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Travel

Before you travel

  • Contact us immediately if you have an emergency situation requiring you to leave the U.S. temporarily in the middle of your semester.
  • If you need to renew your entry visa, additional time will be required, since agencies outside the University will be involved.  Do not attempt to re-enter the U.S. in tourist status.
  • See special concerns regarding renewal of visas subject to Administrative Processing/Security Clearance
  • If you have changed your visa status, you will need a new entry visa in the new status.

Time to travel

The most likely times for international students to travel, either inside or outside the U.S., are

  • Semester Break/Winter Intersession/March spring break/Summer Vacation

For information on the dates for breaks and intersession, please see the Academic Calendar.

Traveling inside the U.S.

When taking a domestic travel, please take the following documents with you:

  • a valid passport
  • a current, original I-20/DS-2019 signed by ISSC advisor & student
  • I-94 record showing your latest entry in F-1/J-1 status

Local Address: If you will be spending an extended period of time in another part of the US during the summer, then please update your US address in your COIN account when you move. You will need to update COIN again upon your return to the Dartmouth area.

Traveling outside the U.S.

Traveling on F-1 Visa

To travel outside the U.S. students in F-1 status, please prepare these documents to re-enter the U.S.:

  • passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your date of return
  • valid F-1 visa
  • I-20 with travel signature (valid for 12 months) - To obtain a travel signature, please complete the 
  • Strongly Recommended: an unofficial transcript, proof of funding, proof of enrollment in your current and/or upcoming semester

Traveling on J-1 Visa

If you are traveling outside the U.S. in J-1 status, please prepare these documents to re-enter the U.S.:

  • passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your date of return
  • valid J-1 visa
  • DS-2019 with travel signature (valid for 12 months) - To obtain a travel signature, please complete the 
  • if applicable, approved Application/Authorization for Academic Training (PDF)

Traveling during F-1 OPT

If you plan to travel during the F-1 OPT period, please prepare these documents to re-enter the U.S.:

  • passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your date of return
  • valid F-1 visa
  • I-20 with travel signature (only valid for 6 months on OPT) - To obtain a travel signature, please complete the .
  • EAD card
  • a letter from your employer verifying employment
  • proof of payment (called "pay stubs") by your employer in recent 6 week period

Note: We do not advise students awaiting approval of OPT to travel outside the U.S.  Please consult the ISSC if you have special circumstances.

Traveling to Canada

  • Citizens of some countries , in addition to all your other paperwork for entering and studying in the U.S.
  • Even if you have an expired entry visa, you may still travel to Canada, Mexico, and the  and return to the U.S. by using Automatic Revalidation, as long as the rest of your documentation is current and your visit to those places is not longer than 30 days. If you are planning to use Automatic Revalidation, please visit the International Student & Scholar Center (ISSC) so we can review your paperwork before you travel. Automatic Revalidation does not apply to citizens of Iran, Syria, and Sudan.  .
  • Students who have been denied a visa renewal at a U.S. Consulate in Canada are not eligible to use Automatic Revalidation, but must return to their home country.
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Related links

Automatic visa revalidation

  •  - State Dept.
  •  - Customs and Border Protection

Mass.gov: Avoiding Immigration Scams