Travel

Re-entry to the U.S.

F-1/J-1 students

Visa

A valid F or J visa is only required when entering the U.S.  If you plan to leave the U.S. and do not have a valid visa, you will need to visit a U.S. Consulate in order to apply for a new visa.   The visa renewal process is similar to the first-time application process.

I-94 Record 

An I-94 is an arrival and departure record that is issued by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, in electronic format, to foreign visitors entering the United States.  Sometimes a paper I-94 is issued instead.  

  • You will be provided with an annotated stamp in your passport.  

    • If provided a paper form, the admitting CBP officer generally attaches the I-94 to the visitor's passport and stamps the departure date on the form.

  • This stamp will indicate that you are eligible to stay in the U.S. for the Duration of Status (D/S).  You must exit the U.S. on or before that date stamped on the form or in the passport.

If you depart by a commercial air or sea carrier (airlines or cruise ships), your departure from the U.S. can be independently verified and it is not necessary to take any further action, although holding on to the outbound (from the U.S.) boarding pass can help facilitate re-entry when coming back to the U.S.

If you depart by land and have a paper form I-94, the I-94 must be turned in to a CBP officer at a land border when exiting the U.S. If it is not turned in to a CBP officer at the land border, you will be considered an "overstay" and then may be denied entry when you attempt to re-enter the U.S. in the future.

For more information on the I-94 automation process, visit CBP.gov.

Check your I-94

Every time you enter the U.S. always check the admission stamp in your pass­port and electronic I-94. Make sure your I-94 accurately indicates your F-1 D/S or J-1 D/S status, the date and loca­tion of your arrival.

If your I-94 is not marked with a D/S or Duration of Status or your I-94 cannot be retrieved from CBP.gov, please visit the ISSC immediately.

If you receive a paper I-94 card from the Port of Entry or Form I-515, you must contact the ISSC immediately. Failure to do so will jeopardize your immigration status.

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Print your I-94

Most students receive an entry stamp with the electronic arrival record (automated I-94).

You can print your latest I-94 record and your arrival departure information. Do not use any other website link to retrieve your I-94.