General Information

1. Travel with a passport which will be valid for at least six (6) months into the future on the day you return from your trip abroad.
   
   
2. Have your Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) recertified by a designated school official as needed.
   
   Recertification is a signature from the visa sponsor. If you are sponsored by New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Office of International Students & Faculty (OIS&F) signs the back of the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 or DS-2019). In order for your Form I-20 or DS-2019 to be re-certified, you must have maintained full-time student status. Request certification of your I-20 or DS-2019 from the OIS&F at least 7 business days before you plan to leave.
   
   If you are in F-1 status and travel abroad, we recommend that your I-20 be recertified every time you travel. If you do not travel abroad, it is not necessary to have the I-20 recertified.
   
   
3. Have an unexpired student visa stamp valid for further entries in your passport.
   
   At the U.S. port of entry, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inspector will review your Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 or DS-2019) and return it to you. You will also be issued an I-94 card, which will indicate your entry as an F-1 or J-1 student and your expiration of stay. Expiration of stay: the day you are required to leave the United States is normally 30 days beyond the dates given on your DS-2019 for those in J-1 status or 60 days beyond "D/S" (duration of status) for those in F-1 status.

Obtaining A New Visa Stamp

If you visit countries outside the United States you must have a valid F or J visa stamp in your passport to re-enter the U.S. (See possible exceptions under Special Considerations, below).

This is essential in addition to having a Form I-20 or DS-2019. If your visa is no longer valid, you must take your passport and I-20 or DS-2019 to the nearest United States consulate or embassy in the country you are visiting to apply for a new visa stamp. Evidence of financial support for your studies in the United States must also be presented. It is likely that the ICE officer will also want to review this documentation at the port of entry. Ideally, it is best to apply for a student visa in your home country, U.S. consulate or embassy. Plan for processing delays if you apply at a third country.

Dependents Of F-1/J-1 Students Traveling Alone

Dependents of F-1 students or J-1 students must also obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 for F-2; DS-2019 for J-2) before traveling abroad if they will be re-entering the U.S. unaccompanied by the F-1 or J-1 principal. The I-20 or DS-2019 issued to dependents is a replication of the F-1’s or J-1’s Certificate of Eligibility. Dependents should also take documentation showing sufficient funds to cover expenses (as shown on the I-20 or DS-2019). Dependents wishing to return to the U.S. in F-2 or J-2 immigration status may not be permitted to re-enter the United States unless the F-1’s I-20 or the J- 1’s DS-2019 is valid at the time of the dependent’s re-entry. Otherwise, with one exception, documentary requirements are essentially the same as those for holders of F-1 and J-1 visas. The exception is that J-2 visa holders require a special dependent letter from their sponsors in addition to a DS-2019.

Special Considerations

If you are an F-1 or J-1 student, traveling only to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean (except Cuba and Bermuda) for fewer than thirty days, you will not need to obtain a new visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. To qualify for this privilege, you must:

1. Be in F-1 or J-1 student status.
2. Have an unexpired I-94 card with you (do not surrender it when you leave the U.S.).
3. Have been in lawful status while in the U.S.
4. Have a passport valid at least six months into the future on the day you return.
5. Be in one of the above-named destinations for fewer than thirty days.
6. Have a current I-20 or DS-2019 in your possession.
7. Have an F-1 or J-1 visa (expired or valid) in your passport that matches the immigration status described by your I- 94 card (If you have changed your non-immigrant status in the U.S., the visa may correspond to your previous non-immigrant status before the change was granted.)
8. Be a citizen of a country other than Syria, Iraq, Iran, or Libya (If you are a citizen of Syria, Iraq, Iran, or Libya you do not qualify for this privilege. You are required to present all documents described under General Information, including a valid visa for your current student status.)

F-1 Students

If you are in F-1 status, you must have a valid passport and an I-20. If your I-20 and I- 94 card will expire during your trip, you must have a valid F-1 entry visa and a valid I-20 for re-entry.

J-1 Students

If you are in J-1 status, you must have a valid passport and a DS-2019. If your DS-2019 and I-94 card will expire during your trip, you must have a valid J-1 entry visa and a DS-2019 for re-entry.

Canadian Citizens

You need not have a passport to enter the U.S. from Canada. However, you should use a valid, properly-endorsed Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 or DS-2019), so that the ICE officer admits you as a foreign student. If you do this, you may be eligible to reap the benefits of student status, such as practical training. The ICE inspector should give you an I-94 card which gives you student status, either F-1 or J-1. If the ICE inspector does not, you will be in tourist status only. If you are entering the U.S. from a THIRD country, you need a valid passport but no entry visa.

Travel After The Completion Of Studies For F-1/J-1 Students On Practical Training

To re-enter the U.S., you need a properly endorsed Form I-20 or DS-2019 as described above. Also, you will need to have proof of your authorized work permission, an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card for F-1 students, an OIS&F work authorization letter for J-1 students, and a letter from your employer, if you have a job. If you will need a new visa stamp, you are strongly advised to speak to an OIS&F advisor before making travel plans. It is more difficult to obtain a student visa while on practical training, as the issue of intent to return to your home country will be brought up. This is sometimes harder to prove once you have finished your degree and are working in the U.S.

Students outside the U.S. have no basis for returning to the United States in F-1 status after completing their programs of study unless they were authorized practical training before their departure and have a valid USCIS-issued EAD. If you leave the U.S. without the EAD, you will not be allowed to re-enter the U.S. in F-1 status and be employed under F-1 practical training following completion of your degree.