Renewing Passport
All non-immigrants in the US must maintain a valid passport at all times. Passports should be valid for at least six months into the future when entering and re-entering the US and also when applying for a visa. Students must contact the local embassy or consulate of their home country for instructions on renewing their passport.
Students whose expired passport has a valid visa are still able to use that visa if they have the old passport. Students must remember to carry and present the old passport along with the new passport when traveling.
New Student Visa
Students are able to stay in the US on an expired F-1/visa as long as they are properly maintaining their status by being in possession of a valid I-20 and valid I-94 card. However, if students are traveling they must have a valid visa to re-enter the US.
New visas cannot be obtained inside the US. Once students have made a visa interview appointment at a US Embassy or Consulate abroad, they should review the Embassy or Consulate's website for details on the visa process including required documents. Students are also able to check on the visa wait times for a specific US Embassy or Consulate through the US Department of State website.
The Department of State recommends that students apply for a visa in their home country. Students who must apply for a visa in a third country must remember the following:
- Students cannot return to the US until their visa has been issued.
- If a background check is required, students must wait until this is cleared and the wait could be several weeks.
- If the visa application is denied, students will not be able to return to the US and will be required to return to their home country.