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Visa & Travel Information

Traveling Outside the US

Before entering another country, contact the country's consulate or embassy and obtain a visa if one is required for individuals from your country of citizenship and for the purpose of your visit.

Academic Services can provide a letter verifying your appointment/employment at Salk. If there have been any changes in your employment, such as job title, location, or duties, or J-1 funding source(s), consult Academic Services before traveling. Please notify Academic Services of your travel dates and plans in advance if you would like a verification letter.

J-1s/J-2s, E-3s/E-3Ds, and TNs/TDs: You must maintain nonimmigrant intent and/or demonstrate that you will depart from the US at the end of your current nonimmigrant status.

Always carry your immigration documents with you, including what you will need for reentry to the US. Do not pack them in checked luggage.

Reentry into the US

It is important that you carefully check the I-94 card issued to you upon each entry to the US, as the expiration date specified on the I-94 card is the date by which you must leave the US.

We recommend you keep copies of your current immigration documents each time they are updated, including each time you receive a new I-94 card from reentry to the US.

J-1 Scholars (or J-2 dependents) must carry the following:

H-1Bs (or H-4 dependents) and O-1s (or O-3 dependents) must carry:

TNs and E-3s should consult Academic Services.

J Status with a DS-2019 Not Signed Within the Past Year:

Anyone in J status should have their DS-2019 signed by the (Alternate) Responsible Officer in Academic Services at the bottom right for re-entry to the United States. The date of the travel signature should be no older than one year from the date of entry. If an exchange visitor tries to enter the US with no signature or one that is more than one year old, he/she might be admitted without further question or be sent to secondary inspection where a CBP officer could issue Form I-515A and admit the person for only 30 days. Always keep in mind that admission to the US is at the discretion of CBP. Form I-515A is issued to allow correction of status duration by mailing (or, in certain circumstances by faxing) the required documentation to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program office in Washington, DC, for deferred inspection.

If you are issued an I-515A, consult Academic Services within 5 days of reentry to the US. Do not attempt to respond without consulting Academic Services to confirm procedures and current mailing address. Boarding a flight and entry to the US are at the discretion of the airline and US Customs and Border Protection, respectively; however, not having a valid signature does not usually prevent one from being able to return to the US.

Forgotten/ Lost/ Stolen Documents
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Obtaining a New Visa (Stamp)

If you will be traveling outside the US and you do not have a US visa (stamp) that will be valid for your nonimmigrant status upon your return, you must obtain one at a US embassy or consulate abroad prior to reentering the US. (Visa stamps are not normally required for Canadian citizens.)

It is recommended that you apply for a visa in your home country. Although some consulates may allow third country nationals to apply for visas in some circumstances, this may cause delays and/or it may be difficult to prove nonimmigrant intent if required by your nonimmigrant status. If delayed or denied a visa, you will not be allowed to reenter the United States and will either have to wait until the visa is approved or return to your home country directly to reapply for a visa there.

For information regarding additional documentation or paperwork necessary for reentry to the US, consult the US embassy or consulate that you will visit prior to traveling outside the US. Allow ample time to make the visa appointment and receive your visa. Individuals can check general visa wait times by US consular location.

For information about visa fees, length of visa, specific types of documents accepted for visa issuance (e.g., birth or marriage certificates), and issuing posts for a particular country, go to http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_1341.html.

Note for Js subject to the Two-Year Home Country Physical Presence Requirement: If you have begun the process of applying for a J-1 waiver recommendation, it may be very difficult or impossible to obtain a new J visa for reentry to the US. Consult Academic Services prior to setting your travel plans.

Security Checks

Visa applicants will undergo administrative processing/security checks. Administrative processing can result in delay or denial of a visa. Because of this, you should apply for the visa well in advance of the date you wish to travel to the US. There is no way to predict with certainty who will be subject to these checks or how long they will take. However, you are more likely to be subject to an in-depth security check if any of the following criteria apply to you:

  1. You are applying for a visa in a third country.
  2. You are coming from or have traveled in certain countries, including those countries on the US Department of State's list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
  3. You are engaged either professionally or academically in any of the fields listed on the US Department of State's Technology Alert List ("TAL"). These fields include, but are not limited to: engineering, chemistry, biology, physics.

An additional letter for the US consulate or embassy from your PI/Supervisor may also be helpful.

Automatic Visa Revalidation

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