Travel and Re-Entry Information for Current International Students

Traveling Within the U.S.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations require that you have your valid passport with you at all times. It is also suggested that you travel with your I-20 document. If you are uncomfortable carrying these documents with you on a daily basis, OGE recommends that you to carry copies of these documents when you are on or near to campus. However, whenever you travel outside of Waukesha, and especially for air travel, you should carry your original documents.

Traveling Outside of the U.S.

Required Travel Documents

In general you must have the following documents in order to travel out of the U.S. and re-enter as an F-1 student:

  • Current I-20 endorsed for travel with a signature from OGE on page 2
  • Valid passport with at least 6 months validity
  • Valid F visa (except citizens from Canada)

If your current I-20 does not correctly reflect your major, level of student, name, citizenship, or addition of dependents, you should submit a I-20 Update Request Form to request an I-20 that properly reflects the correct information before you travel. You can find all current international student forms through the International Student Support Canvas Course.

Travel Signatures

A valid travel signature on the I-20 is required for F-1 students (and F-2 dependents) to re-enter the U.S. after traveling abroad. Only DSO’s (Designated School Officials- authorized individuals in OGE) can provide such signatures for Carroll's F-1 students.

To obtain a travel signature on your I-20, please bring your most recently issued I-20 to OIE. You will be asked to leave your I-20 and provide the following information:

  • Travel dates
  • Travel location(s)

Your I-20 will be endorsed for travel and you will receive an email when it is ready to be picked up.

Automatic Visa Revalidation

After initial entry into the U.S., if you have a single-entry or expired multiple-entry visa, you may travel to Canada, Mexico, or one of the islands adjacent to the U.S (other than Cuba), provided that you have a valid I-20 form and an unexpired I-94. This process is known as automatic visa revalidation. However, if you meet any ONE of the following criteria, you will NOT be able to automatically revalidate your visa:

  • You have applied for a new visa which has not yet been issued
  • You have applied for a new visa and it was denied
  • You have a terminated SEVIS record indicating that you are out of status
  • You have been out of the U.S. for more than 30 days

Additionally, nationals of Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria are not eligible for automatic visa revalidation. You are encouraged to schedule a meeting with OGE to confirm your eligibility before travel.

Traveling during Post-Completion OPT

The following items are necessary for re-entry after you have graduated and have applied for post-completion practical training:

  • Current I-20 with the notation for post-completion practical training AND endorsed for travel with a signature from OGE on page 2
    • Travel signatures are valid for only 6 months on post-completion OPT. We recommend you have your I-20 signed every 3 months. You may mail your I-20 to OGE if you are not working/living locally.
  • Valid passport with at least 6 months validity
  • Valid F visa (except citizens from Canada)
  • Employment Authorization Document (EAD) ("EAD Card")
  • Evidence of a job offer in the form of a letter from your employer that states you will be employed by that company for the period indicated on your EAD. You may also provide proof of volunteering/internship
  • Proof of sufficient funds in the form of a bank statement if your employment letter does not specify a salary

It is not advisable to leave the U.S. with a planned re-entry date that is after your graduation date if you have not yet received your EAD card AND a job offer. It is possible that by leaving the country your Post-Completion OPT application will be considered abandoned and, ultimately, denied. You will have lost your 60 day grace period AND your post-completion OPT eligibility. Even after you have received your EAD card, it is important that you have a valid job offer to show at the port-of-entry when returning to the U.S. It is possible that you will not be permitted to re-enter without both your valid EAD card AND a valid job offer.

Panoramic View of campus