- Travel Signatures: If you are in F-1 or J-1 status, you need to ensure that your I-20 or DS-2019 has a valid travel signature to re-enter the U.S. Please remember that travel signatures are only valid for one year, but good for multiple entries. Travel signatures can be found on the second page of your I-20 or the first page of your DS-2019. If you are an F-1 or J-1 student and need a travel signature, please contact your designated OISS adviser and they will electronically send you a new I-20 or DS-2019 with a travel signature. If you are a J-1 scholar and need a travel signature, please follow these directions to request a new electronic travel signature.
- Encounters with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): If you encounter issues at the U.S. border and the CBP officer has questions that can be answered by OISS, please ask the officer if they would like to call OISS for confirmation. During office hours, OISS can be reached by calling our front desk at (203) 432-2305 and you or the federal agent/officer will be connected to an OISS adviser. After hours, please call Yale Security at (203) 785-5555 and they will immediately call the OISS director or associate director.
Traveling Locally (In and Around New Haven)
You do not need to carry all your original immigration documents while in New Haven, but we recommend you carry printed copies of all your immigration documents. Please have printed copies of:
- Most recent I-94 arrival and departure record (NOT the travel history)
- F-1 Form I-20 or J-1 Form DS-2019
- Passport bio page
- Visa issued by the U.S. consulate (Canadian citizens do not need a visa)
- I-797 Approval notice (for those in H-1B or O-1 status)
- EAD card (for those who are currently on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT)
Traveling Outside of New Haven
You should carry all your original documents:
- Valid passport
- Most Recent I-94 record
- Form I-20 or DS-2019 for those in F-1 or J-1 status respectively
- I-797 approval notice for those in H-1B or O-1 status
- EAD card (for those who rae currently on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT)
Make Copies & Securely Share
In addition to the guidance above about carrying your immigration documents at all times, we also recommend that you make copies of all of your immigration documents and keep them in a separate safe place where someone else you trust can access them. Make sure to share the location of the copies of your documents with this trusted person so they know where to find them in case of an emergency.
Guidance on Measles
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an official Health Advisory on June 21, 2023 and provided guidance for people planning international travel. Measles (rubeola) is extremely contagious; one person infected by measles can infect 9 out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts. To prevent measles infection and spread from importation, CDC recommends for all international travelers to be up to date on their MMR vaccinations, especially prior to international travel regardless of the destination. Other recommendations include:
- Plan to be fully vaccinated (two doses) at least 2 weeks before you depart.
- After international travel, watch for signs and symptoms of measles for 3 weeks after you return to the United States. If you or your child gets sick with a rash and a high fever, call your doctor. Tell them you traveled abroad and whether you or your child have received MMR vaccine.
- Before your next trip, check your destination and CDC’s Global Measles Travel Health Notice for more travel health advice, including where measles outbreaks have been reported.
Proof of Vaccination
As of May 12, 2023, noncitizen nonimmigrant air passengers no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to board a flight to the United States.
The above is related to federal travel requirements. Yale also strongly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Please refer to Yale Health's COVID-19 Vaccination FAQ for International Students and Scholars for more information.
Visa Appointment Availability & Visa Interview Waivers
Unless you are a Canadian citizen, you must have a valid visa to enter the U.S. You should apply for a visa well in advance of your start date at Yale, as the visa interview wait times or even the drop-off processing of visas at certain U.S. Embassies and Consulates can be substantial.
Visa Interview Wait Time Info No Longer Available
March 11, 2025
Two recent actions have rendered visa interview wait time information unavailable on the DoS website:
The DoS Global Visa Wait Times page had not been updated since January 7, 2025; on March 7, 2025, it was removed from the DoS website altogether. Clicking the original link now results in a 404 error message. On March 11, 2025, DoS put up a new Global Visa Wait Times page with the word “DEACTIVATED” in the URL, which continues to show the same chart last updated on January 7, 2025.
The DoS Visa Appointment Wait Times tool on the Visa Appointment Wait Times page no longer contains that tool; it just links to the new (but no longer updated) Global Visa Wait Times page.
Visa Interview Waiver Policy Revised
February 18, 2025
In a news item published on February 18, 2025, titled Interview Waiver Update, the DoS announced changes to its policies on eligibility for the in-person visa interview requirement waivers. The update rescinds prior expansions of interview waiver authority, for example, reinstating the statutory 12-month post-expiration period for applicants who previously held a visa in the same category. This marks a shift from the previous policy, which allowed interview waivers for applicants whose prior visa had expired within the past 48 months.
Chinese Institutions and Funding
Presidential Proclamation 10043 (May 29, 2020) may affect visa issuance and/or entry to the United States for an individual from the People's Republic of China (PRC) seeking to enter the United Stateson a F or J visa . Proc 10043 may be applicable to an individual who “…receives funding from or who currently is employed by, studies at, or conducts research at or on behalf of… an entity in the PRC that implements or supports the PRC’s 'military-civil fusion strategy” or in the past “has been employed by, studied at, or conducted research at or on behalf of… an entity in the PRC that implements or supports the PRC’s 'military-civil fusion strategy.'” Please contact your OISS adviser if you have questions. You can read more about Presidential Proclamation 10043 here.
Visa and Travel Considerations for Ukrainian Students and Scholars
Details about non-immigrant visa issuances for citizens of Ukraine, as well as other resources.
U.S. Consular Operations in Russia and Belarus
Details about F and J Visa Processing for Residents in Russia
