Travel Seminar

1
Travel Seminar

• 1st 3rd Wednesday of Month 130 pm
• Please bring Original I-20/DS-2019, passport,
  visa,
• I-94 card, proof of duration of health
• insurance, and proof of
  medical
• evacuation and repatriation
  coverage

2
Preparing for the Travel Seminar

• Bring your original I-20/DS-2019, passport,
  visa, I-94 card,
• proof of duration of health insurance, and
  proof of medical
• evacuation and repatriation coverage for
  Advisor to review
• Complete Travel Signature Request Form
  distributed when
• you sign-in for the seminar
• -- Note your anticipated departure date and
  destination
• on the Travel Signature Request Form
• -- Indicate any changes in your course of
  study, local, or
• immigration information on the Travel
  Signature
• Request Form

3
Health Insurance

• You must have health insurance coverage
  (including
• medical evacuation repatriation) valid for the
  entire
• academic year (August 06-August 07). If you are
• graduating before August, you must have the
  coverage
• valid until the end of the term in which you are
  graduating.
• Dropping insurance during vacation periods is not
  acceptable
• if you plan to return to continue your studies
  the next
• semester.
• Lapses in health insurance coverage are risky
  due to
• the unpredictability of accidents and medical
  needs
• any conditions you were being treated for prior
  to the lapse
• may be regarded as pre-existing conditions and
  thus not covered by your new insurance plan

4
Travel Signature

• In order to obtain a travel signature, you must
  maintain status
• -- Registered full-time or have submitted a
  request to study less than full-time
• -- Have valid I-20 or DS-2019
• -- Have not engaged in unauthorized
  employment
• -- Have reported all changes to program of
  study and changes of address
• -- Have health insurance for yourself and any
  dependents (including medical

5
Seminar Overview

• Travel Within the United States
• Travel Outside of the United States
• -- Travel with dependents
• -- Canada, Mexico, Adjacent Islands
• -- Beyond North America
• Returning to the United States
• Traveling to Obtain a Visa
• Post-Completion Advisories

6
Things to Consider

• New or returning student?
• F-1 or J-1 visa?
• When are you traveling?
• Where are you traveling?
• Why are you traveling?
• Have you applied for OPT?
• Will you have completed
• your course of study?

• Traveling by air, land, or sea?
• Traveling through another country?
• Will your immigration documents be valid when you
  plan to re-enter the U.S.?
• Are you traveling with
• dependents?

7
Travel within the U.S.

• Law and immigration enforcement agents may
  randomly
• stop and question you during routine activities
  such as
• driving in your car or waiting for a bus at a bus
  station.
• Be prepared
• Carry original passport and visa documents
  (I-20/DS-2019 and
• I-94 card)
• Carry your University ID card
• If you are applying for a change of status, visa,
  or EAD card, carry your application receipt as
  proof of pending application
• Individuals without valid travel documents may be
  detained,
• arrested, threatened with deportation, and/or
  taken into
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody.

8
Travel Outside the US Special Registration
(NSEERS)

• As part of the non-immigrant visa application
  process,
• consular officers at U.S. Embassies and
  Consulates are
• required to identify individuals who will have to
  follow the
• special registration requirements in the U.S..
• Further security checks after initial immigration
  inspection are typically
• required for
• Certain citizens or nationals of Iran, Iraq,
  Libya, Sudan and Syria, as designated by the DHA
  Secretary in the Federal Register.
• Males age 16-45 from Afghanistan, Algeria,
  Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea,
  Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya,
  Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi
  Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, the United Arab
  Emirates, and Yemen
• Foreign nationals of any country may be asked by
  a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP)
  officer to undergo Special Registration if they
  feel they may be a national security threat

9
NSEERS

• If you are subject to special registration
  procedures, it is your
• responsibility to make certain that your entry
  and departure is
• documented by a U.S. Customs and Border
  Protection (USCBP)
• inspecting officer, every time you leave and
  re-enter the U.S..
• This may add a significant amount of time onto
  departure so please plan accordingly.
• You are required to report your departure from
  the U.S. by appearing
• before a USCBP inspecting officer
• at an approved port
• on the same day that you leave the U.S.
• Failure to follow the proper registration
  procedure could result
• in your being permanently barred from entering
  the U.S..

