For Students

If you are preparing to travel to the United States, whether for your initial arrival at TCU or returning from abroad, please review the information below carefully. To enter the U.S. successfully, you must carry a valid passport, a valid U.S. visa (Canadian citizens excluded), and a physical copy of your valid Form I-20 or DS-2019 with a valid travel signature. To obtain a new travel signature, please submit a request through the ISO Gateway.

We encourage you to connect with your dedicated ISO adviser before making travel arrangements, particularly if you have questions or anticipate any challenges. If you experience difficulty at a U.S. port of entry, please contact our office as soon as possible so we can assist you.

This section also outlines which documents you should carry, what to expect during the entry process, and how to access and understand your I-94 arrival record. Careful preparation will help ensure a smooth return to campus and continued compliance with your immigration status.

If you plan to travel to a country outside the United States that is not your country of citizenship or legal permanent residence, it is your responsibility to verify whether a visa is required for entry. While certain U.S. visas may permit entry into third countries under specific agreements, this is not guaranteed. In most cases, you will need to obtain a visa directly from the embassy or consulate of the country you intend to visit.

Local Travel (In & Around the Fort Worth Area

While traveling locally within Fort Worth or nearby areas, it is not necessary to carry your original immigration documents at all times. However, we strongly recommend keeping printed copies of the following documents with you for identification and safety purposes:

• Your most recent I-94 Arrival/Departure Record (not the travel history)
• Form I-20 (for F-1 students) or Form DS-2019 (for J-1 exchange visitors)
• Passport biographical information page
• U.S. visa issued by a U.S. consulate or embassy (note: Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa)
• Form I-797 Approval Notice (for individuals in H-1B or O-1 status)
• Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card (for those currently on F-1 OPT or STEM OPT)

Having these documents on hand in printed form may be helpful if requested by local authorities or for general identification purposes during travel.

Travel Outside the Fort Worth Area

When traveling outside the Fort Worth area (whether by air, car, train, or bus), you should carry your original passport and immigration documents, as they may be required for identification and verification purposes. These documents are mandatory for domestic air travel and may also be requested during travel by land, particularly when you are within a few hours of the northern or southern U.S. borders.

Please note that a U.S. issued driver’s license is not considered evidence of lawful immigration status.

Although it is uncommon to be asked for immigration documentation during domestic travel, carrying your documents ensures that you can immediately demonstrate your lawful status in the United States if needed.

A visa is a physical sticker placed in your passport by a U.S. embassy or consulate outside the United States. It indicates your eligibility to apply for entry into the U.S. in a specific immigration category, such as F-1 or J-1 student status. Canadian citizens are not required to have a U.S. visa but must possess all other necessary documentation for entry.

For more information on different U.S. visa categories, please refer to the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

Maintaining immigration status involves adhering to specific legal responsibilities while in the United States. Requirements differ based on visa type. For F-1 and J-1 students, these requirements include:

• A valid, unexpired passport
• An up-to-date Form I-20 (F-1) or Form DS-2019 (J-1)
• Enrollment in a full-time course load for each required term of study
• No more than 20 hours per week of on-campus work during the academic term
• Authorization for any off-campus work, such as F-1 OPT or CPT or J-1 Academic Training
• Proper completion of transfer, extension, or program change procedures

It is your responsibility to understand and follow the requirements to maintain your immigration status. Both your Form I-20 (for F-1 status) and Form DS-2019 (for J-1 status) should remain accurate and current. For more details on maintaining your status, visit the ISO website.

Upon arrival in the U.S., a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will review your immigration documents and visa. They will authorize your status in the I-94 system. The entry stamp includes an I-94 record, which specifies the length of time you are permitted to stay in the U.S. It is important to print and retain a copy of your I-94 record as evidence of your immigration status.

For F-1 and J-1 visa holders, the notation “D/S” (Duration of Status) will appear on both your entry stamp and I-94 record. This indicates that you may remain in the U.S. as long as your immigration document (Form I-20 or DS-2019) remains valid and up-to-date. As long as your status is maintained according to the conditions outlined on your immigration documents, you do not need to worry about a specific expiration date for your stay.

The visa in your passport is an entry document and does not dictate how long you may remain in the U.S. You may stay beyond the expiration date of your visa as long as you are maintaining valid F-1 or J-1 status and your immigration document (Form I-20 or DS-2019) remains current.

However, for international travel, it is important that your visa, passport, and immigration document are all valid and unexpired. If your visa expires while you are in the U.S., you are not required to renew it in order to remain in the country. If you plan to travel abroad and return to the U.S., you will need to apply for a new visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside the U.S.