Required Documents

All F-1 and J-1 students must show these documents when returning to the U.S.

• Unexpired passport valid at least six months into the future. If your passport is or will expire, get an extension or a new passport from your country's consulate or passport agency. You may need to carry two passports, a newer valid passport and an older passport with your U.S. entry visa.
• Unexpired F-1 or J-1 entry visa. If your visa is expired or will expire before your return, you will need to plan to get a new visa before coming back. Note: Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa requirement.
• Valid Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 with a recent travel signature from ISSS no more than one year old on the date of re-entry (or six months for students on OPT or STEM Extension OPT). Your I-20 / DS-2019 program end date must always be in the future (or for students on OPT, annotated to show that you have finished your program and are on OPT).Students: Request an I-20/DS-2019 with travel signature through your OISSS Gateway portal

Note: you do not need to have an updated travel signature to leave the U.S.; an updated signature is only needed when you return. Students can request a travel signature through the OISSS Gateway. Read also our instructions on Requesting a Travel Signature.

Recommended Documents

In addition to required documents listed above, you are strongly recommended to carry the following. These documents may not always be needed, but are useful to have if you are asked any questions about your academic status and/or financial ability.

• Evidence of financial support, such as bank statements, scholarship letters, proof of payment to the University, etc., showing that you have access the financial support and resources indicated on your Form I-20 or DS-2019.
• Evidence of current/upcoming semester's enrollment: carry a printout of your transcript or enrollment verification which can be requested through the Brown Registrar's Office website.
• Form I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt, which you can reprint from the I-901 SEVIS fee web site.
• Form I-94 showing prior recent admission to the U.S. in F-1 status or J-1 status.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) and the STEM Extension of OPT (STEM OPT) are benefits of F-1 student status, and not separate visas. Accordingly, students on OPT / STEM OPT must still have the documents needed for F-1 travel, including a valid passport, F-1 entry visa (exception: Canadian citizens), and a Form I-20 annotated for OPT or STEM OPT. In addition, students on OPT / STEM OPT should also carry the following:

• Your valid EAD card issued by USCIS for OPT / STEM OPT. The EAD card should be current and indicate your active OPT dates.
• Proof of employment, such as a job offer letter, employment verification letter, or similar evidence that you are engaged in practical training.
• For students on STEM Extension OPT, a copy of your I-983 Training Plan.
• If you are engaged in unpaid training as a part of your post-completion OPT, financial documents that show how you are managing your living expenses.

ISSS recommends that you avoid international travel if you are still waiting for you EAD card and/or are unemployed and still searching for OPT employment.

F-1 and J-1 students may be accompanied by their legal spouse and/or unmarried minor children under 21. Dependents are granted F-2 and J-2 status, respectively. Dependents may travel to the U.S. at the same time as the F-1 / J-1 student, or come to the U.S. separately, at a later time. 

F-2 and J-2 dependents must have all of the required travel documents including:

• Their own unexpired passports
• A Form I-20 or DS-2019 issued specifically to each F-2 / J-2 dependent, with a valid travel signature
• A valid F-2 or J-2 visa
• Proof of family relationship (marriage / parentage) to the F-1 / J-1 student
• If traveling separately from the F-1 / J-1 student, copies of the F-1 / J-1s documents, including their visas and Form I-20 / Form DS-2019

Please keep in mind that F-2 or J-2 status is based on the status of the principal F-1 or J-1 student. If the F-1 or J-1 student no longer has valid status, the eligibility of the F-2 or J-2 status to travel to and remain in the U.S. ends immediately.

While traveling, follow these recommendations regarding your documents and preparing for your return trip to the U.S.

• Keep electronic copies of your key documents (e.g., passport, visa, I-20 / DS-2019) in a secure location accessible only to you - it may be helpful to access these in case your original documents are lost, especially while outside the U.S.
• Protect documents that contain personal identifiers (e.g., name, date of birth, Social Security Numbers, etc.), since they can be used for identity theft.
• Read our section about Lost or Stolen Travel Documents so you can be prepared to take action in case this happens to you while you're outside the U.S.

Finally, it is important to take steps to prepare for your return to the U.S., where you will go through immigration inspection with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer.

