Travel for F-1 & J-1 Students: FAQs
- Domestic travel
- Documents to carry in the United States
- International travel
- Expired visa
- Visa application timeline
- Automatic revalidation on a cruise
- Travel during Post-Completion OPT or STEM OPT: Duration
- Travel during Post-Completion OPT or STEM OPT: Unemployment days
- Secondary Inspection
- Search of electronic devices
- Dependents
- Change to H-1B status
- Cap-Gap Form I-20
- Additional information
1. Can I travel domestically within the United States?
F-1 and J-1 may travel inside the United States. F-1/J-1 students must carry evidence of status at all times (see below).
2. What immigration documents do I need to have with me at all times?
We recommend carrying paper photocopies of your original immigration documents and keeping the originals in a safe place. You may wish to save a digital copy in a safe place such as your email or a cloud-based service as well.
- Currently enrolled F-1 students: Carry a copy of your most recent Form I-20, your most recent I-94 proof of entry, and physical identification (GU GOCard, U.S. driver’s license, or state/DC identification card)
- F-1 students on OPT/STEM OPT: Carry a photocopy of your most recent Form I-20, I-94 proof of entry, your OPT EAD card, and physical identification (U.S. driver’s license or state/DC identification card).
- J-1 students: Carry a photocopy of your most recent Form DS-2019 and your most recent I-94 proof of entry, and physical Identification (GU GOCard, U.S. driver’s license, or state/DC identification card).
3. Can I travel internationally?
Students in valid F-1 and J-1 status are eligible to depart and reenter. Each U.S. entry is granted at the discretion of U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP).
As of February 11, 2025, there are no new travel restrictions applicable to F-1 or J-1 students. Please see our U.S. Immigration Policy & Regulatory Updates page for updates.
If you choose to travel internationally, please carry the items in the Travel Document Checklist in your carry-on/hand luggage (not your checked luggage!) through U.S. customs to facilitate entry in F-1/J-1 status.
4. My F-1/J-1 visa is expired. Can I remain in the United States?
Yes, you may remain in the United States as long as you continue to maintain status. However, if you choose to travel abroad, you must obtain a new F-1/J-1 visa at a U.S. embassy/consulate outside of the United States before attempting to reenter the United States in F-1/J-1 status. Very limited exceptions may be made for brief travel to Canada, Mexico, or other neighboring islands; this is referred to as automatic visa revalidation.
5. I need to get a new visa. How long will it take to get one?
Following a January 20, 2025, executive order, visa applicants should expect to see more intensive screening and potential delays.
Visa applicants may also be subject to additional security and background checks, called administrative processing, due to one’s country of citizenship or other ties; field of study, especially high technology or other sciences; or other factors. You should provide any requested information to the embassy/consulate promptly. It is not possible to expedite administrative processing.
Please be sure to carefully read the visa application and interview instructions on the website of the U.S. embassy/consulate where you will apply. In complex circumstances, you may also wish to consult with your IS Advisor and/or an experienced immigration attorney before departing the country and applying for a new visa.
6. Can I use automatic revalidation if I take a cruise?
Automatic visa revalidation may be possible if:
- your F-1/J-1 visa is expired;
- you briefly (less than 30 calendar days) visit Canada, Mexico, Saint Pierre, Miquelon, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, the Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique, and other British, French and Netherlands territories or possessions in or bordering the Caribbean Sea, except Cuba; and
- you return to the United States without applying for a new visa at a U.S. consulate.
Other rules apply as well; please review them carefully in the Travel to Canada, Mexico and Neighboring Islands section.
If the cruise will stop at any ineligible locations, e.g., Cuba, etc., we advise against embarking with an expired visa.
If you plan to reenter the United States via automatic visa revalidation at the conclusion of the cruise, please consult with your travel provider to confirm you will be permitted to board the cruise.
7. How long can I be outside of the United States during Post-Completion OPT or STEM OPT?
Optional Practical Training is a U.S. work authorization designed to facilitate employment with a U.S. employer. Although OPT regulations do not specify a maximum length of time F-1 students may spend outside of the United States during an authorized period of OPT/STEM OPT, there is a risk that spending an extended period of time outside of the United States during OPT/STEM OPT may raise questions at future encounters with the U.S. immigration system about how you were able to maintain F-1 status during this period or why your U.S. presence is/was necessary for the remainder of your OPT/STEM OPT period.
F-1 regulations require all students including those on OPT/STEM OPT to have and maintain a physical U.S. address.
8. Can I stop accruing Post-Completion OPT or STEM OPT unemployment days by traveling abroad? Conversely, if I travel internationally on my paid time off (PTO) from my OPT/STEM OPT job, will I accrue unemployment days?
No, travel outside of the United States during an authorized period of OPT/STEM OPT neither prevents nor causes the accrual of OPT/STEM OPT unemployment days.
9. What is Secondary Inspection?
At Secondary Inspection, the CBP officer will more closely review your immigration record and documents and may have additional questions.
OGS is always available to assist if you encounter serious difficulty at the U.S. border. Have the phone numbers for the OGS and GUPD available in case the CBP officer needs to contact OGS to confirm your information. Be sure to carry the numbers below in your phone as well as a printed copy of our numbers in another location in your carry-on/hand luggage.
- Monday – Friday between 9am – 5pm: Call OGS at (202) 687-5867.
- After business hours, on weekends, and during University holidays: Call the Georgetown University Police Department (GUPD) at (202) 687-4343. GUPD will contact OGS to assist.
10. Can electronic devices be searched by U.S. officials at the airport?
Yes. We strongly recommend setting your device to open via passcode only, not via fingerprint or Face ID, to ensure your explicit knowledge and permission are required in order to access your device. You may also wish to back up and encrypt private information on your device before traveling. Please review our Know Your Rights at the Airport (PDF) for more information.
11. Can I leave my F-2/J-2 dependent(s) in the United States while I travel outside of the United States?
F-2 dependents may arrive in the United States after their F-1 principal and may intermittently depart and return during the F-1 program of study. F-2 dependents may remain in the United States while their F-1 principal briefly travels abroad. F-2 dependents should not remain in the United States for an extended interval without their F-1 principal, regardless of whether the F-1 student travels during an official program break or for an approved period of study or research abroad.
J-2 dependents can travel freely in and out of the United States while the J-1 student remains active in their Georgetown program. They should show a valid J-2 visa stamp and a Form DS-2019 signed for travel within the last year for reentry. J-2 dependents must accompany the J-1 student if the student leaves the United States for more than 30 days. If a J-2 dependent returns home and before the J-1 student and will not return to the United States, the J-1 student should inform OGS.
12. Do I need to travel to change to H-1B status?
This depends on whether your employer filed your H-1B petition for change of status or consular adjudication. Please consult with your employer; many employers also contract an immigration attorney to assist with H-1B petitions and guidance.
13. Can I travel with my cap-gap Form I-20?
We recommend you connect with your employer and/or the immigration attorney working with your H-1B application to determine if travel is recommended while your H-1B application is pending with USCIS.
14. How can I find additional information?
In addition to information provided by OGS, refer to reliable sources such as U.S. government websites with .gov URLs, such as the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement Travel FAQs, and reputable immigration law firm websites. Be aware that social media sources may provide incomplete or misleading information.