Prepare for Spring Break Travel – Request a Travel Signature Today!
Are you planning to travel home (or elsewhere) for the spring break? If you plan to travel internationally, you will need a valid travel signature on your I-20 to seek re-entry to the U.S.
International students who travel without a valid travel signature may be:
- Denied re-entry to the U.S. or
- Issued an I-515A and only granted temporary status in the U.S. for 30 days.
- If you are issued an I-515A, you must meet with an ISSS advisor immediately, as additional actions must be taken to extend your admission to the U.S. beyond 30 days.
Reminder: Travel Signatures are Valid for One Year!
A travel signature is valid for up to one calendar year from the most recent I-20 travel signature date or I-20 program end date, whichever occurs first.
- Exception: If you are on Post-Completion Optional Practical Training, a travel signature is only valid within 6 months of the signature date.
If you already have a valid travel signature, you do not need to request a new one every time you travel outside the U.S.
- F-1 /F-2 Status: Travel signatures are provided at the bottom of page 2 of your I-20 under “Travel Endorsement.”
How do I request a travel signature from ISSS?
ISSS recommends you plan ahead and request a travel signature before you leave the U.S. if you plan to travel. If you request a travel signature after enrollment opens for the Summer or Fall 2024 semester, ISSS advisors will need to confirm you are eligible to enroll in the next term, prior to issuing the travel signature. Be sure all holds limiting future enrollment are resolved at the time you request your travel signature.
- Students in F-1 status, complete the I-20 Reprint Request e-form (available in MyISSS portal).
- ISSS will issue and email you a new I-20 with a new travel signature. You must print the I-20, sign it on p.1. and carry it with you when you travel to the United States.
- All I-20 travel signatures are issued electronically.
- ISSS will issue and email you a new I-20 with a new travel signature. You must print the I-20, sign it on p.1. and carry it with you when you travel to the United States.
- ISSS will process travel signature requests in 2-5 business days.
What else do I need to know before I travel?
Plan ahead and be prepared! For a complete list of documentation needed for international travel, review the Student Travel Handout. The handout also provides additional travel considerations and instructions on downloading your I-94 upon return. Once you’ve reentered the U.S., ISSS recommends checking your I-94 to ensure Customs and Border Protection (CBP) admitted you in the correct status.