OVIS will close for the winter break at 4 pm on Friday, December 20 and our final walk-in hours before the break are from 1-4 pm on Thursday, December 19. Our regular walk-in hours (M, W, Th 1-4 pm) will resume after the winter break. December 16 is the last day to request a travel signature before the break.
International students, scholars, faculty and staff who will be traveling outside the U.S. during the winter break should be sure to have your immigration documents in order prior to departing.
Valid passport
Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the expiration of your period of authorized stay in the U.S.
Valid visa stamp and potential delays
Unless you are Canadian and visa exempt, your visa stamp in your passport must be issued for the correct nonimmigrant visa classification and must be valid at the time of your planned reentry to the U.S. and must reflect your correct nonimmigrant visa status. If you have changed or extended your immigration status since your last admission to the U.S., you may need to apply for a new visa stamp in order to reenter the country. Please refer to the OVIS website for information about the visa application process. Keep in mind that this is an extremely busy time and there may be backlogs for visa appointments. The Department of State maintains information on visa wait times at the various posts around the world.
Valid Form I-20 (F-1 Students) or Form DS-2019 (J-1 Exchange Visitors)
Check your form to make sure you will reenter before the program end date, and that you have a valid travel signature from OVIS. The travel signature for F-1 and J-1 visa holders is valid for 12 months, unless you are a graduated F-1 student on OPT or STEM OPT, in which case your I-20 travel signature is valid for 6 months. To request a travel signature, see the instructions in the OVIS website. Note that the U.S. government has made permanent its policy allowing electronic signatures on Forms I-20 and Forms DS-2019. Students and scholars can use Forms I-20 and DS-2019 with an electronic signature from OVIS, or an electronically produced copy of a wet signature. Students and scholars MUST print out the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, sign with wet signature, and carry the paper copy for presentation at a U.S. Consular appointment and when seeking admission to the U.S. at a U.S. port-of-entry.
Travel and OPT - While on OPT you are still considered to have F-1 (student) immigration status, even if you have completed your studies and have since graduated. You must carry the required documents listed here.
The SEVP policy can be found here.
The DOS policy can be found here.
The break time is a busy travel time and higher volumes of visa applications can be expected at U.S. consular posts worldwide. Be sure to check the website of the U.S. consulate or embassy for hours of operation, specific application procedures including required documentation, and processing times. For students, bring a copy of your transcript as proof of enrollment. Dartmouth employees can bring an updated employment verification letter issued by Human Resources and copies of your two most recent pay statements. Visit the Department of State website for more information.
It is important to be prepared for the possibility that your application may be flagged for additional clearances, which will delay the issuance of the visa stamp and possibly your planned return to the U.S. If an application requires an additional clearance, it will be placed in "administrative processing" and the visa will not be issued until the process is complete, which can take several weeks or longer. U.S. Consular Officers can require visa applications to undergo additional security clearances based on country of nationality, your name being similar to a name in a government security database, study or work in a field involving sensitive technologies, or other reasons. The clearance process is confidential, and the government will not expedite a clearance, but you should contact OVIS and provide us with the document issued to you by the Consulate so that we can confirm the disposition of your visa application, and monitor the administrative processing delay. If you were subject to an additional security check in the past, there may be an increased likelihood of another. Additional information about administrative processing can be found on the Department of State website.
Proclamation 10043, introduced in May 2020, can impact the visa process for graduate students and scholars from China. The Proclamation suspends the issuance of F and J visas to individuals associated with entities in China that implement or support the Chinese government's "military-civil fusion strategy". The Proclamation does not apply to undergraduate students.
When seeking admission at a U.S. port of entry be prepared to present your valid immigration documents at primary inspection. You will be screened by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and may be asked questions about your immigration status and purpose of your stay in the U.S. The agency may also ask to see your electronic devices. We recommend reviewing the Dartmouth ITC security guidelines for international travel prior to leaving the U.S.
For F-1 students with a previously terminated SEVIS record, expect to undergo additional screening at the Customs & Border Protection Agency's secondary inspection so that your valid F-1 status can be verified in the SEVIS system.
I-94 record
CBP at U.S. ports-of-entry are no longer issuing an admission stamp in the passport upon entry to the U.S. The CBP officer will create an electronic I-94 record of arrival in the CBP database. Once in the U.S. with access to the Internet and a printer, a copy of the I-94 record of arrival can be accessed on CBP's website. If traveling by land crossing from Canada or Mexico, you must request a "new admission" in F-1 or J-1 status if you want your entry recorded in the agency's electronic system. OVIS recommends the I-94 record be accessed and printed for every new arrival to the U.S. to ensure accuracy. If there is an error in your I-94 record, contact OVIS for assistance in having it corrected. Visit the I-94 website.
OVIS recommends students and scholars do not use Global Entry or NEXUS. It is likely that travelers using Global Entry or NEXUS will be admitted as a visitor instead of an F-1 or J-1 student/scholar. Admission as a visitor does not permit study or work in the U.S.
CANADIAN students and scholars should be sure to present their F-1 Form I-20 or J-1 Form DS-2019 for admission. Failure to do so could result in admission as a visitor instead of a student, and the student or scholar could be instructed to return to the port of entry.
OVIS closely monitors immigration policy changes, and will update our website to provide information about such changes as they occur. Please check the OVIS website regularly to stay up to date.