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Travel Documents

Immigration Documents

Passports

All international students and dependent family members planning to depart the U.S. for a temporary absence must have a valid passport in order to exit the U.S. Your passport must be valid for at least six months into the future at all times. Students who travel within the U.S. outside the greater New York City area are encouraged to travel with their passport.

You can apply for a renewal of your passport in your home country during a vacation abroad, or through your country’s consulate in the U.S. Be sure to bring your passport to the Office for Global Education soon after you arrive so that copies can be made for your file.

I-20 Form

The I-20 is the Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 student immigration status in the U.S.

If you are an F-1 student, the I-20 is issued to you by Purchase College after you have been accepted and have provided financial documentation, which shows your ability to pay for your education and living expenses. The I-20 is used to obtain your F-1 visa at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your country. It is also required for all entries to the U.S. After your initial entry into the U.S., your I-20 must be properly signed by a Designated School Official (DSO) in the Office for Global Education (OGE) before you leave the U.S because it will be needed for re-entry to the United States. Endorsement signatures are valid for one year.

Important : F-1 students must be enrolled full-time and making “normal progress” toward completion of the program AT ALL TIMES. The expected date of completion noted on the I-20 is an estimated date. It may take you more or less time. If you do not finish your studies by completion date on your I-20, contact the OGE at least 4 weeks prior to the date, (see program extension).

Visa Stamp

Except for Canadian citizens, all international students need to have a valid F-1 visa stamp in their passport issued by a U.S. embassy or consulate. F-1 visa stamps cannot be obtained or renewed inside the U.S.

This visa stamp is a travel document that gives you permission to apply for entry to the U.S. at an airport or other port of entry. It indicates the visa classification you have been given for your stay in the U.S. and when it will expire. Also, it indicates how many times you can enter the U.S. using that visa (e.g. single/two/multiple). Please read the following section entitled “renewing or changing visas.”

A visa does not determine the length of time you may stay in the U.S. after entry. A visa does not need to remain valid after you have been admitted to the United States. Your approved program of study, as indicated on your I-20 determines the length of time you are authorized to stay in the U.S.

I-94 Record

This is your “Arrival/Departure Record.” Upon your admission to the United States at a port of entry, you will be issued a Form I-94. International students who enter the country at an air or sea port of entry are issued an electronic form, while those who enter the country at a land port of entry are issued a paper Form I-94. Do not throw away the I-94 form that is stapled in your passport. It shows your admission number, immigration status, date of entry and the length of time that your status is valid. A notation of “D/S” means that your F-1 status is valid for “duration of status” or the time it will take to complete your current degree program as a full-time student. This I-94 form is updated each time you re-enter the U.S. (Exception: Canadian students for whom the initial I-94 is not removed.)

All international students should access and review their electronic I-94 form for accuracy after they enter the U.S.