Travel Outside of the U.S. During Your Studies

School Breaks

Students who plan to travel outside of the U.S. during school breaks must get a travel endorsement signature on your I-20 before you travel.

Make an appointment to visit International Services at least 2 weeks before your planned travel. An advisor will provide a travel endorsement signature on the second page of your I-20.

This signature is required. We cannot guarantee re-entry into the U.S. without this signature.

During the Semester

Students should not plan to travel outside the U.S. during the semester except in unavoidable and serious circumstances. Make an appointment with International Services to discuss your situation before you make travel plans. You may be required to take a Leave of Absence if your travel lasts longer than a few days.

Required Documents for Travel

Carry these items with you when you travel. Do not pack them in your checked luggage. These items are required by law.

  • Passport (must be valid for at least 6 months following your planned date of entry into the U.S.)

  • Valid visa (some exemptions exist for Canada, Mexico, and islands adjacent* to the U.S.)

  • I-20 or DS-2019 (must have a travel endorsement signature on page 2)

  • I-94 record

  • EAD card (for students pursing Optional Practical Training, it is also a good idea to bring a letter from your employer stating that you are fulfilling your OPT and acknowledging your travel)

  • Financial certification

The following items may also be helpful to verify your status at the port of entry. These are not required by law, but we recommend carrying them with you as well.

  • Copies of all previous I-20s or DS-2019s

  • Academic transcripts

  • Proof of current enrollment (past and present course schedules)

  • If you are on OPT or CPT, a letter from your employer that discloses your salary and acknowledges your travel

Automatic Revalidation

Students in F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2 visa statuses may travel to Mexico, Canada, or adjacent islands* (except Cuba) on an expired visa under certain circumstances.  This is called "automatic visa revalidation" and can be used only for a stay of less than 30 days.

Take this information in case you need to show a copy of the regulations at the Port of Entry: Copy of the Federal Regulations. 

Students who have changed status inside the U.S. and who do not yet have a visa for the new status may use automatic revalidation to re-enter under the new status.  You must have a visa showing the previous status and an approval notice showing the newly awarded status.

Documentation Requirements

  • Valid I-94 stamped D/S (duration of status)

  • Valid I-20 or DS-2019 signed for travel within the last 6 months

  • Valid passport with the expired visa

  • A copy of the regulations authorizing Automatic Revalidation

  • An I-797 Approval Notice if you have changed status inside the U.s. and have not yet received a visa for the new status.

Other Recommended Travel Documents

  • Copies of all previous I-20s or DS-2019s

  • Academic transcripts

  • Proof of current enrollment (past and present course schedules)

  • If you are on OPT or CPT, a letter from your employer that discloses your salary and acknowledges your travel

Exceptions

Automatic visa revalidation is NOT available to:

  • Students who are citizens of Iran, Cuba, Syria, Sudan

  • Students who want to renew a visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. (If your application for a visa is denied, you may be denied re-entry to the U.S. and may be forced to return to your home country to reapply for a visa.)

Other Considerations

  • Depending on your country of citizenship, you may need to get a visa to enter Canada or Mexico.  Consult the Canadian or Mexican governmental agencies to determine if you need a visa.

  • If you are a Special Registrant, you should be sure to exit the U.S. through an approved point of departure and locate an immigration official to officially register.  Failure to follow these procedures may result in being denied re-entry to the U.S. later.

  • Students whose subject of study is included on the Department of State's Technology Alert List may be subject to additional security checks and delays upon re-entry. You may want to consider not using automatic revalidation.  Email InternationalServices@MissouriState.edu for questions about the Technology Alert list.

*The adjacent islands are St. Pierre, Miquelon, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, The Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique (and other British, French, and Dutch territories or possessions in or bordering on the Caribbean Sea).

Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are territories of the U.S. and, therefore, you would not need a visa for re-entry.  However, it is always strongly suggested to carry your immigration documents when traveling.