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Travel Tips for F-1 Students

Traveling inside or outside the U.S.: 

  • Passport, valid at least six months after your date of entry into the U.S.
  • Valid visa, if traveling outside the U.S. (some exceptions exist for travel to Canada, Mexico, and adjacent islands. See information about Automatic Visa Revalidation or renewing F-1 visa.
  • I-20 signed for travel every year or every 6 month for OPT/STEM.
  • If you are currently on OPT, your EAD card and proof of employment is required if you are able to provide it (this can be a letter from your employer stating that you are currently employed, an offer letter if you have not yet started the employment, and/or pay stubs).
  • Legal Travel Tips for F-1 Students while on OPT or STEM.
     

Travel Tips and Reminders:

  • Tips for Advising Campuses in a Time of Immigration Uncertainty.
  • Always carry copies of your travel documents. Carry digital or printed copies of your documents at all times, including when traveling domestically.
  • Make flexible travel plans. Consider purchasing travel insurance or flexible fares when booking travel so that you can change your itinerary if needed.
  • Plan in advance. To prepare for any processing delays, submit visa applications as early as possible and plan well in advance for any visa changes. Applications for optional practical training (OPT) can be filed up to 90 days before the end date of your academic program.  
  • Be mindful with domestic trips. Use caution when traveling domestically to locations that are close to the Mexican or Canadian borders since there could be immigration checks. Also to U.S. overseas territories.
  • Rely only on official information. Make decisions based only on credible sources such as the U.S. State Department or the ISSO news page. Avoid relying on speculative guidance found on social media.
  • Seek guidance. Reach out to the ISSO if you have questions or concerns. 

 

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.