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⇒ Student & Scholar Advising ⇒ Students ⇒ J-1 Students ⇒ Travel to a Foreign Country

Travel to a Foreign Country

For the latest travel advisories, visit the US Department of State’s website.

Advice for J-1 Students and Scholars

• SEVIS UPDATE: If applying for a new US Visa, you must have a SEVIS DS-2019.  A SEVIS DS-2019 is necessary to re-enter the United States.
• All J-1 Visa Stamp holders MUST have a valid travel signature on the front of their DS-2019 in order to re-enter the United States.  Travel signatures are valid for one calendar year, or until completion of program, whichever comes first.
• At least two weeks in advance of your planned departure from the United States, you should check to see that your passport, visa, and Form DS-2019 are valid and will not expire while you are out of the country.  You will need to apply for a new Form DS-2019 from OIS (or your sponsor) if there have been any changes in your situation—for example, in your major, degree level or objective, or in the source(s) of your financial support—that are not indicated on your current DS-2019.
• Check section 3 of your DS-2019 to see whether the completion date/end date is about to expire.  If it is and you have not yet graduated or reached the end of your exchange visitor program you need to apply for an extension.  Please contact OIS for an extension.
• In addition to reviewing the information on your DS-2019 for accuracy, you should check to make sure that an International Services advisor has signed the document for travel.  Please allow at least one week before your planned departure to obtain an OIS advisor’s signature.

This signature enables you to return to the US.  You need a signature even if you are just traveling across the border into Canada or Mexico.  In signing your visa document, the advisor is certifying that you are a full-time student in good standing at Indiana University.

• If you are traveling to a country other than your home country, you may need a visitor’s visa.  To find out, visit that country’s embassy website at Foreign Embassies of Washington, D.C. and search for the Consular Section nearest you.

US Visa

Is the US visa stamp in your passport valid up to the date you plan to reenter the United States?  If not, you must apply for a new visa.  If you are a student, we strongly advise that you carry with you the following documents when applying for a new visa at a US Consulate:

• Official Transcript issued by the Registrar of IU and by the registrar(s) of any other US institution(s) that you have attended.
• Certificate of Enrollment issued by OIS
• Valid DS-2019 issued by OIS
• Financial certification: documents indicating the source(s) and amount(s) of financial support for your study in the current academic year.

As US Consulates will not be open on certain days during the Christmas–New Year’s holiday period, there may be difficult time constraints on obtaining a new visa with which to return to IU.  Reduced staffing in most consulates may mean that applying for a visa now takes much longer than it has in the past.

Advice for Faculty, Researcher, or Staff on H1-B Visas

Remember to obtain from your OIS file the original H-1B approval notice (Form 797) if you don’t already have it.  As a general rule, it is advisable to carry the Form 797 approval notice with you when traveling abroad.

Employment in the US After Graduation, Travel Abroad

December Graduates: If you plan to work in the US you must apply for and receive work authorization before traveling outside the US.

F-1 Optional Practical Training

At the present, USCIS processing of applications for Optional Practical Training takes at least 3–4 months.  You will need to plan your travel accordingly.  Once you receive your EAD, you may travel outside of the US but be sure to travel with your signed I-20, job offer letter and your EAD.  The OPT recommendation on page 3 of your I-20 validates the travel signature for six (6) months.  We strongly advise that you consult with a Foreign Student Advisor regarding travel while on OPT prior to making plans to travel outside the US.

Visitors’ Visas—for Travel to Countries other than your Home Country

If you are traveling to a country other than your home country, you may need a visitor’s or transit visa.  To find out, visit that country’s embassy website at Foreign Embassies of Washington, D.C. and search for the Consular Section nearest you.

If you are traveling to the E.U. and your home country is not within the E.U., you may apply for the Schengen visa, which permits travel within E.U. countries.

US Visas

NOTE: If you intend to apply for a new US Visa in Canada or Mexico and are not a resident of either country, please contact an advisor at the Office of International Services to discuss this possibility.

If you need to apply for a new US Visa, visit the Department of State’s US Embassies and Consulates section for an updated list.