Be sure you have these documents with you when you travel:
- Permission signature from Designated School Official (DSO) on page
three of your I-20. Signature must be dated within the last six months.
- Valid passport
- Valid I-94 card (you will receive a new card when you re-enter the U.S.
- F-1 or M-1 visa
- Proof that you are a student at Clark College (photocopy of registration, previous semester grades, letter from your International Student Advisor stating your reason for traveling and when you will return to resume your studies.)
- A round-trip airline ticket
If your visa has expired, you may need to visit the U.S. Embassy in your home country before returning to the U.S. Please check with your International Student Advisor.
Note: Travel outside the U.S. after program completion while you are awaiting your OPT approval is not recommended. See your advisor for details.
Entering Canada and Re-entry into the United States
American visitors crossing the border, either way, need to verify their
citizenship with a passport. Naturalized U.S. citizens should carry a naturalization
certificate. Permanent U.S. residents who are not U.S. citizens are advised
to bring their "green card". For citizens of certain countries,
Canada requires a visitor’s visa (see website below) to be obtained
from their nearest Canadian Consulate before entry into Canada. Travelers
should check to see if this is required before their trip. To the best of
our knowledge, this information is current. Though, it would be a good idea
to call the Canadian Consulate ahead of your visit to make sure there has
not been a change in procedures.
The nearest Canadian Consulate is in Seattle, Washington. The address is:
Seattle Canadian Consulate
412 Plaza 600 Bldg.
Seattle, WA 98101-1286
Telephone Number: 206-443-1777
Fax Number: 206-443-9735
Re-Entry into the United States:
F-1 or M-1 visa holders who visit Canada for less than 30 days and who have
maintained a lawful non-immigrant status in the U.S. and intend to resume
that status upon their return must keep the Form I-94 (small white card
known as arrival/departure record) in their passport when crossing the border
and present it as one of the documents required for re-entry to the U.S.
Upon return to the U.S., the I-94 form, a valid I-20 (either a new one or
a properly endorsed I-20) and passport are shown to the U.S Immigration
Inspector. Since the inspector may still ask to see evidence of financial
support for the total stay in the U.S., it is strongly advised that F-1
or M-1 visa holders carry such evidence with them.
