Travel Outside the United States

Obtaining A New I-20 Signature For Travel

If you are traveling outside of the U.S. you will need to make sure your documents are up to date. The travel signature space on the back of your I-20 should be signed by an International Student Advisor within six months of the date you will be returning to the U.S.

  1. Login to isslink.uark.edu  and complete a Travel Signature Request from the F-1 Student Services tab.
  2. If it is your first time traveling outside of the U.S. you are required to have an online or in-person travel appointment with an ISS advisor. Use the Schedule Appointment Tab on the ISS homepage to schedule a Group Travel Clinic or F-1 consult. (This appointment is only required for first time travel outside of the U.S.) During busy travel times of the year, ISS will host Travel Group Sessions in place of individual appointments. Register for a Group Travel Session on hogsync.uark.edu/events by searching "travel session".
  3. An International Student Advisor will email you a new I-20 with their travel signature within approximately 5-10 business days. Print all three pages and sign new I-20.

Student Visa Validity

When entering the U.S. your F-1 or F-2 visa must be valid. If your visa has expired and you are traveling outside the U.S. you must visit a U.S. Embassy or Consulate and apply for a new student visa. If you are traveling to another country that is not your home country you can contact the U.S. Embassy in that country to inquire about renewing your visa in that country. It is up to each embassy whether or not they will allow you to apply for a student visa, so you will need to check with the embassy you are applying to before you leave the U.S.

If your student visa has expired you can travel to Canada, Mexico, or an approved adjacent island to the U.S., for less than thirty days and re-enter using your expired student visa. This exception is referred to as automatic revalidation and you can find more information on that process at the U.S. Department of State's website .

Documents Needed For Travel

When traveling it is important to keep the following documents with you:

  • Signed I-20
  • Valid passport
  • Valid F student visa
  • Current proof of financial support
  • Proof of full-time enrollment
  • Proof of recent tuition payment
  • SEVIS I-901 fee receipt (can be reprinted at Department of Homeland Security - Form I-901 )