IS

Following are general guidelines and requirements for your travel and reentry. However, because individual circumstances vary, consult with International Services, your embassy or legal advisor before traveling.

• Special permission is not required for you to travel within the U.S.
• Whenever you travel outside the Provo area, you are advised to carry your
  • Passport,
  • Form I-94 and
  • Form I-20
  • more

Outside the U.S.

• Questions and Answers about travel and re-entry: http://www.ice.gov/sevis/travel/faq_f2.htm
  
• Documents
• Entry to another country—other countries have rules and restrictions on who can enter their country and how
• If you travel to your country of citizenship or permanent residence, you will generally be allowed to enter if you have a valid passport or other travel document issued by that country.
• If you travel to a third country (a country other than the U.S. or your home country), you are responsible for knowing whether you need an entry visa for that country.
• Some countries will require a visa. You may also need an in-transit visa for countries where you are making a connecting flight. Most countries have immigration websites that provide visa information.
• Canada—Persons from many countries are required to obtain a Canadian entry visa when entering Canada from the United States. Visas may be obtained from the Canadian Consulate General. Consult the Canadian Consulate General for visa regulations concerning your country before making travel arrangements.
• Mexico—Tourist cards or visas may be required for travel to Mexico. Information is available from the Consulate General of Mexico.
• Re-entry to the U.S.
• Visa—must
  
• be valid
  
• allow further entries and
  
• match your current status listed on your I-94
• Passport—in most cases you must have a passport that is valid for at least six months after your entry date
• However, some countries have an agreement with the United States that allows you to enter on a current passport up to the actual date of expiration.
• If you are Canadian, you are currently exempt from the passport requirement; however, you must present a recognized form of ID such as a birth certificate in its place.
• Form I-94—you should not surrender your current I-94 when you exit the U.S. unless you have changed your status and will be returning with a new visa.
• Form I-20 that
  • Is issued by BYU
  • Is current
  • Contains an endorsement signature from International Services for travel on page 3
    • We recommend the endorsement to be within four months of your travel; yet
    • the regulations stipulate that it must be within 12 months of travel
• Current financial documentation issued within the last four months
• Proof of full-time enrollment—International Services will provide this certification upon your request.
• Special Situations
  
• Extended Stays Outside the U.S.
  • If you will be outside of the U.S. for more than five months, you will be required to get a new Form I-20 from International Services prior to returning to the U.S. Regulations state that a stay outside the U.S. for five months is considered a break in F-1 status. more
• NSEERS
  • It may be possible that you could be selected at your port of entry to be registered in NSEERS (National Security Entry-Exit Registration System).
  • If so, you would be issued a FINS number that is written on your passport and on your Form I-94.
  • If you are registered in NSEERS, you are required to follow exit procedures and to depart only from designated ports of departure.
• Pending Applications for Adjustment of Status
  • If you have a pending application for adjustment of your non-immigrant status to permanent residency, you will need permission to travel before leaving the U.S. by obtaining Advance Parole. more
• Post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT)
• Required Documents (listed above)
• Your Form I-20 must be endorsed within the past six months
• We recommend that you do not travel abroad while your OPT application is pending; doing so is considered to be abandoning your application.
• When you travel after receiving your EAD,
• Take your EAD card
• Letter from employer confirming that you are employed or have been offered employment
• General guidance:
  • If you have both an EAD for OPT and a documented job or job offer, you should not experience difficulty reentering the United States, but there is no guarantee.
  • If either of these two conditions is missing, then you are assuming risk when you travel.
• You may not reenter during the 60-day grace period after completing your program or OPT.
  
• If you require a new visa, there is no guarantee that you will be readmitted.