Travel

DoIE can help you prepare for a safe travel experience and for a smoother return to the U.S. Review Travel | ICE for further travel considerations.

Recent news reports indicate individuals from some countries who are residing in the U.S. with a visa or those who are legal permanent residents might face additional scrutiny when trying to reenter the United States. 

The CSU Chancellor’s Office has also issued a Travel Guidance to Faculty, Students, and Staff Considering International Travel in Spring & Summer 2025.  Please review the guidance carefully. You can find the guidance document here:  CSU International Travel Guidance. 

While nothing definitive can be predicted regarding future U.S. immigration policies, it is essential to remain informed and prepared. CSU advises all members of its community to proceed with extreme caution. If you decide to travel, you must have all necessary travel documents: 

• Required Documents:
  • A valid I-20 form or DS-2019 with a valid travel signature within a year from your planned return date
  • A passport valid for at least six months into the future
  • A valid F-1 visa or J-1 visa
• Highly Recommended:
  • Unofficial transcripts to demonstrate enrollment at SFSU
  • Financial documents showing sufficient funding for at least one year of study 

Please note that having these documents does not guarantee entry into the United States, as the final decision rests with the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. 

If your visa has expired and you need to renew it, contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your countries ahead of time. Be prepared to expect delays in some countries. 

Stay Informed on Policy Updates: Frequently check official websites for travel updates, such as the of the U.S. Department of State Embassies, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and keep an eye out for communication from the CIE international student services office for the latest information.

This advisory is not reflective of any current or expected institutional policy but is offered as a precautionary measure to support your safe and timely return to the U.S. For any questions prior to travel, please contact:

F-1 students: f1@sfsu.edu
J-1 students: exchange@sfsu.edu  

When traveling to the United States, it’s important to understand your rights and what to expect at ports of entry. The following resources provide essential information to help you prepare for interactions with immigration and customs officials, including your rights during airport enforcement and what to know about border searches of electronic devices.

• Know your rights: Enforcement at the Airport
• Information on Border Search of Electronic Devices at Port of Entry

Students are not required to obtain a travel signature on their immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019) or have a valid F-1 or J-1 visa if they plan to travel within the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. However, the Division of International Education recommends that students carry a valid passport, photo ID (SFSU ID or Driver’s License), and Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 while traveling within the U.S.

Students who plan to travel outside the United States must obtain a travel signature on their Form I-20 (F-1 International Students) or Form DS-2019 (J-1 Exchange Students). 

Only an international/exchange student advisor at the Division of International Education who is authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security may provide a travel signature on Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. Failure to obtain a valid travel signature may result in the student being denied entry when trying to re-enter the United States.

A travel signature on the Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 is valid for one year or until the program end date (whichever comes first) and may be used for multiple re-entries. 

Automatic Visa Revalidation

Automatic Visa Revalidation is a policy that allows certain F-1 international students to re-enter the United States without needing to renew their expired F-1 visa stamp.

This revalidation applies to short trips (30 days or less) to neighboring countries, specifically Mexico, Canada, or certain adjacent Caribbean islands (excluding Cuba). To qualify, students must have a valid Form I-94, an I-20 with a recent travel endorsement, and must have maintained lawful F-1 status. Also, F-1 students must not have traveled to any countries beyond those allowed for revalidation.

See the U.S. Department of State's Automatic Revalidation information page.

Students who must travel outside the United States due to a personal, family, and/or medical emergency during university closures should email f1@sfsu.edu (F-1 international students) or exchange@sfsu.edu (exchange students).

The email should include the student’s name, SFSU student ID, departure and return dates from and to the United States, and the best way to contact the student. Students do not need a travel signature to leave the United States (it is only required for re-entry). For students who leave the United States due to an emergency without a valid travel signature, the Division of International Education will take measures to support their re-entry process.

To request a travel signature, an F-1 student must fill out the I-20 Travel Signature Request.

Processing time

• An international student advisor will review their I-20 request and email them an updated I-20 within five business days.
   
• The Division of International Education no longer issues paper I-20. All students will receive an I-20 at their SFSU email account. The I-20 will be in PDF format with a certified digital signature from a school official. 
• Students must PRINT the I-20, SIGN it in blue ink, and PRESENT the paper I-20 at the U.S. port of entry. 

