Travel Outside Of The U.S.
You should have the following documents when you reenter the U.S.:
Valid Passport
If your passport is expired or close to expiring, you should renew it before you travel. Contact your home country’s consulate or embassy in the U.S. to find out how to extend or replace your current passport. Click here to find embassy information.
Valid J-1 Entry Visa
If your J-1 entry visa has expired (or if you do not have a J-1 entry visa in your passport), you must apply for a new visa at a U.S. consulate outside the U.S. before you return. It is not possible to renew your visa from within the United States. ISSS recommends that you apply for a visa at a U.S. Consulate or embassy in your home Country, if at all possible.
To obtain a new J-1 Entry Visa:
Contact the U.S. Consulate
Most U.S. Consulates and Embassies have web sites where you can download visa application forms and find information about application fees and requirements prior to your departure from the U.S. Please visit this site for information. Due to new interview requirements and screening procedures, you may need to schedule an appointment and your visa may take longer to process than in the past.
Ensure that you have proper documents
Unexpired passport, valid DS-2019 with reentry signature, transcripts and copies of Reduced Course Load Forms (students only), evidence of funding, evidence of health insurance. Additional documents may be requested by the consular officer.
Be aware of Security Clearance Checks!!
A security check will delay your visa application significantly. If you are employed at the University, please discuss your travel plans and the risks with your supervisor so that your department can be prepared in case your return is delayed due to security checks. Please go Security Clearance for more information.
Visa Denials
Although it is not common for a returning student or scholar to be denied a new entry visa, there is no guarantee that you will be issued another visa to return to the U.S. Visa denials have increased recently. Your risk of denial increases under the following circumstances:
- You are applying in a country other than your home country
- You have family members (spouse, siblings, parents) who are permanent residents or citizens of the U.S.
Caution
ISSS recommends that individuals take into consideration all factors before deciding to travel. It is important for students and scholars to understand that it will be extremely difficult if not impossible for ISSS or the university to be successful in obtaining a reversal of a visa denial or denial of entry into the U.S.
Stay in touch with ISSS:
If your visa is denied or your application is significantly delayed, please contact ISSS so that we are aware of your situation. Call (612) 626-7100 or email us. Also, please check the ISSS website frequently and read the ISSS Weekly Update every week for most current information.
Current SEVIS DS-2019:
You may use your current DS-2019 for travel if it reflects accurate information. You need to request a new DS-2019 before you travel if your current document is about to expire or if any of the following information has changed: your name, major, degree level (students only), academic department (scholars only) or there has been a significant change in the funding information.
Valid Re-entry (“travel”) Signature on your SEVIS DS-2019:
The signature appears in the lower right corner of your DS-2019 and is valid for 12 months or the expiration date of your document, whichever is earlier. If the signature is more than 12 months old and your document has not expired, you need to request a new re-entry signature from ISSS before you travel.
Documentary Evidence of Funding:
Immigration inspectors may ask you to verify the financial support indicated on your document. Carry documentation with you (e.g. assistantship verification letter, bank statement, scholarship letter, letter verifying your employment at the U of MN, etc.)
Unofficial Transcript or a Verification of Enrollment Letter (students only):
This is a record of your academic career at the University and verifies full-time enrollment at the University. Unofficial transcripts and verification of enrollment letters are available from any Student Services Center on campus. Carry copies of Reduced Course Load form/s (formally known as Exception Forms) for any semester/s in which you had less than a full course load, if applicable. You should also bring transcripts from any other schools attended in the U.S.
Academic Training Authorization Letter (students only):
This is the letter that students receive from ISSS when applying for pre-completion, mandatory, post-completion, or post-doctoral academic training.
Letter from Supervisor and a UMN Business Card (scholars only):
Scholars can ask the Faculty Mentor at the University of Minnesota to write a letter to prove that they are pursuing the original purpose of their stay in the U.S. Scholars who are travelling for a period greater than 30 days might also want to carry a letter from the Faculty Mentor explaining the reason for travel and subsequent absence from the J-1 program.
Proof of Adequate Health Insurance:
Mandatory insurance must meet minimum U.S. government requirements listed on page 2 of your DS-2019 form. Carry the card you receive from your insurance company for proof of insurance while you travel. .
Last Update: April 02, 2008
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