It is important that you and your dependents carry all travel-related documents on your person or in your carry-on luggage when traveling internationally. Do not pack them in your checked bags. If you will have been out of the U.S. for less than 5 months, you should have the following documents readily available while traveling:

• Most recent SEVIS I-20 or DS-2019 endorsed for travel within the last 12 months by an advisor at OIS. If you are a J-1 student and OIS did not issue your form DS-2019, please contact your program sponsor directly to obtain a travel endorsement. OIS’ processing time for a travel signature is ten business days. Please note: OPT students must have a travel signature valid within the last six months.
• A passport valid for at least six months beyond your re-entry date into the U.S. Some exceptions may apply.
• A valid visa. If you need to apply for a visa while overseas, plan ahead and follow all instructions from the embassy/consulate where you will apply for a renewal.
  
  Important note: If you have been arrested or had any kind of interaction with law enforcement in the U.S., your visa may have been revoked. This is true, even if your visa appears valid and has not yet expired or you did not receive a notification from the U.S. government. Re-entry to the U.S. may be denied if you travel on a revoked visa. You may be able to check the status of your visa on the Department of State’s visa application website (be sure to select ‘non-immigrant visa’ from the drop down menu). If your visa has expired and you are renewing it, you may have difficulty doing so if you have such an arrest. If you have any concerns about this, or think your visa may have been revoked, please consult an OIS advisor or an immigration attorney BEFORE leaving the U.S.
• I-94 print-out: You will receive a new I-94 record each time you enter the U.S. This record should be reviewed following re-entry for any mistakes, and if any appear please consult OIS.
• Receipt confirming payment of the SEVIS fee, if applicable. Please review the I-901 SEVIS fee FAQ to see if you need to pay the SEVIS fee. You can reprint your receipt if needed by following the ‘Check I-901 Status‘ link.
• Financial documentation showing proof of necessary funds to support yourself in the U.S.

The Port of Entry (POE) is the first place you arrive in the United States and where you pass through immigration and customs inspection. Even though the Raleigh-Durham International Airport may be your final destination, it may not be your port of entry if it is not the first place you arrive in the U.S. In fact, in some locations pre-clearance inspection for immigration takes place prior to boarding the flight to the U.S.

When you arrive at the POE and go through immigration, the officer will ask you some simple questions regarding the purpose of your visit to the U.S. (which is to be a student or visiting scholar). They may ask for your documentation and may fingerprint and/or photograph you. 

Be aware that officials may also ask to inspect your electronic devices, including files, photos and/or social media accounts linked to that device. If an officer determines that you require additional screening, you may be asked to go to an interview area called Secondary Inspection. This is not uncommon and should not cause alarm. However, Secondary Inspection can result in travel delays. Review information about your rights during inspection at the POE before you travel.

If you encounter difficulties at the border during regular office hours (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. EDT) you can contact OIS at 1.919.515.2961. If an emergency occurs outside of these hours, contact NC State’s University Police at 1.919.515.3000 in order to get in touch with an OIS staff member.

International students are expected to be physically present in the U.S. by the first day of classes for each semester. If travel or visa application delays cause a late return to NC State (after the first day of classes), you must notify your NC State academic department and professors that you are returning late and follow your department’s instructions. Not all departments may be willing to approve or grant permission for a student to arrive late. If your department is willing to approve a late arrival and put their approval in writing, OIS recommends that the student carry it with them during travels, as it may be helpful when entering the U.S. after classes have started.

Students arriving late should keep in mind that different courses have different requirements for absences, assignments, or group work. A student may be dropped from a class if they have too many absences or it is deemed that the student will not be able to keep up with the course work. Also remember that the likelihood of being able to enroll in a class decreases after the semester begins. Students who are required to drop a class due to absences may find it difficult to get into another class and maintain full-time enrollment. Furthermore, late-arriving students are required to maintain full-time enrollment throughout the semester (no reduced course loads will be approved for students who are not able to find the right classes or are unable to catch up, or are likely to make a poor grade).

New students who plan to arrive late must review the Late Arrival policy on our Pre-arrival webpage. Not all students will be permitted to arrive after classes start per academic department policy.

If the information on your current I-20/DS-2019 is up-to-date (funding, curriculum, etc), you only need a recent OIS signature on the third page of your current I-20/DS-2019.  However, if your funding has changed or there are any other updates, we recommend that you request a new I-20/DS2019 with the updated information.

Automatic Visa Revalidation allows individuals in a nonimmigrant visa status (such as F-1 and J-1) to reenter the U.S. after a short trip of 30 days or less to a “contiguous territory” (Canada, Mexico, and adjacent islands) without a currently valid visa stamp in the passport. More information including limitations and exceptions can be found on the Department of State’s Automatic Revalidation webpage.

F-1 students on OPT or STEM OPT have additional requirements to consider related to travel. Visit our OPT webpage and scroll to the bottom for information about travel while OPT is pending or approved.