Visas & Travel

Visas

A visa is like a "ticket of admission." You apply for it outside the U.S. and need it to enter the U.S. Those of you coming temporarily to study in the U.S. usually have a non-immigrant student or F-1/J-1 visa. Your visa type, expiration date, issuing office, and the number of entries permitted will be stamped in your passport. You may stay in the U. S. even if your visa has expired, but you may not leave and then re-enter if your visa has expired. (An exception occurs if you are returning from an adjacent country, e.g., Canada or Mexico, after a stay of less than 30 days, and you may then be eligible for an automatic extension at the border). Note that Canadian students need an I-20 or DS/2019 form but do not need to have an F-1 or J-1 visa stamped in the passport.

If you are an F-1 or J-1 student, you have been admitted for "Duration of Status" which means that you may stay in the U. S. as long as you are a regularly registered, full-time student. Different visas have different advantages and restrictions. Check with the International Student Center for information regarding your visa.

Travel In and Outside the U.S. 

When traveling with an F1 or J1 visa, you will need to demonstrate the required documents upon arrival at the U.S. port of entry. We also recommend carrying these documents with you for domestic travel. 

  1. Valid Passport
  2. Valid F-1 or J-1Visa (except for passport holders from Canada)
  3. Valid form I-20 or DS-2019 with signature less than one year old on page 2
  4. Most Updated I-94 (recommended)
  5. Proof of I-901 (SEVIS) fee payment (optional)
  6. Swarthmore Transcripts (optional)
  7. Financial Information (optional) 

For other kinds of visas, other documentation may be needed. Permanent residents, for example, need to show their Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) card in addition to their passport.

If students have issues entering the U.S. more than once, they may submit a request to DHS TRIP

Please note that Canada requires a visa for admission of many international students, depending on their country of citizenship.