Travel considerations
With summer approaching, ISSS encourages students and scholars to carefully consider current travel restrictions and remain aware that immigration policies and entry requirements can change with little notice.
Please review the following ISSS articles before making international travel plans:
Travel Signature
Before traveling outside the United States, please confirm that you have a valid travel signature if you are in F or J status.
- F-1 /F-2 Status: Travel signatures are provided at the bottom of page 2 of your I-20
- J-1/ J-2 Status: Travel signatures are provided in the lower right-hand corner of your DS-2019
Without a valid signature, you may be:
- Denied re-entry to the U.S. or
- Issued an and granted temporary status in the U.S. for only 30 days.
- If you are issued an I-515A, you must meet with an ISSS advisor immediately as additional actions must be taken to extend your status beyond 30 days.
A travel signature is valid for re-entry to the U.S. for up to one year from the date that it is provided or until the end of your program, whichever occurs first.
- Exception: If you are on Optional Practical Training, a travel signature is only valid for re-entry to the U.S. within 6 months of the signature date.
Domestic Travel (Travel Within the U.S.)
REAL ID Requirements
To board domestic flights, travelers must have a form of identification.
- Colorado does not currently issue REAL ID-compliant driver licenses and IDs to individuals who are temporarily lawfully present in the state.
- Individuals who do not have a REAL-ID compliant ID must use an , such as a passport for domestic travel.
If you are unable to provide the required , such as a passport or REAL ID, you can pay a $45 fee to use TSA ConfirmID. TSA will then attempt to verify your identity so you can go through security; however, there is no guarantee TSA can do so. Please review the following government website for more information:
Documentation
While in the U.S., nonimmigrants and lawful permanent residents are at all times.
When traveling domestically, we recommend carrying the following documentation, in addition to a form of identification:
- or .
- Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.
- EAD card (if applicable)
Important Travel Considerations
U.S. immigration policies may change at any time. WhileISSS cannot predict when or what changes may occur, any future implemented changes could impact international travel and reentry to the United States. For this reason, we encourage you to plan carefully and consider whether upcoming international travel is necessary.
ISSS closely monitors immigration updates and reviews the official resources to communicate updates as soon as possible. To ensure accurate information is shared, ISSS may require a couple of days to review new guidance and confirm how it may affect students before we provide updates. We recommend monitoring the Immigration Alerts webpage for updates.
For students who have applied or plan to apply for OPT or STEM OPT:
USCIS has recently begun issuing Requests for Evidence (RFEs) or notices requiring Form I-765 (work permit) applicants to visit a USCIS Application Support Center (ASC) to have a digital photograph taken (this is sometimes referred to as “biometrics”).
Because you will likely receive an ASC appointment notice, it is important to avoid extended travel that could prevent you from:
- Checking your mail in a timely manner, or
- Attending your scheduled appointment
Although ASC appointments can be rescheduled, missing an appointment or failing to respond promptly may delay your application or result in a denial.
Support
ISSS at Ҵýƽ is here to support you. While we can only advise based on currently available information and cannot predict potential policy changes, we closely monitor any immigration related changes, and we will share updates as soon as we are able.
If you have questions about your travel plans, we encourage you to contact ISSS before departing the United States.