10
Travel to Canada, Mexico, Adjacent Islands

• Travel documents for absence less than 5 months
• Passportvalid 6 months beyond your date of
  re-entry
• U.S. visa and I-94 card
• -- Automatic Visa Revalidation You may be
  eligible to re-enter the U.S. from
• Canada, Mexico, or adjacent islands (not
  Cuba) on expired visa if
• - you are in lawful status and not
  terminated in SEVIS
• - your visit was 30 days or less
• - you are not a citizen of state
  sponsors of terrorism and
• (Iran, Syria, Sudan, North Korea, Cuba)

11
Travel to Canada, Mexico, Adjacent Islands

• If you are exiting the U.S. and traveling to
  Canada, Mexico, or
• Adjacent Islands and
• are not an individual seeking a visa renewal
• have maintained your lawful non-immigrant status
  in the U.S. and
• intend to resume that status upon your return
• you should keep your I-94 card provided it is
  valid beyond the
• time of expected return to the United States.
• If you were previously required to do special
  registration and
• Exit and re-enter the U.S. by land
• Stop on the U.S. side of the border at
  Customs and Border Protection

12
Traveling Beyond North America

• Travel Documents for absence less than 5 months
• Passportvalid 6 months beyond your date of
  re-entry
• Valid U.S. Visa
• I-94 card Be sure to surrender your I-94 card
  when you exit.
• Failure to do so may effect your
  eligibility to re-enter the U.S..
• Valid, accurate I-20 or DS-2019 with current
  travel signature
• Transcript from Registrars Office (106 Steele
  Hall)
• Letter of Registration
• (If you are traveling during the school year,
  you should obtain letter at the Registrars
  Office If the spring semester is over and you
  are traveling over the summer, you should ask
  your academic department to issue a letter
  verifying your enrollment/progress towards your
  degree.)

13
Travel Documents (continued)

• Slutzker Center Advisor contact information
• -- Slutzker Center [phone] (Summer
  Hours Mon-Fri 8 am- 430pm)
• -- Public Safety [phone] (For
  emergency after Slutzker Center hours)
• Additional visas may be necessary
• -- Entry Visa (e.g., visitor, tourist)
• - Some individuals visiting countries they
  are not citizens of must obtain a visa
• indicating the nature of their visit
• -- Transit Visa (e.g., visitor in transit)
• - Some individuals transiting into a
  country because travel requires an
• intermediate stop in a third country
  are required to obtain Transit Visas prior
• to traveling
• -- Change airports Change airlines Stay
  overnight in the airport
• - Transit visas are commonly needed for
  travel through Europe (e.g., UK,
  France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands) however
  there are sometimes exceptions for F-1
  and J-1 students and scholars

14
Baggage Inspection Requirements

• Everyone who travels by air must go through a
  Federal
• Transportation and Security Administration (TSA)
  screening
• process prior to boarding the plane.
• Travel documents are reviewed
• -- Airline boarding pass and
  government-issued photo ID (e.g., passport)
• Individuals are screened through a metal detector
• -- Must remove shoes, coat, metal objects
• -- If detector is set off, additional
  screening may be necessary
• Checked and carry-on baggage is screened for
  prohibited items
• --Travel-size liquid-based toiletries (3
  ounces or less) that fit comfortably
• in 1 QUART-SIZE, clear plastic, zip-top
  bag may now be brought in carry-on
• (e.g., toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo,
  sunblock, perfume/cologne, liquid foundation)
• --After clearing security, travelers can now
  bring beverages and other items
• purchased in the secure boarding area on-board
  aircraft.

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Dependent Travel

• Dependents in F-2/J-2 status
• Should carry documents similar to those the
  primary F-1 student/J-1 exchange visitor
  carries when traveling
• - Valid visa - Valid passport
• - I-94 card -Valid 1-20/DS-2019 with current
  travel signature
• - If applied for OPT Copy of
  primarys I-20 endorsed for OPT and EAD
• Should carry documentation that the primary is
  enrolled and maintaining their status
• - Transcript/ Letter of Enrollment/
  Appointment Letter
• Are not required to travel with the F-1/J-1
  primary
• May remain in the U.S. without the primary as
  long as the F-1/J-1 maintains his/her current
  status and will return after a temporary absence
  using the same SEVIS ID number
• - If the F-1/J-1 primary will be outside the
  U.S. for 5 months or more, current
• status will be terminated and a new
  initial attendance I-20 will have to be
• issued for the primary and dependent(s)
  

