Travel
Office of International Education

Travel Signature

Prior to traveling outside the U.S., please check to ensure that you have a valid travel signature as you may be denied re-entry to the U.S. or only given temporary status in the U.S. requiring further action to extend your status if you do not have a current travel signature.

• F-1 /F-2 Status: the bottom of page 3 of your I-20
• J-1/ J-2 Status:  the lower right-hand corner of your DS-2019

A travel signature is valid for re-entry to the U.S. for up to one year from the date that it is provided or until the end of your program, whichever is shorter. Exception: If you are on Optional Practical Training, a travel signature is only valid for 6 months.

If your travel signature is no longer valid, you must obtain a new signature by either:

• Attending the Travel Seminar at the Slutzker Center
• Scheduling an appointment to meet with the ESF Coordinator of International Education

You must bring the following documents to the seminar/appointment in order to obtain a signature:

• I-20 or DS-2019
• Passport
• Visa
• I-94 card
• Proof of current health insurance and medical evacuation & repatriation coverage

Required Travel Documents

Travel should be less than five months or for authorized study/research abroad; an absence beyond 5 months will require a new I-20/ DS-2019 and visa.

• Valid Passport
  • Must be valid at least 6 months beyond your date of re-entry (exception).
    Passports may be renewed at your country’s embassy or the consulate in the U. S.
• U.S. Visa
  • Travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Adjacent Islands (excluding Cuba): There is an automatic visa revalidation program in place that will allow qualifying travelers whose absence is less than 30 days to re-enter the U.S. with an expired visa if they meet the eligibility requirements.
  • Travel Beyond Canada, Mexico, and the Adjacent Islands: Your student visa must be valid in order to gain re-entry to the U.S. If your visa has expired, you must apply for a new visa outside the U.S., preferably in your home country.
• I-94 Card
  • Travel to Canada, Mexico, and the Adjacent Islands (excluding Cuba): As long as you are not an individual seeking a visa renewal; you have maintained your lawful non-immigrant status in the U.S.; and intend to resume that status upon your return to the U.S., you should keep your I-94 card provided it is valid beyond the time of expected return to the U.S. in order to re-enter the U.S under the automatic visa revalidation provision.
  • Travel Beyond Canada, Mexico, and the Adjacent Islands: You must surrender your I-94 card (to the airline upon check-in) when you exit the U.S.; failure to do so may affect your ability to re-enter.
• I-20 or DS-2019
  • Must be valid and accurate and contain a current travel signature.
• Financial Documentation
  • You may be asked to show proof of available funds to cover tuition and living expenses as noted on your I-20 or DS-2019.
• Foreign Entry/ Tourist/ Transit Visa(s) (if applicable)
  • Depending on the country you are traveling to and/or through, you may require a transit visa (to travel through an intermediary country on your way to your final destination) or a tourist visa to enter your final destination; please consult with the appropriate embassy or foreign consular office to determine if an additional visa is necessary.
  • The Canadian Embassy
    • You can apply via the mail or at the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo
    • List of Countries Whose Citizens Require Canadian Visas
    • How to Apply for a Canadian Visa
  • The Mexican Embassy

Customs and Border Protection Also Recommend that Students Carry the Following Documentation

• Academic Transcript or Letter of Registration (from Registrar’s Office or Academic Department)
• Proof of SEVIS I-901 Payment ( I-797 receipt notice)
• License/University ID card/additional photo ID
• Office of International Education Contact Information

Temporary 30-Day Admission with Form I-515

Students who travel outside the U.S. and do not have all the required documentation listed above may be denied entry to the U.S. However, Customs and Border Protection has the authority to admit F-1/ J-1 students (and accompanying dependents, if applicable) admission to the U.S. for 30 days with all of the benefits of their status on the Form I-515A (Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor), if they are otherwise eligible for readmission but have some documentary deficiency. Please note that it is not guaranteed that you will be issued a Form I-515A, so please be sure to review your travel documents to ensure that you have all required documents and that all endorsements and documents are valid and accurate to avoid the possibility of denial.

A student issued the Form I-515A, will be given a date specific I-94 (with a 30 day validity period).

To convert the admission to D/S, the student must submit the following to DHS, before the 30-day expiration date recorded on Form I-94:

• Form I-515A
• Original Form I-20/ DS-2019 with new travel signature
• Original I-94 Card
• Photocopy of F-1 visa stamp and passport identification pages
• Dependent family member documentation if they were admitted on an I-515A in F-2 status
• Any other documentation listed on the Form I-515A as being required

Be sure to make copies of the documents you are submitting as you are sending originals. Documents should be mailed to the address indicated on the Form I-515A. It is recommended that you use a receipt-based mailing option such as certified mail, so that you will have evidence that the documents were received by the government before the 30-day expiration period.

Additional Information:

• USCIS: Frequently Asked Travel Questions
• Your Immigration Documents
• Obtaining a Student Visa
• USCIS: Renewing your F-1 Student Visa
• Arriving at the U.S. Port of Entry
• I-94 Card: Record of Arrival and Departure