an F-1 or J-1 student visa/status, you may desire to travel to other parts of the United States, return to your home country to visit family, or vacation to another country altogether. The ISSS team is here to guide you through the process of traveling during your time on a student visa. 

    TRAVELING WITHIN THE UNITED STATES 

    Traveling within the U.S.’s 50 states and territories is generally unrestricted, meaning that no prior approval or special documentation is required. When travelling within the U.S., you should always carry a government-issued form of identification (N.C. driver’s license or I.D. card, or passport). 

    To be prepared for the possibility of an immigration check by U.S. officials, we recommend that you always carry copies of the following documents in addition to your official identification: 

    • Current passport (photo, signature, and expiration date pages). 
    • F1/J1 visa. 
    • I-94 record. To obtain your I-94 record, please go to the DHS website, select “Get Most Recent I-94” and enter the information requested as it appears on the passport you used to enter the U.S. 
    • Most current form I-20 (for F-1 students) or form DS-2019 (for J-1 students). 

    TRAVELING OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES 

    When preparing to travel outside of the U.S. while on an F-1 or J-1 visa, be sure to keep the following in mind: 

    1. Before leaving the United States, you must obtain a travel signature from an International Student Advisor Travel signature requests should be submitted via the I.S.S.S. Portal (isss.uncg.edu) at least two weeks prior to travel. Delaying this step may impact travel plans. 
    2. Before traveling to a country outside the United States, that is not your country of citizenship, contact that country’s embassy in the U.S. to request information and visa application materials for travel in that country. Travel may not be allowed depending on political relations and treaty agreements between your home country and the desired destination country. Travel to countries outside the United States is not a U.S. Immigration issue. 
    3. Note that being permitted into any country other than your country of citizenship or lawful permanent residence is a privilege, not a right. Thus, any time you choose to travel abroad knowing you will need a new visa stamp to reenter, there is no guarantee that 1) the new visa stamp will be issued, or 2) that you will be readmitted at the port of entry.  

    Traveling abroad always carries some degree of risk. To ensure that you encounter no problems, always carry valid documents with you (including proof of funding) and abide by the laws and regulations governing your non-immigrant status. 

      REENTRY INTO THE U.S. AFTER TRAVEL 

      To be eligible for reentry to the United States, you must have maintained your legal full-time student status in the U.S. and be returning to resume studies at the school and for the degree for which your I-20 was issued. If you are in post-completion OPT or STEM OPT extension, you must meet related reporting requirements.  

      REENTRY TO RESUME STUDIES 

      Less than 5 Months of Overseas Travel 

      Have the following documents in hand at the U.S. Port of Entry: 

      • Valid F-1 or J-1 visa. If you need to apply for a visa while overseas, plan ahead and follow all instructions for renewing your visa. 
      • Most recent Form I-20 or DS-2019 form signed by an International Student Advisor for travel within the last five months. 
      • A passport valid for at least another six months past the date of reentry. 
      • Documents demonstrating financial support for the next 12 months. 
      • Transcripts showing full-time enrollment every term of the academic year (and less than full-time approval forms, if any). 

      More than 5 Months of Overseas Travel 

      If you have spent more than five months outside the United States, you cannot reenter on your former form I-20. You must obtain a new form I-20, repay the SEVIS fee, and reapply for a visa. Your immigration “time clock” begins again as if you were entering the U.S. for the first time. No off-campus employment will be allowed until you re-accumulate the required nine months of full-time student status (one full academic year). 

      REENTRY TO RESUME O.P.T. (OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING) 

      Documents Required for Reentry the United States: 

      • Valid F-1 visa. If your visa expires while you are in the U.S., your status in the United States will not be affected. The visa is an entry document only. However, if your visa has expired and you are seeking to enter the U.S., you must renew your visa before attempting to reenter the U.S. 
      • Valid passport with at least six months validity beyond the date of reentry. 
      • Form I-20 showing O.P.T. authorization with travel signature from an International Student Advisor. Please contact an International Student Advisor at least two weeks before you plan to travel. 
      • Employment Authorization Document (EAD Card). 
      • Proof of employment: 
        • Written job offer, or 
        • A letter from your employer stating that you are returning to resume work. 

      RETURNING FROM U.S.-ADJACENT COUNTRIES AND ISLANDS

      While in F1 or J1 status, you may be eligible for “Automatic Revalidation” when returning to the United States from Canada, Mexico, or certain Caribbean islands. This exception allows you to reenter the U.S. from a “contiguous territory” (Canada, Mexico, and adjacent islands) without a currently valid visa stamp in the passport. To learn more about the Automatic Revalidation exception, visit the Travel.State.Gov webpage.  

      Before travel, contact your international student advisor for any updates regarding Automatic Revalidation.  

      OBTAINING YOUR I-94 RECORD AFTER TRAVEL 

      The I-94 record is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrival/departure record that records your arrival into the United States. The record is electronically issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The I-94 record is your official record of reentry into the United States.  

      You must access your I-94 record each time you reenter the United States. To obtain the I-94 record, go to https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov, select “Get Most Recent I-94” and enter the information requested as it appears on the passport used to enter the United States. 

      Special Notes 

      Customs and Border Protection (CBP) no longer provides I-94 cards for entry into the United States or stamps the I-20 form for F-1 students or DS-2019 form for J-1 students and scholars for entry into the United States 

      Many U.S. airports discontinued stamping passports with an entry stamp when you enter the United States. Instead, CBP creates an online electronic entry record that registers your entry into the United States.  

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