Attention

• Students must check their SFSU email account regularly for updates from the university and the Division of International Education. Travel signatures can be canceled if a student falls out of status while outside the U.S.

Continuing international students who do not have active I-20s must request a new initial I-20 for the Fall 2025 semester to enter the U.S.

When to Request an Initial I-20 for Fall 2025

• Once you are sure you will enter the U.S. for Fall 2025. 
• Once you have no registration holds such as “International Health Insurance Hold” and “Campus Financial Obligation Hold” that prevent you from enrolling in Fall 2025.

When to Arrive

• The earliest you may enter the U.S. will be July 26, 2025 (30 days before August 25, 2025).
• You must arrive in the U.S. by August 25, 2025, the program start date on the Fall 2025 I-20.
• No late arrival.  

How to Request an Initial I-20

Email the following documents to f1@sfsu.edu from your SFSU email account, include your full name and SFSU student IDs in your email. 

An F-1 international student advisor will review their request and issue an initial I-20 within 5 business days. Students must clear all the registration holds to receive I-20s.

• A signed New I-20 Request Form (PDF, 209 KB)
• A signed Financial Affidavit Form (PDF, 296 KB)
  • This form will allow students' sponsor(s) to verify the specific amount they will sponsor for their studies at SFSU.
• Proof of Finances
  • Students and their sponsor(s) must prove that they have the financial ability to pay for school costs plus living expenses for one academic year. 
    • See page 1 of the Financial Affidavit Form for the minimum amount of funds they must have.
    • If they have financial sponsor(s), their sponsor(s) must provide a Sponsor’s Letter. See Sample_Financial_Sponsor_Letter (Microsoft Word, 12 KB) signed by the sponsor(s) along with the financial proof.
    • Acceptable types of proof: balance verification issued by the bank or Financial Guarantee/award letters issued by the scholarship organization.
    • The proof must be issued within the past 6 months.

Processing time

• An international student advisor will review their I-20 request and email them an updated I-20 within five business days.
• The Division of International Education no longer issues paper I-20. All students will receive an I-20 at their SFSU email account. The I-20 will be in PDF format with a certified digital signature from a school official. 
• Students must PRINT the I-20, SIGN it in blue ink, and PRESENT the paper I-20 at the U.S. port of entry. 

Attention

SEVIS fee

• The regulation requires all F-1 international students to pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee after receiving an initial I-20 with a new SEVIS ID. 
• Students who have already paid the SEVIS fee to the same SEVIS ID do not need to pay again.
• Students can enter the SEVIS ID at the check I-901 status page to find out if a SEVIS has been paid.

Enroll in a full-time course load for Fall 2025

• No 100% online study allowed.
• No more than three units of online classes can be used to satisfy full-time requirements. See the maintaining status page.
  • Undergraduate students must enroll in a minimum of 12 units to be considered full-time, of which at least 9 units must be in-person/hybrid.
  • Graduate students must enroll in a minimum of 8 units to be considered full-time, of which at least 5 units must be in-person/hybrid.

Arrive in the U.S. by August 25, 2025

• The first day of Fall 2025 is August 25, 2025.
• You must enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days before the I-20 program start date.
• No late arrival or extension will be allowed.

Passport

Students' passports must be valid for at least six months into the future at the time they return to the United States.  However, Some countries have an agreement with the United States that allows them to enter on a current passport up to the actual date of expiration.

F-1 Visa

If students' F-1 visa will expire on or before the date they return to the United States, they must prepare to apply for an F-1 visa in their home country. Students are not eligible to apply for F-1 visas (or any extension/renewals) while physically in the U.S.

Automatic Visa Revalidation: Students are often able to revalidate an expired F-1 visa automatically when returning from a visit of fewer than thirty days to Mexico, Canada, or one of the islands adjacent to the United States (excluding Cuba), provided they have a valid I-20 (with valid travel signature on the 3rd page) and passport. This process is known as automatic visa revalidation. Please note that students who have a terminated SEVIS record indicating that they are out of status or have been outside the United States for more than 30 days will not be able to automatically re-validate their F-1 visa.  For additional information, see automatic visa revalidation on the U.S. Department of State website. See U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)'s information about traveling to Adjacent Islands as F-1 students.

