We know many of you are preparing for international travel after spring break, so we have compiled a list of travel reminders for your review.
Before You Return
Please ensure you have all the required and unexpired travel documentation below before traveling.
Valid Passport
Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months into the future at the time of re-entry to the U.S. Some countries have an agreement with the U.S. that exempts their nationals from the six-month rule for U.S. entry purposes only.
Valid Visa
You also need a valid visa to re-enter the U.S. (except for Canadian citizens, who do not need one). Please check the expiration date of the visa in your passport. If your visa has expired immediately apply for a new visa by submitting the online nonimmigrant visa application (DS-160).
Valid Travel Signature
If you are in F-1 or J-1 status, you must also 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 are suitable 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.
Recent Immigration Actions and Updates
Some of you have asked whether recent executive actions might impact your travel plans.
- OISS is closely monitoring recent executive orders and their potential impact. We have a new page on our website that you should bookmark and check frequently to help you navigate these policy changes. Although it is possible that new executive orders that impact your ability to re-enter the U.S. could be issued, we do not know what the scope of these orders might be, what exceptions they might include, and when these orders would take effect.
- Section 2 of the EO 14163 that reintroduced enhanced vetting directed the Secretaries of DoS and DHS, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence to submit a joint report within 60 days (i.e. by March 20, 2025) that identifies “countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA.” This joint report could lead to travel bans for international students and scholars from countries identified through the process described above. However, as we mentioned, we do not know if exceptions to any potential travel ban will be provided to students and scholars who are nationals of identified countries. If you have specific questions or concerns about this, please contact your OISS adviser.
Please know that OISS will continue to monitor the situation and send you any updated information on travel.
Other Reminders
- Pack all your immigration documents in your carry-on. Review what you must carry and ensure your immigration documents are valid for travel (F-1/J-1 student travel or J-1/H-1B scholar travel).
- Register your travel with Yale. In the event of a significant emergency, Yale will be able to contact you.
- In an emergency, contact International SOS Global Travel Assistance. All members of the Yale community are automatically enrolled with International SOS (ISOS), which provides pre-travel consultations and 24/7/365 domestic and international emergency medical, security, and travel assistance for Yale travelers and accompanying family while more than one hundred miles from home.
- Review our page on handling immigration travel emergencies and protocols for encounters with the CBP when returning to the U.S.
- Review Yale's Cybersecurity advice for traveling with electronics and protecting your privacy and data.
After You Arrive in the U.S.
I-94 is your arrival and departure record that is automatically created online upon your entry to the U.S. After you re-enter the U.S. at the end of winter break, please check your I-94 record and make sure you have been admitted in the correct visa status and the proper duration (i.e., for D/S, duration of status, if you are in F-1 or J-1 status). If you see an error in your I-94 record, please get in touch with your OISS adviser.
