International Student Services
Email: international@champlain.edu
All international students entering the U.S. by air or sea will receive an I-94 stamp in their passport - this stamp will show the date of admission, class of admission (F-1/J-1, etc.), and date that the student is admitted to (i.e. "D/S"). Those entering by land will receive a paper I-94A card.
Before you leave the inspection site after re-entering the U.S., please look at your stamp in your passport/card. If it does not read either "F-1 D/S" (for F-1 students) or "J-1 D/S" (for J-1 students), please go back to the officer and have them change it immediately! This stamp is super important.
"Automatic Revalidation of Visa" (or, Neighboring Country Provision) allows nationals of most countries in valid F-1 student status to travel to Canada, Mexico, or the adjacent islands of the Caribbean (other than Cuba) for 30 days or less and re-enter the United States without a valid F-1/J-1 student visa. This procedure is not available to nationals of Iraq, Cuba, Sudan, Iran, Libya, Syria, or North Korea.
In order to take advantage of this benefit, if you still have a paper I-94, it is important that you do not surrender your I-94 when exiting the U.S. Make sure that you tell the CBP officer that you will be keeping your I-94 in order to re-enter the U.S. If you do not have a paper I-94, the inspector at the border will verify your I-94 electronically to revalidate your expired visa if you meet the conditions of automatic revalidation. Important notes:
Many students mistakenly feel that since they are not leaving the U.S., they do not need their documents when they travel around the U.S. Remember the U.S. is a large country comprised of individual states with very different law enforcement bodies. OIE strongly encourages you to carry proof of identity and immigration status when traveling in and outside of Burlington, VT. Recommended documents for travel within the U.S.:
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Entry visas can only be issued outside of the United States. OIE recommends that you apply for your new visa in your home country. OIE also strongly encourages you to schedule an appointment in advance with the Assistant Director, International Student Services before you leave the U.S. and also double check the U.S. embassy/consulate website in your country to see if there are other documents that they will require of you. If your visa is already expired or will expire during the Winter Break while you are away from the US, you will need to renew your visa before re-entering the U.S. to resume your studies. Please make an appointment with the Assistant Director, International Student Services immediately to start the process, get your documents, and discuss your renewal of your visa. Standard documents necessary for renewal:
Visa Renewal in Canda or Mexico: Many students wish to travel to Canada or Mexico to apply for a new visa because they are so close to the United States; however, if you are denied a visa in Canada or Mexico, you will not be able to re-enter the U.S. If you decide to travel to Canada or Mexico you must be prepared to stay at least four (4) days before your visa application will be approved. If you are a full-time student at Champlain College, and wish to visit Canada or Mexico to apply for a new F-1/J-1 visa, OIE recommends that you contact the American embassy in Canada or Mexico before leaving Burlington to schedule an appointment and to check on the embassy's rules and requirements. See list above for the standard documents to bring with you to the visa interview. Once you are granted a visa, you will be able to return to the U.S.
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