Travel for International Students

Students often travel home for holidays and during the summer breaks.  Whenever your travel plans involve leaving the United States for a short period of time and returning to SAIS to continue your studies, you need to make sure that your travel papers are in order.  Prior to leaving the United States, preferably about the same time you are making your travel arrangements, you need to check the following:

1. Is your passport valid for the date you intend to return to the United States?
2. Is your F-1 or J-1 visa stamp still valid?
3. If your visa stamp was valid only for a limited number of entries, do you still have unused “entries” left on that visa?
4. Do you have a valid I-20 or DS-2019?
5. Has your I-20 or DS-2019 been signed in the last six months?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, you can most likely travel without having to see the ISSS director to get a travel signature.  However, if you answered no to any of these, you should make an appointment to discuss your travel plans with the ISSS director. Read the information below for basic information on temporary absence from the United States.

Also, please be advised that you should check with the consulate of the country you wish to visit to determine if a visa for that country is needed. 

• Temporary Travel Outside of the United States
• Getting a Travel Signature
• Applying for a Visa Stamp
• Travel During the OPT/Academic Training Period
• How to Properly Record Your Departure from the United States