Before you depart the U.S., you should confirm that you have the required documentation to travel to other countries and re-enter the U.S. If you depart the U.S. without a required document or travel signature, you could find that you are unable to re-enter the U.S. until you receive it.
Each country has its own immigration regulations and requirements for individuals entering its borders, and these may differ depending on your citizenship.
The ISC cannot advise you on how to obtain a visa to another country (or whether you need one). For this information, you need to visit the embassy website of the country you plan to visit, and find out:
Before departing the U.S. to visit Mexico (includes Tijuana) or Canada, be sure that you have:
If you have a visa in your passport but it is expired, students from certain countries can travel to Mexico, Canada and adjacent islands for less than 30 days and re-enter the U.S. with an expired visa if you are still in a valid period of study at SDSU or on Post-Completion or STEM OPT. This is called Automatic Visa Revalidation. It is absolutely essential that you have a printout of your recent I-94, your passport, your I-20 or DS-2019, your expired visa, and your EAD card (if on OPT) when traveling to Mexico or Canada. Without these items, you will not be eligible to re-enter the U.S. under automatic visa revalidation.
If you are planning to use the automatic visa revalidation, you should talk with an ISC Advisor before visiting Canada or Mexico.
To find the visa requirements for travel to Canada, visit the website for the Canadian Consulate.
To determine if persons from your country need a visa to visit Mexico, check with the Mexican Consulate in San Diego.
If you are planning to visit Tijuana or other parts of Baja California, please read the current travel warnings. The U.S. Department of State Travel Alert for Mexico is not meant to alarm you, but to make you aware of the issues regarding violence in Tijuana, and the current risks of travel to Tijuana, northern Baja California, and other parts of Mexico. Students should be careful and aware when travelling in any city or country.
When you are traveling abroad and planning to re-enter the U.S., please be sure to have the necessary documentation with you.
Keep these documents on your person or in your carry-on bags (if flying) so that they can be accessed when you pass through US Customs. Failure to have the required documents could delay your travel plans or prevent you from being able to re-enter the U.S.
Required:
The I-94 is the Arrival/Departure Record issued by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when you enter the United States. You should check your I-94 each time you enter the U.S. to be sure that your entry was recorded for the correct visa type and duration of status.
Most often, the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record record is electronic. However, sometimes it is a paper stapled into your passport when you enter the U.S. (This generally occurs if you enter the U.S. via a land or sea border.)
Your I-94 record confirms:
The length of authorized stay for F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors is noted on the I-94 as D/S and stands for "Duration of Status". It allows F-1 students to stay in the U.S. for the length of time indicated on the most recent I-20 form, plus 60 days if the student completes the program or OPT. It allows J-1 exchange visitors to stay for the length of time indicated on the DS-2019 form, plus 30 days.
You can find your electronic I-94 Record by going to the CBP I-94 website and typing in your passport information. You should print a copy of your I-94 or save a screenshot for your records.
You will be required to show your I-94 Arrival/Departure Record at SDSU Immigration Check-in. You may also need it for various other reasons (applying for OPT, traveling under Automatic Visa Revalidation procedures, applying for a driver’s license or Social Security Number).
CBP can sometimes make a mistake when entering your information as you enter the U.S. because they process a large volume of travelers every day. If this happens, you may have trouble finding your I-94 and you may have to correct it. If you cannot find your record, you can try these troubleshooting steps:
If you still cannot locate your I-94, or if you see something that needs to be corrected, contact the Deferred Inspections office. They may be able to help you to correct your I-94 over the phone or via email. Or you may need to visit their office in San Ysidro (the southernmost part of San Diego County).
For a list of Deferred Inspections Offices for all U.S. Ports of Entry including contact information, please visit the Deferred Inspections Sites webpage.
If you entered the US at the San Diego Airport or San Ysidro, you may contact the San Diego Site.
Email Address: i94san@cbp.dhs.gov
Phone Number: (619) 662-2229 or (619) 428-3505
Hours of Operation: 9 AM - 12 PM, Monday to Friday
Address: 720 E. San Ysidro Blvd, San Ysidro, CA 92173
F or J visas can only be obtained at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside the US. There are no offices within the U.S. to apply for a visa. It is always easier to apply for a new visa in your home country. The consular officers there can more easily determine eligibility to obtain the new visa and there is less chance of a delay in processing your visa.
The visa renewal process is usually the same procedure that you followed the first time you applied for the visa. Each time you apply for a visa you must provide your necessary documents and prove to the consular officer that you have enough funds to continue studying, you have been and will be a student at SDSU, and that you plan to return to your home country after completion of your degree (non-immigrant intent).
When planning a trip abroad that will involve renewing your U.S. visa, be sure to allow yourself enough time to get the new visa as you will not be permitted to return to the U.S. without one.
Check the U.S. embassy or consulate's website for updated application procedures before your appointment.
The process to renew your visa is very similar to the process you went through to obtain your visa the first time. The exact process will differ from consulate to consulate so you should read through the website of the particular U.S. consulate at which you will renew your visa for details.
You will probably need to make a new visa appointment at the consulate, although in some cases you can renew your visa by mail. You will have to send in or bring your immigration documents to the U.S. consulate. Generally, the documents needed are:
The processing time needed at the consulate to issue you a new visa will vary. Please check the consulate’s website to see how long it will take to renew your visa and plan your trip home accordingly.
If you are considering renewing your visa in Mexico or Canada, we recommend that you speak with an ISC advisor before you travel.
Keep in mind that when visiting Canada or Mexico for fewer than 30 days, you might be able to re-enter the U.S. with an expired U.S. visa through Automatic Visa Revalidation. However, if you travel to Mexico or Canada to renew your visa and the request is denied, you will not be eligible to re-enter the U.S. under Automatic Visa Revalidation. In that situation, you would need to return to your home country.