Travel and Re-Entry to the U.S.
The U.S. government uses the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to manage information about international students in the United States. All international students must have a SEVIS-generated, valid Form I-20 to apply for an F-1 visa, to enter the U.S. to attend school, or to remain in the U.S. as an F-1 student.
If you travel out of the U.S. while you are in F-1 status, you will need the following documents to re-enter the United States.
- SEVIS Form I-20 with a valid travel signature on page 2 of the Form I-20.
- Degree-seeking students: The travel signature should be no older than nine months when you re-enter the U.S..- Request a travel signature through iDartmouth
- Students on approved post-completion OPT/STEM OPT: The travel signature should be no older than six months when you re-enter the U.S. - Request a travel signature through iDartmouth
- Valid passport
- Valid F-1 visa stamp (unless you are re-entering from Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands after a trip of less than 30 days).
- If you are a student in a period of post-completion OPT or STEM OPT, you will also need to have:
- Employment Authorization Document (ie. "EAD card")
- Evidence of employment in your field of study
- Employment Authorization Document (ie. "EAD card")