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Valid Passport

Your passport must be valid at least six months into the future or more on the date that you plan to re-enter the U.S. If you need to renew your passport, you can do so in your home country or within the U.S. If you wish to renew your passport in the U.S., contact the for assistance.

Valid and accurate I-20 (F-1 Students) or DS-2019 (J-1 Students) signed for travel

Travel signatures are valid for 12 months or until the completion of your program, whichever comes first. See Traveling Outside the U.S. for instructions.

Financial documentation

Carry funding that matches the source and amount of funding listed on your I-20 or DS-2019. If your funding source has changed, notify ISSS and provide new documentation and your visa document will be updated.

SEVIS fee payment receipt

This is a required fee paid at the start of your SEVIS program. If your receipt notice is lost, visit and select the “Check Payment” option to print payment confirmation.

Academic Transcript and Proof of Enrollment

• Request your official transcript (recommended) or print an unofficial transcript from BannerWeb as documentation of your student history.
• Request proof of future enrollment from ISSS or certificate of enrollment to demonstrate you are a current student. To obtain certificate of enrollment from ISSS, request through . You must be enrolled for the term in which you are requesting to verify enrollment!

Visa application forms

Review the U.S. embassy’s website for guidance on procedures. Visit the website for links to U.S. Embassies around the world.

Ties to home country

Consider what documentation or evidence you can provide of your ties to your home country (family, career, property, etc.) and your intent to return to home country after completion of studies

Visa Expiration and Travel to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean

If you will travel to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean and your visa is expired, review instructions on Automatic Visa Revalidation.

Visa Expiration and Travel to Another Country

If you will travel to a country outside the U.S. that is not your home country and your visa is expired, review more information on the difficulty of visa renewal in a “third” country.

On Sept. 6, 2025, the Department of State issued guidance stating applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas, which include F-1 and J-1 students and scholars, should schedule visa interview appointments at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence. The Department of State also provided a list of designated locations for applicants from countries with no U.S. embassy or consulate.