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• RETURN TO ISO HOMEPAGE

International students are required by law to carry their immigration documents once they are inside the United States. The ISO recommends that you make photocopies of all your immigration documents, in case of loss, and that you travel with the following:

Departing or Travelling Outside
the United States

• Inform the ISO that you are traveling and work with staff members to review the documents required for a return to the U.S. Also, be certain to inform and/or obtain permission from instructors and employers if your travel will overlap with the time you are expected to be in the classroom or on the job.

• If you are visiting a country other than your home country, check with that country's Embassy or Consulate to determine what will be required of you in order to enter that country.

• Check to see that your passport will not expire in the six months following your planned date of return.

• Check your entry visa (an entry visa is not required for Canadian students) to determine how many times you are permitted to reenter the United States. Also check the expiration date. If your visa will expire before the date you plan to return to the U.S., you will need to apply for a new visa in order to reenter the U.S. Note that if you were granted a change of status to F-1 or J-1 status within the United States, you will certainly need to apply for a new F-1 or J-1 visa to match your new status.

• Although in most instances you may apply for a new visa from a third country, because of delays or the possibility of denial, you are strongly urged to apply for a new visa from your home country.

• Register for the next semester's classes and print out a copy of your schedule to take with you as a verification of continued enrollment.

• Request a Travel Letter from the ISO which will verify that you have maintained in good standing your nonimmigrant status. (This is not required but it may helpful).

• Check your I-20 or DS-2019 to make sure that page 3 of your I-20 or page 1 of your DS-2019 is signed and that the signature is less than twelve months old and will not expire during your absence from the United States. Without this signature you may not be permitted to enter the United States.

• Those in OPT should take along a Verification of Employment letter from your place of employment, stating dates of employment, salary, etc. You must also present a valid/unexpired Employment Authorization Card (EAD), together with other immigration documentation. Travel signatures must de dated within the last 6 months.

• If dependents of those in OPT are traveling, they should have with them a copy of the most recent I-20 and a copy of the EAD.

• Make sure that your health insurance policy is in good order and that the coverage is valid for the countries to which you will travel.

• Arrange to pay all of your Gannon tuition and fees before you leave. Your course schedule will be purged if you do not make payment within the first week of classes. You will need to re-register for your courses and pay a late fee!

• If you are issued a new I-94, upon your return to campus PLEASE bring this new I-94 card to the International Student Office so that we can make a copy and enter it into your file.