Travel Checklist for F –1 Students
This Checklist is designed for International Students with an F-1 visa who are traveling within the United States or abroad.
____SEVIS I-20
You must inform your International Student Advisor if you are planning to travel. Your SEVIS I-20 must be signed by your International Student Advisor and be kept with you when you travel, even for travel within the United States.
____PASSPORT
Check the expiration date on your passport. You must have your passport with you for all travel, including travel within the United States. If traveling abroad, your passport MUST be valid at least six months into the future upon your return to the United States. Passports may be renewed at your country's embassy or consulate in the United States. You can obtain up-to-date information on passport renewal by going to the following website:
http://www.embassy.org/embassies/ or
http://www.citidex.com/252.htm
____U.S. VISA
Check your U.S. visa stamp inside your passport. Has your visa stamp expired? Is the category for which the visa was issued the status you currently hold? An expired U.S. visa need only be renewed if you will be traveling outside the United States. In order to re-apply for a U.S. visa you will need to do so from the U.S. consulate/embassy of your home country. See your International Student Advisor to discuss this further.
____I-94 CARD
You must have your white, I-94 card with you for all travel, even travel within the United States. When you depart from the United States, you will need to surrender your I-94 card. A new I-94 card, with a new admission number, will be issued to you upon your re-entry to the United States. Your SEVIS ID number (printed at the top right of your SEVIS I-20) will not change.
____PCCC ID CARD
Always carry your current PCCC ID card with you as supporting documentation.
____OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (OPT)
Students who are on OPT, after completing their program of study, need to have both their EAD card (Employment Authorization Document) and proof of a job offer or current employment if planning on traveling. Since traveling while on OPT is risky it is strongly advised that you seek assistance from your International Student Advisor before making any plans.
____SPECIAL REGISTRATION APPLICANTS
If you were required to go through the NSEERS special registration process either at a U.S. port of entry or as part of a “call-in” registration at a district USCIS office, because you are male and/or from one of the 25 designated countries, or a citizen of either gender from Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, or Syria, there is a special exit procedure that you must follow before you can depart the United States. Failure to do so can result in your being permanently barred from entering the United States. Although certain aspects of special registration have been suspended, the exit procedure remains in effect. Generally, this exit procedure will take place at the airport where your overseas flight will depart. You should have been given information regarding the exit procedure when you went through your special registration inspection. For a list of designated exit ports and specific information on their locations and hours of operation, go to: http://www.ice.gov/doclib/pi/specialregistration/WalkawayMaterial.pdf