16
U.S. VISIT Entry Procedures

• U.S. Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator
  Technology (US-
• VISIT) is a system for keeping records of the
  entry of
• non-immigrants traveling to the United States.
• Under US-VISIT Entry procedures,
• Your passport and visa documents (including I-94,
  I-20/DS2019) will be reviewed
• An inkless finger-scanning of your left right
  index finger will be conducted
• A digital photograph will be taken
• You may be questioned about your visit to the
  U.S.
• An entry confirmation will be added to your
  travel
• records to demonstrate compliance with the terms
  of your
• admission and to verify that you are the same
  person who
• received the visa you are utilizing to travel and
  enter the
• United States.

17
I-94 Card
On the airplane, train, or ship/ at the border
If you surrendered your I-94 card to exit the
U.S., you will be given a new I-94 card to
fill-out - You must have an I-94 card to re-enter
the U.S.
Date of Entry
Non-Immigrant Status
Length of Stay
The immigration officer will stamp your I-94 card
and note - Your non-immigrant status
(F-1/F-2or J-1/J-2)- The date of your entry
- The authorized period you may stay in the
U.S. (D/S) (Duration of Status)
Submit a copy of your new I-94 card to SCIS every
time you travel
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Re-Entry Issues

• If the immigration officer reviewing your
  documents
• Does not stamp your I-94 card or new I-20
• Improperly marks your I-94 card or new I-20
• politely inform the officer of this and ask for
  assistance.
• If the officer will not correct the issue, do not
  push the matter as you
• risk being issued an expedited removal which
  could result in a 5 year
• ban from entering the U.S..
• If you do not receive the proper markings, you
  must make
• an appointment to meet with a Slutzker Center
  Advisor.
• After meeting with an Advisor, you may be able
  to obtain
• the proper markings from an immigration
  officer at either
• The Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, or
• Customs and Border Protection at the U.S. border

19
Re-Entry Issues (continued)

• If there is a problem with your immigration
  documents, the
• immigration officer may give you a Form I-515A
  granting you
• lawful admission to the U.S. for 30 days and
  eligibility for all
• of the benefits associated with your status.
• In order to maintain status, within those 30
  days you are required to
• meet with a Slutzker Center Advisor and send the
  documents listed
• below to the address that is indicated on the
  back of the form.
• Completed Form I-515A
• Your original I-20/DS-2019 signed by a Slutzker
  Center Advisor
• You original I-94 card

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Re-Applying for a U.S. Visa

• Visa renewals should be applied for at the U.S.
  Consulate
• in your home country.
• U.S. Department of State visa information sheets
  are available online.
• F-1 students
• J-1 exchange visitors
• Procedures for visa applications at a specific
  foreign U.S. consulate can be obtained by
  selecting the appropriate embassy from the
  embassy list.
• Though not recommended, in some instances it is
  possible to
• apply for a U.S. visa in a third country such as
  Canada or
• Mexico. This is riskier and denials are more
  frequent.
• Some U.S. Foreign Consulates will not accept
  renewal application from non-residents

21
Traveling to Obtain a Visa

• It is recommended that you schedule a visa
  appointment
• well in advance and prior to exiting the U.S..
• Be sure to check visa appointment waiting times
  at the consulate
• prior to traveling.
• Also, be sure to check the hours of operation as
  Consulates may
• close temporarily for breaks or holidays.
• If visa processing delays will interfere with
  your ability to
• resume your studies, it is advisable to cancel
  your travel
• plans since you may remain in the U.S. with an
  expired
• visa as long as you are maintaining your
  non-immigrant
• status.

22
Security Policies

• Individuals who are citizens of certain countries
  or with certain
• backgrounds may be subject to special security
  clearances that will
• lengthen the visa application processing time.
• Security Check and Special Registration
• Individuals from countries identified by the
  U.S. Department of State as being state sponsors
  of terrorism or perceived to have nuclear
  capability. (Cuba, Libya, Iran, Iraq, North
  Korea, Sudan, Syria)
• Background Check
• If you have ever been arrested, or if you have a
  name that is the same as or similar to someone
  who has been arrested
• Technology Alert List (TAL)
• Students who are considered to be majoring in
  sensitive areas of study as determined by the
  U.S. government (e.g., physics) or from
  countries perceived to pose national security
  threats or nuclear capability (China, India,
  Israel, Pakistan, and Russia).A TAL delay can
  take several months to resolve.

