All F-1 and J-1 visitors who plan to reenter the US require:

• Valid passport that does not expire within the next 6 months
• I-20 or DS-2019 with a travel signature from the OIE or your program sponsor from within the past 12 months
• Valid F-1 or J-1 visa for your status if you are not a citizen of Canada
  • There is an exception for "Automatic Revalidation" - see details below
  • Need to get a new visa?  See Applying for Your F-1 or J-1 Visa for more information.
• For students on OPT, see the Optional Practical Training page for additional documents needed for entry.
• If you are missing any of these documents, we recommend that you consult with the OIE prior to traveling. 

Automatic visa revalidation is when you reenter the US in the same status with an expired visa after short trip to Canada, Mexico, or an adjacent island. You do not need to apply for automatic visa revalidation. However, it is a good idea to know the phrase as you might need to tell the CBP officer that you are reentering the US on automatic visa revalidation. Students from certain countries are not eligible for automatic visa revalidation. See the Department of State for more information and for the current list of adjacent islands.

To reenter the US on Automatic Revalidation, all of the following must be true:

• You are not using this travel to change your status
• Your prior visa is still in your passport and is expired but was multiple entry
• You have a valid passport and an I-20 or DS-2019 with a valid travel signature.
• Your trip was no longer than 30 days.
• You did not apply for a new US visa during your trip.
• You only visited Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island. See the Student and Exchange Visitor Program’s website for a list of adjacent islands.

Everyone entering the US is likely to be inspected by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This is true for US citizens and citizens of other countries. Anyone who wants to lawfully enter the US must prove that they are eligible to do so. The CBP officer at the border makes the decision if a person is eligible to enter the US. You must show your passport and other supporting documents. The CBP officer will review your travel documents to confirm your identity and nationality, and ask questions about your visit to the US. Common questions CBP officers will ask include: 

• Why are you coming to the US?
• How long do you plan to visit?
• Where will you be staying?
• What is your permanent residence abroad?
• What means do you have to support yourself financially during your stay in the US?

You should be prepared to answer those questions briefly and honestly. 

While not common, sometimes the initial inspection does not give the CBP officers enough information to admit you to the US and you may be sent to an interview area known as secondary inspection. During a secondary inspection, the CBP officer may ask you detailed questions about your purpose for visiting the US and immigration history. You may be asked to produce additional documentation. Both you and your belongings may (including electronic devices, social media accounts, etc.) be searched. This can sometimes take several hours to complete. 

We recommend that you have the OIE's contact information in your phone in the event you are placed in secondary inspection. During standard business hours, call the OIE directly at +1-802-656-4296. Outside of standard business hours, call UVM Police Services at +1-802-656-3473. UVM Police Services will be able to connect you to an OIE staff member.