Maintaining Your Status

Maintaining Valid Immigration Documents

As an F-1 or J-1 visa holder, you must meet certain obligations to maintain your immigration status. Please review the sections below.

Travel

If you will travel outside the United States during your program, you should complete the Travel Signature Request E-Form. Once it is approved we will make your signed I-20 or DS-2019 available for download in iStart. Make sure that you are academically eligible to return to study at USF and that your visa is valid to re-enter the U.S. Travel signatures are valid for one year or six months for students on OPT.

If your visa has expired, you may still be able to re-enter the U.S. after a visit to Canada, Mexico, or adjacent islands. Refer to the Travel Outside the United States to Contiguous Territories or Adjacent Islands Handout for more information.

Please see our updated Travel page for additional information.

Valid Passport & Visa

Keep your passport valid for at least six months into the future at all times. Do not let your passport expire. Your visa must be valid at the time you enter the US. However, it can expire while you are here and you may remain in the US with an expired visa.