Travel Outside the US – International Students & Global Programs

Reentry into the U.S.

In order to re-enter the U.S. after a temporary absence (not exceeding 5 months) you must carry the following documents:

A current passport valid Passport for at least six months after the date of re-entry, unless your country has an agreement with the United States. For a list of countries under this agreement, review the list on the Immigration Customs Enforcement website. Your passport should remain valid throughout your stay in the U.S.
A valid, unexpired F-1/J-1 visa (except for a short trip, 30 days or less, to Canada, Mexico and Adjacent Islands)
I-20 or DS-2019 with valid travel signature by an international student advisor. This signature is valid for one year (12 months) after the signature date and can be used for multiple entries. If you are on OPT, you must obtain a travel signature very six months.
Financial information showing proof of necessary funds to cover tuition and living expenses

Additional Travel Document Recommendations

While not specifically required by regulations, the following additional documents are very strongly recommended when traveling abroad:

Copy of Rutgers University transcript and your current course schedule
SEVIS I-901 fee receipt
All previously-issued I-20 forms
OPT authorization and a letter from your employer confirming the dates and terms of your employment
If needing to apply for a new F-1 before returning to the U.S., a recently-updated I-20 issued to you within the 6 months prior to your application for a new visa

Be Prepared for U.S. Customs & Border Screening

Everyone arriving in the U.S. passes through U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) at either an air or land port of entry. CBP officers screen all travelers to determine whether they are “admissible” for entry to the U.S. Having a valid visa and all required documents is essential, but it does not guarantee admission to the U.S. Be prepared to answer CBP questions truthfully to avoid delays or denial of entry.

CBP officers may ask you questions about the purpose, length, destination, and activities you participated in during your travel outside the U.S.
CBP officers could request to inspect your personal belongings and possibly search your electronic devices
CBP officers could also request access to your social media accounts or copy data from electronic devices
You could be asked about your classes, your major, when you plan to graduate, plans after graduation, or how you are paying for college.

Problems Entering the U.S.?

If you encounter issues entering the U.S., you may be directed to secondary inspection. This is a routine process where immigration officials review your documents in more detail. Stay calm and ensure you have your passport, valid visa, I-20 or DS-2019, and any supporting documentation easily accessible. If you experience delays or further complications, request that the border official contact the Office of International Students at Rutgers-Camden.

Travel Signature

To travel outside of the country and re-enter the U.S. as an F-1 student, you must have a valid I-20 which has been signed by an International Student Advisor. F-1 students may need a new I-20 if they have failed to maintain status.
F-1 students must obtain the travel endorsement at the OIS. Bring your current, original I-20 to request a signature. A travel signature is valid for one year from the date of issuance. Students engaged in Post-Completion OPT/STEM Extension must have a new travel signature every six months.

F-2 Dependent Travel

Dependents in F-2 generally need the same documents to re-enter the U.S. as the primary F-1 student. Be sure to obtain an endorsement on the dependent I-20 in order to re-enter the U.S.
Dependents are not required to travel with the primary F-1 student. In addition, dependents may remain in the U.S. without the primary as long as the F-1 maintains their current status and will return after a temporary absence (generally 30 days or less) using the same SEVIS ID number.

Validity of Visa

A visa does not determine how long you may remain in the United States; it only determines when you may enter or re-enter the U.S. To enter or re-enter the U.S. in F-1 status, you must have a valid visa (unless you are a citizen of Canada). For information on the one exception to this requirement, see “Automatic Visa Revalidation” below. Because U.S visas are needed only to enter the U.S., it is not possible to apply for a new visa from inside the U.S. You may remain in the U.S. until your I-94 expires and as long as you are complying with regulations that apply to your specific non-immigrant status. However, if you leave the U.S. for a short trip abroad and your visa has already expired or will expire while you are outside the U.S., you will need to apply for a new visa at a U.S. abroad in order to be able to return to the U.S. in your previous non-immigrant status.

Travel to Canada, Mexico and Certain Adjacent Caribbean Islands

F-1/J-1 students or their dependents who are planning a trip to Canada or Mexico should contact the respective consulate offices to determine whether a visitor’s visa to the country is needed prior to your trip.
Mexican Consulate
Canadian Consulate

Automatic Visa Re-validation

Under certain limited circumstances, visitors with expired U.S. visas who travel solely to Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands in the Caribbean (excluding Cuba) for less than 30 days may be allowed to return to the U.S. via “automatic visa revalidation” in the same non-immigrant status in which they departed, and may resume their previously-approved activities without having to apply for a new visa. Automatic revalidation is unavailable to citizens of Cuba, Sudan, Iran, & Syria, however.

Note: If a visitor chooses to apply for a visa while visiting Canada or Mexico and is denied the visa, he/she will not be eligible for the automatic visa revalidation benefit and will need to return directly to his/her home country in order to apply for a visa.

More Information about Automatic Revalidation

For more information about automatic revalidation provisions and reentry to the United States, visit the International Visitors webpage on the CBP website. Students and Exchange Visitors should review important additional information about travel outside the United States and reentry procedures on the DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website.

Who Must Reapply for and Be Reissued a Visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate?

Many nonimmigrants will need to reapply and be reissued visas to reenter the U.S. when their existing visas have expired, even if they are in possession of valid admission stamp or paper Form I-94, because automatic revalidation applies to limited categories of travelers. Refer to the Automatic Revalidation Fact Sheet on the CBP website. The following temporary visitors whose nonimmigrant visas have expired, but who have a valid admission stamp or paper Form I-94, must reapply for and be issued nonimmigrant visas prior to their reentry to the United States, if one or more of the following situations exists (this is not a complete listing):

Applied for a new visa which has not yet been issued;
Applied for a new visa and was denied;
Has been outside of the United States for more than thirty days;
Has traveled to a country other than Canada, Mexico, or an adjacent island which is not included in the automatic revalidation provisions;
Is a national of a State Sponsor of Terrorism designated country, including Iran, Syria, and Sudan. Review more about State Sponsors of Terrorism and FAQs on this website;
Is in possession of an F student visa or J exchange visitor visa and has traveled to Cuba;
Is in possession of an M student visa and has traveled to a location outside the United States, other than Canada and Mexico.