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Re-entering the U.S.

The ability to re-enter the U.S. following travel abroad is considered a benefit of F-1 or J-1 status. It is important that you have all required travel documents with you during your travels:

  1. An unexpired passport valid at least six months into the future
  2. An unexpired I-20 or DS-2019 with a travel signature less than one year old. Please note: you may only use your I-20 or DS-2019 to enter the U.S. if you are a continuing, full-time student and all the information on it remains the same. If you are unable to maintain full-time matriculation, or if the information on your I-20 or DS-2019 changes, you must contact the OGS.
  3. An unexpired F-1 or J-1 visa stamp valid for further entries into the United States (special note: citizens of Canada do not need an entry visa)

If you need to travel but your visa has expired, you must apply for a new visa from a U.S. Consulate/Embassy abroad.

It is best to apply for a visa in your home country. If you apply in a third country, expect processing delays. At the consulate/embassy you should provide:

  1. An unexpired passport valid at least six months into the future
  2. A valid I-20 or DS-2019, which has been signed for travel
  3. Proof of financial support as reflected on the I-20 or DS-2019
  4. Students must show proof of enrollment at NYU in the form of a transcript or certificate of enrollment
  5. To better prepare, visit the website of the U.S. consulate you plan to apply at. You may also want to read the Department of State information on visa denials, and tips on how to apply for a visa. Check HERE for information on how to make a visa appointment and to check on visa wait times in the city you plan to apply. Remember, citizens of certain countries as well as students in certain fields of study may find very significant delays due to security measures. Always plan ahead when applying for a new visa.If you have applied for a visa and have been waiting for more than one month for the results of a cecurity advisory opinion, contact the OGS to inform us of the delay.
  6. Proof of full-time enrollment in the form of a Certificate of Enrollment or NYU transcript from the NYU Registrar's Office at 25 W. 4th Street (or the registrar's office for your school)
  7. Proof of financial ability, i.e., documentation verifying your funding source as indicated in Section 8 of your I-20 or Section 5 of the DS-2019; this may include personal or family bank statements, affidavits of support, or copies of your fellowship or scholarship letter

Looking for the
Travel Checklist?

To view the form,

click here

Apply for a U.S. visa

Websites of U.S. Embassies and Consulates

I-94 Record

Students

Outside of NYC and Need a Travel Signature?

Find out what to do here.
Students

Get an I-515A and Leaving the US within 30 days?

Find out what you need to do here.

Travel to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean

If you are an F-1 or J-1 student / scholar, traveling to a contiguous territory (Canada or Mexico) or the adjacent islands of the Caribbean (see below), you do NOT need to obtain a new visa stamp to reenter the U.S. To qualify for this privilege, you must:

  • Presently be in valid F-1 or J-1 student / scholar status.
  • Have a valid I-20 or DS-2019 in your possession, which has been signed for travel
  • Have unexpired I-94 record with you (do NOT surrender it when you leave the U.S.)
  • Have an unexpired passport valid at least six months into the future
  • Have a previously-issued nonimmigrant visa (even for a different nonimmigrant classification)
  • Be in one of the contiguous territories or adjacent islands for less than thirty (30) days. The adjacent islands are: the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, St. Pierre & Miquelon, Trinidad & Tobago, the Leeward Islands (Anguilla, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, and the British Virgin Islands), the Windward Islands (Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent), and other British, French, or Dutch territories or possessions in, or bordering on, the Caribbean Sea.

*NOTE: The special exemptions do NOT apply to students who are citizens of the countries named above. In those cases, students must obtain an F-1 or J-1 visa to re-enter the U.S., except for Canadians. Please note that it is more difficult to apply for a U.S. visa while in one of these countries.

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