23
Visa Application Requirements

• Passportvalid 6 months beyond date of re-entry
• Valid, accurate I-20 or DS-2019 with current
  travel signature
• One current 2x2 photograph (passport-sized)
• Completed visa application forms
• Form DS-156 (Non-Immigrant Visa Application)
• Form DS-158 (Contact Information and Work History
  for Non-Immigrant Visa Applicant)
• Some Applicants
• Also required to complete and sign Form
  DS-157
• Child Dependents
• Required to submit additional form, even if they
  are included in a parents passport
• Visa processing fee receipt or payment

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Visa Application (continued)

• Be prepared to also provide
• Transcript and Letter of Registration
• Financial evidence indicating sufficient funds to
  cover tuition and living expenses during your
  program of study
• -- e.g., bank statements, tax documents,
  assistantship letter
• Evidence of binding ties to your home country
• Applicants with dependents must also provide
• Proof of relationship to F-1/J1 (e.g., marriage
  license, birth certificates)
• Applicants who may be subject to Technology Alert
  List (TAL)
• Resume including research and presentations
• Departmental letter of support noting relevance
  of study to TAL
• Landed Immigrant applying for a U.S. visa in
  Canada must provide
• evidence of
• Landed Immigrant status (e.g., Permanent
  resident/Maple Leaf card)
• Established residency in Canada (e.g., home
  ownership, employment, family ties)

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Post-Completion Travel Advisories

• After completing an F-1 program you have 60 days
  to prepare to depart the U.S.
• if you have completed a J-1 program you have 30
  days to prepare to depart the
• U.S.
• Travel and re-entry is not permitted during the
  exit grace period if
• You have not been accepted into a new program of
  study (e.g., Masters, Ph. D.) and received an
  I-20/DS-2019 for the program from the college
• You have not received (F-1) Optional Practical
  Training or (J-1) Academic Training Approval
• You have not received a new visa for re-entry
  (e.g., B-2 tourist)
• If you have submitted an application for OPT
  (pending or approved) or have
• received Academic Training authorization and
  travel with an expired visa
• You must obtain a new visa while abroad in order
  to re-enter the U.S..
• Visa issuance for individuals on practical
  training can be problematic since it is
• more difficult to prove compelling ties to your
  home country because you are
• returning to the U.S. for employment and that may
  be interpreted as a desire to
• obtain H-1B or permanent resident status.

26
F-1 Post-Completion OPT Travel

• If OPT has been approved, also travel with the
  following
• documents
• New, valid I-20 endorsed for OPT
• Slutzker Center Advisors travel signature from
  last 6 months
• Valid F-1 visa
• Employment Authorization Card (EAD Card)
• Letter from your employer verifying your
  employment status
• If OPT approval is pending, travel is not
  advised.
• If you chose to disregard this recommendation
  and travel, you must also carry the following
  documents
• New, valid I-20 endorsed for OPT

27
J-1 Post-Completion Academic Training

• If you plan to leave the U.S. after you complete
  your program
• of study and re-enter the country for J-1
  academic training,
• you must apply for work authorization with your
  RO/ARO prior
• to exiting the U.S..
• To re-enter the U.S. in J-1 student status, you
  must have
• Valid DS-2019
• Slutzker Center Advisors travel signature from
  last 6 months
• Valid J-1 visa
• A valid passport
• A valid Academic Training Authorization Letter

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Reminders and Travel Updates

• The Slutzker Center for International Services
  strongly recommends that you attend a travel
  seminar prior to departing the U.S. since
  immigration regulations change frequently
• Please submit copies of updated documents to SCIS
  (e.g. new I-94 after travel, renewed passport,
  renewed visa)
• Be sure to keep all immigration documents
  together in a safe place
• Be aware of immigration document expiration dates
  and plan ahead to have them renewed or updated
• Additional information on immigration issues and
  Slutzker Center events is available on our
  website at http//international.syr.edu and
  SCISNEWS