I-20

If students are traveling outside the United States, they must have a travel signature, dated within 1 year of their return date, under the "Travel Endorsement" section of the Form I-20. See image below:

For example, if the student’s I-20 was signed on November 15, 2022, it is valid until November 15, 2023. Students whose travel signature has expired or will expire before their planned re-entry date should request a new travel signature.  Here is an example of the "Date Issued" on the 2nd page of the I-20:

Do not travel with a terminated I-20 even if the signature appears to be valid. Students are not able to re-enter the United States with a terminated I-20. Students should check their SFSU email account regularly for updates from the university and the Division of International Education. Travel signatures can be canceled if a student falls out of status while outside the U.S.

Students should carry a valid passport, valid F-1 visa, and I-20 with travel signature when seeking entry into the United States. The Division of International Education also recommends that students carry any previous I-20s from SFSU that they may have, as well as a copy of their official or unofficial transcript. 

Students on approved Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) must also carry their EAD and a job offer/employment verification letter.

Students who have graduated and are on their 60-day grace periods after their program completion date will not be eligible to re-enter the U.S. (if they leave the U.S. during their grace period). Students who have submitted Form I-765 to apply for OPT are not on their grace period but in pending/approved OPT status. See "travel while on OPT or STEM OPT" information below.

Take a look at “Form Issue Reason” under “Date of Birth” – the issue reason should show “Continued Attendance”, not “Initial Attendance” nor “Transfer Pending”. 

If the student’s I-20 does not show “Continued Attendance” (i.e. if the I-20 shows "Initial Attendance" or "Transfer Pending"), the student should contact an F-1 international student advisor to request a travel signature.  This is true even if the I-20 already has a travel signature on the 2nd page. The Division of International Education will issue a new "Continued Attendance" I-20 digitally for the student and sign it for travel.

Students who have a “Continued Attendance” I-20 and have previously obtained a travel signature on that document should check the “Date Issued” in the “Travel Endorsement” section. 

Students on the 12-month post-completion OPT or 24-month STEM OPT extension

• Must enter the U.S. with “APPROVED” remark for OPT or STEM OPT
• Must carry a valid EAD
• Must carry a job offer/job verification letter
• Travel signature is valid for 6 months only (NOT one year)
• Must carry valid passport and F-1 visa

Students who have pending I-765

• Must enter the U.S. with “PENDING” remark for OPT or STEM OPT
  • Pending OPT: job offer/verification is not required 
  • Pending  STEM OPT: Do not leave the U.S. if current 12-month post-completion OPT has ended, and the STEM OPT extension application is still pending. 
• Travel signature is valid for 6 months only (NOT one year)
• Must carry valid passport and F-1 visa

To obtain a travel signature, students can either submit their DS-2019 at the Division of International Education front desk or email it to exchange@sfsu.edu.

Processing time

• An exchange student advisor will review their DS-2019 request and email them an updated DS-2019 within five business days.
   
• The Division of International Education no longer issues paper DS-2019. All students will receive a DS-2019 at their SFSU email account. The DS-2019 will be in PDF format with a certified digital signature from a school official. 
• Students must PRINT the IDS-2019, SIGN it in blue ink, and PRESENT the paper DS-2019 at the U.S. port of entry. 

Passport

Students' passports must be valid for at least six months into the future at the time they return to the United States  However, some countries have an agreement with the United States that allows them to enter on a current passport up to the actual date of expiration.

J-1 Visa

If students' J-1 visas will expire on or before the date they return to the United States, they must prepare to apply for a new J-1 visa in their home country. Students are not eligible to apply for J-1 visas (or any extension/renewals) while physically in the U.S.

Automatic Visa Revalidation: Students are often able to revalidate an expired J-1 visa automatically when returning from a visit of fewer than thirty days to Mexico, Canada, or one of the islands adjacent to the United States (excluding Cuba), provided they have a valid DS-2019 (with valid travel signature) and passport. This process is known as automatic visa revalidation. Please note that students who have a terminated SEVIS record indicating that they are out of status or have been outside the United States for more than 30 days will not be able to automatically re-validate their J-1 visa.  For additional information, see automatic visa revalidation on the U.S. Department of State website.

DS-2019

If students are traveling outside the United States, they must obtain a travel signature under the "Travel Endorsement" section of Form DS-2019.