Travel Guidelines

• You will not go through customs when traveling within the United States or to U.S. territories.
• TSA Requirement: The Transportation Security Administration requires a government-issued photo ID to fly.
• Always carry your passport and Form I-20/DS-2019 when traveling domestically.
• Immigration regulations require international visitors to carry their “registration document,” which for F-1 and J-1 students/scholars is the Form I-94.
• For short trips within the Lancaster County/Pennsylvania area, store your passport and Form I-20/DS-2019 in a secure location and carry a printed copy of your most recent I-94.
• For travel farther from Pennsylvania, we recommend carrying your passport, Form I-20 or DS-2019, and a printed copy of your most recent I-94.

To re-enter the United States, you must present:

• A valid passport (must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended date of entry; some countries have agreements with the U.S. allowing entry with passports valid until expiration—see the U.S. Department of State for details).
• A valid U.S. visa stamp (except for citizens of Canada and Bermuda).
• Proof of immigration status:
  • F-1: Form I-20 with a valid DSO travel signature on page 2 (issued within the past 12 months).
  • J-1: DS-2019 with a valid travel signature (issued within the past 12 months).

Travel Signature Requests

• Confirm your passport is valid.
• Gather your passport and most recent Form I-20 or DS-2019.
• Submit a travel signature request through your MyGlobalMU portal and schedule an appointment with IPS.
• IPS will verify that you meet immigration requirements (full-time enrollment, good academic standing, health insurance, and current contact information) before signing.

Travel Tips:

• After returning to the U.S., upload your most recent I-94 record in MyGlobalMU using the Follow-Up Form.
• If your travel signature has expired, you must request a new one before travel.

 MyGlobalMU portal

When you re-enter the U.S., you may be subject to additional screening (“secondary inspection”) by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. This can happen if:

• You are missing documents.
• There was a previous immigration issue.
• You fall under certain security or eligibility review criteria.

If you arrive at the U.S. port of entry without all of your required documents or with unsigned documents, you may be denied entry.  Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have the right to issue you a form I-515A, which allows you temporary entry into the U.S for 30 days.  If you are issued a form I-515A, you must contact the Office of International Programs & Services.

For more information regarding the I-515A, visit the following website. 

Under “automatic revalidation,” individuals in certain visa categories (including F-1/F-2, J-1/J-2) may re-enter the U.S. with an expired visa if:

• The trip was less than 30 days.
• Travel was only to Canada, Mexico, or—for F and J visa holders—certain Caribbean islands.

Exceptions:

• Citizens of Iran, Sudan, and Syria are not eligible.
• Those with a pending or denied U.S. visa application cannot use automatic revalidation, even if their original visa is still valid.

Always check with IPS before traveling to confirm your eligibility for this benefit.

For more information regarding automatic revalidation, visit the State Department Website.