Anyone in non-immigrant visa status should contact their International Office Advisor two weeks prior to their travel and notify their department when they are planning on traveling outside the United States of America.

We recommend that you obtain a letter of goodstanding confirming your status with UTSW from the International Office to present to Immigration upon return to the U.S.

If you hold a J or F status, you will need to have your sponsorship document (DS-2019 or I-20) signed at the International Office.

You will need to confirm that your passport expiration date is at least 6 months after your return to the U.S.

You will need to confirm that the visa stamp in your passport is the same as the status that you currently hold and that it will be valid when you return to the U.S. 

Security Checks

Security checks during application for a visa stamp are very common for all people studying or working in scientific fields.  They are even more common in specific countries such as China, India, Korea and Middle Eastern countries.  While these checks are usually completed within 3 weeks, a few have taken as long as 6 months and there is nothing Southwestern can do to shorten the period of time it will take.  Please plan accordingly and let your supervisor know about this possibility.

If you are getting a new visa stamp while traveling:

A pre-scheduled appointment at the embassy where you will apply is required. To locate your embassy's website for specific requirements and appointment instructions, go to the U.S. Department of State's Embassy/Consulate Location web page. 

You can also check the U.S. Department of State's Visa Processing & Interview Wait Time web page to find the anticipated wait time for a Consular appointment and visa stamp processing time.

Ask the International Office for the documents you will need to apply for a new visa stamp.

Be sure to take your current I-94 to give to Immigration upon departure.  

Upon your return to the U.S.:

Before you leave the airport, check your I-94 (and those of your dependents) to ensure that it states the correct visa status and expiration date.

• For people in F status, the I-94 should be marked F-1 (dependents = F-2) and the expiration date should be "D/S" (stands for duration of status).
• For people in J status, the I-94 should be marked J-1 (dependents = J-2) and the expiration date should be "D/S" (stands for duration of status).
• For people in H status, the I-94 should be marked H-1B (dependents = H-4) and the expiration date should be the expiration date on the I-797.