Travel Information

• Consult the U.S. Department of State website to view travel advisories.
• Make sure your documents are valid and you have a recent travel signature on your I-20;
  • DSO signatures must be less than a year old from your expected reentry as a continuing student.
  • If you are on OPT or STEM OPT, please consult with a Designated School Official (DSO).
• Speak to a Designated School Official (DSO) in the Global Education Office (GEO) if you have any concerns about travel.

Be sure to carry the following documents with you whether you travel within the U.S. (outside of Wichita Falls) or abroad:

• Unexpired passport;
• Passport containing F-1 visa stamp;
• Properly endorsed I-20 with valid signature from a DSO.

If your non-immigrant visa stamp has expired, you will have to apply for a new visa to re-enter the U.S., unless you will be using Automatic Visa Revalidation;

Please speak with a DSO in GEO before you leave the U.S., if you plan to apply for a visa renewal. In most cases you will need the following documents if you will be renewing your F-1 visa while on vacation:

• Official MSU Transcript;
• Enrollment verification letter (obtained at the Office of the Registrar in Hardin South);
• Proof of updated financial support and valid Form I-20; 
• You will also want to check with the U.S. Embassy you are planning to apply from about processing time and procedures in your home country about setting up a visa appointment for a renewal.

• If you plan to travel to a country that is contiguous* to the U.S. (but not Cuba!) and you intend to stay there less than 30 days, you will not need to apply for a new U.S. visa, and you may re-enter the U.S. on an expired visa stamp (this regulation is known as Automatic Visa Revalidation) as long as you are in active F-1 status.
• Please note that citizens of Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, and Cuba will not be allowed to re-enter the U.S. with an expired U.S. visa stamp, even if the trip is to a contiguous country.

• In general, we do not recommend that third-country nationals apply for a U.S. visa in Mexico or Canada because of lengthy delays due to background/security checks and complications, in case of visa denial. Re-entry back into the United States will be based only on the successful approval of a visa.
• If your visa application were to be denied, you would need to depart directly to your home country to apply for a new visa to re-enter the U.S.
• You may not use Automatic Visa Revalidation if you applied for a visa while abroad.