"You have made us for yourself, Oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." –St. Augustine
If you are traveling outside the U.S. you must come to the International Student Office with the following documents BEFORE you travel:
- Passport
- I-20.
Your I-20 must be endorsed, i.e., signed for travel at least once a year. Depending upon your travel plans the foreign student advisor may determine to endorse your I-20 before the one (1) year period has expired.
NOTE: ONLY foreign student advisors may sign your I-20 for travel. Please check the monthly newsletter for the announcement regarding signature, i.e., endorsement times. If you need a signature, i.e., endorsement for travel, please email one of the foreign student advisors to make an appointment.
Finally, if your visa has expired, i.e., no longer valid, you should make the necessary arrangements while at home to renew your student visa (F-1). If you do not renew your expired student visa BEFORE returning to the U.S., you will be denied reentry to the U.S. at the port of entry. If you are planning to renew your expired visa you should make an appointment at the International Student Office one (1) month BEFORE your departure.
Further, the student should note:
- He or she may have to apply for a tourist visa for one of the countries listed above
- The student may NOT apply for a renewal of his or her student visa to the U.S. consulate while in one of the countries listed above. If the student does attempt to apply for a renewal of his or her student visa at a U.S. consulate in one of the countries listed above and is denied, he or she will not be allowed to reenter the U.S. and MUST return to his or her home country from which he or she made the attempt.
Traveling While on Optional Practical Training (OPT)
- On December 12th, 2005 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published these responses:
15.2.N Can I reenter if my request for OPT is pending?
Yes, you may reenter to search for employment. - 15.2.O Can I reenter if I left while on OPT?
If your OPT has been approved and you depart before you get a job, your OPT ends and you cannot reenter. If you have a job, you may travel and reenter to resume work at the same job.
(SEVP Operating Instruction – F Nonimmigrants: Entry and Exit - Dated: 12/15/2004)
What these responses from DHS mean is that students on OPT who have a PENDING OPT may reenter the US to search for an employer. However, if the student has been approved by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) for an OPT period AND has no employer he should not travel outside the US. It appears now that the DHS rule is that travel should only be considered by the student on OPT if he possesses a position at a company. Further, if he travels, he MUST return to that company upon his return to the US.
Finally, the student MUST still have:
- His I-20 signed by the International Student Advisor
- A valid Visa
- An Employment Authorization Document (EAD) – further the student should carry:
- Pay slips
- Letter from his employer stating he is going on the trip and is expected to return to his position on a set date.