• Make sure you have all of your required and recommended documents needed for re-entry. Confirm at least one to two weeks before, and then again the day before and day of your flight, that you have everything you need.
• Keep your original documents in your carry-on luggage (backpack, laptop bag, etc.) - do not put them in your checked luggage, since you will go through immigration inspection before you reach baggage claim.
• Check travel conditions on your route for any unexpected delays due to weather or other factors.
• Have emergency contact information on your phone AND on a card or piece of paper stored in your carry-on bag (i.e., not only on your phone), and let family or friends know about your travel plans, including your estimate arrival back in the U.S.
• If you are driving over the U.S. / Canada or U.S. Mexican border, review information about your intended border crossing and be prepared to pay a Form I-94 fee (currently $30) in addition to showing your required documents.

While entry into the U.S. (even if you have a valid visa) is never guaranteed, it is important to keep in mind that international students arrive in the U.S. successfully every day! Understanding the following points will help you be prepared when you arrive and go through U.S. customs and immigration inspection, which is managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

• Be clear about your purpose of coming to the U.S. When you arrive in the U.S. and go through immigration inspection, keep in mind that the documents you present and the answers you provide to questions must show that you are in fact coming to the U.S. to be a full-time student. This means having all of the required documents such as a valid F-1 or J-1 student visa, I-20 / DS-2019 form with a valid travel signature, and other evidence that supports your identity as an international student.
• Be clear, concise, and polite when answering questions. Throughout the immigration inspection process, it is important to be calm and professional. Focus on providing clear, accurate, but concise answers to questions.
• Read through CBP’s electronic device search policy, including the possibility that your social media accounts may be inspected as a part of your visa application and upon arrival to the U.S.
• Understand the restrictions on employment associated with your student visa, and that any on-line or written evidence of unauthorized employment may be grounds for denying your entry into the U.S.
• Understand the inspection process. When you arrive at a U.S. airport, you'll first go through primary inspection. In certain cases, you may be referred to another room for secondary inspection.
  • In primary inspection, a CBP officer will quickly examine your passport, visa, I-20 / DS-2019 and other documents. You may also have your photo and fingerprints taken. You may be asked a few questions about your reason for coming to the U.S., your studies, and other details about your past or future activities. The inspector will then either allow you to enter into the U.S., or if they do not feel that they have enough information, send you to secondary inspection. Primary inspections are usually completed within two to three minutes.
  • If you are sent to secondary inspection, you may face a brief or an extended wait, depending on different factors. Many secondary inspection visits are completed quickly, but in some cases, you may be asked to wait. You may also be asked more detailed questions regarding your student status, employment activity, any past encounters with law or immigration enforcement, research goals, or your internet presence and social media activity. These questions are used to determine if there are any considerations that are inconsistent or incompatible with being a non-immigrant student visa holder. Be sure to keep the contact information listed below, in case the secondary inspector wants to contact someone at Brown to confirm your information.
• Keep in mind that F-1 and J-1 student visas are non-immigrant visas, which means that your purpose of entry is supposed to be temporary and that you will continue to maintain ties with your home country.
• If possible, arrive in the U.S. during business hours (M–F, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Eastern Time) and keep the following numbers available to you. In different situations, CBP may call ISSS at 401-863-2427 to confirm your student information. If you are arriving after business hours, you can also contact the Administrator-on-Call (24/7, 365 days a year) at 401-863-3322, who can reroute you to an appropriate person for assistance.

After you have successfully cleared U.S. immigration inspection and fully arrived in the U.S., you must still verify your I-94 arrival information. This step should be done after each return trip to the U.S.  Read our Checking Your I-94 page for more information, or follow the details below.

Failure to verify the accuracy of your arrival information may have a significant and negative impact on your legal status.

• After arrival, print out your Form I-94 arrival record and confirm that the information on the form is correct.
  • The “class of admission” should accurately reflect your visa type, such as J-1, H-1B, O-1, etc.
  • The “admit until” date should be “D/S” (duration of status) for J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors. For others, it should reflect your approved H-1B, O-1 or other employment dates. If the “admit until” date is inaccurate or does not cover your enter appointment, contact ISSS immediately.
• Print out and carry a copy of your I-94 with you at all times while in the U.S., including when commuting to/from work or traveling domestically. Read our page on local and domestic travel for more information.