Travel Tips for Foreign Students on OPT or Planning a Change of Status to H-1B

1. I am an F-1 student who would like to travel internationally. How should the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic play into my decision?  

The COVID-19 pandemic should significantly influence your decision whether to travel overseas. The United States and most foreign countries have put in place COVID-19 travel restrictions and quarantine measures, which will likely affect whether you will be able to enter your destination country and return to the United States.

Also, if you require a new F-1 or H-1B visa, please keep in mind that U.S. consulates worldwide continue to operate on a very limited basis and have prioritized immigrant visa processing over nonimmigrant visa processing, thus making it more challenging to obtain a visa appointment where needed.

2. Should I be concerned about COVID-19 travel restrictions in my destination country?

Yes, nearly all countries and jurisdictions have implemented some combination of entry, quarantine, and sometimes exit requirements or advisories in response to the COVID-19 emergency. As such, you should research policies that apply to your destination before making any plans. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a highly fluid situation and policies can change with little or no notice. Fragomen’s COVID-19 Microsite summarizes restrictions and requirements currently in place in over 150 jurisdictions. We recommend regularly checking this page for the latest immigration updates. 

3. If I can travel to my destination country, what U.S. COVID-19 public health requirements or travel restrictions could affect my ability to return to the United States in F-1 status?

There are a number of public health measures in place that restrict travel into the United States.  Currently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention require all airline passengers boarding international flights to the United States to present documentation of a negative COVID test result obtained within three calendar days of departure or documentation of your recovery from COVID and clearance for travel.

In addition, the U.S. government’s regional COVID-19 public health bans for Brazil, China, Iran, Ireland, the European Schengen Area, the United Kingdom and South Africa continue to remain in place.  Under these bans, foreign nationals who have traveled through or have been otherwise physically present in these countries within 14 days before seeking admission to the United States will be denied entry unless they qualify for an exception.

A limited exception to the regional COVID-19 public health bans is available to F-1 students traveling from or through the European Schengen Area, the UK or Ireland. Specifically, F-1 students traveling from or through these areas automatically qualify for a national interest exception and do not need to contact a consulate to request travel permission if they already have a valid F-1 visa in their passport.  Instead, they may travel directly to the United States. Where the qualifying F-1 student requires a new visa in order to return to the United States, the U.S. consulate adjudicating the visa application will automatically consider the student for a national interest exception, though obtaining a visa appointment may still be a significant challenge as discussed below.

This exception is not available for F-1 students traveling from or through the other countries subject to the COVID-19 public health bans – Brazil, China, Iran, and South Africa. F-1 students traveling from or through these countries can only bypass the regional bans if they qualify for a different exception, such as being the immediate family member of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Please contact your Fragomen representative for travel advice if you believe you qualify for an exception under these restrictions.

4. If I travel, I will need an F-1 visa in order to return to the United States. Is it possible to obtain an F-1 visa given the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, what should I expect at the visa interview and the port of entry?

Right now, it is generally difficult to obtain a nonimmigrant visa appointment at U.S. consulates abroad. Many U.S. consulates are either closed or operating at extremely reduced capacity due to local COVID-19 conditions. Visa appointments are limited in many areas and posts have been instructed to prioritize immigrant visa processing over nonimmigrant visa processing. Emergency cases, diplomats, and COVID-19-related travel are also likely to have priority over student and employment-based nonimmigrant visa appointments.

If you are able to secure an appointment, you should prepare to be flexible. An increase in COVID-19 cases in the host country could mean further tightening of consular operations, including appointment cancellations or rescheduling with little notice. Check the relevant U.S. consulate website for information on their operations. A list of consulate websites can be found at www.usembassy.gov.

Assuming you are able to secure a visa appointment, you could be required to go through a security clearance before your visa can be issued. If your name, personal details or travel history match or are similar to information in government security databases or travel watch lists, the State Department may not be able to issue a visa until it confirms that you are not the same person as an individual who appears on a security list. If this occurs, your reentry to the United States could be delayed.

In addition, if an approved H-1B petition on your behalf appears in the government system, officials at U.S. consulates and the U.S. border may question whether you have nonimmigrant intent, i.e., whether you genuinely intend to return to your home country after you complete your studies and any temporary status granted to you. Having a foreign residence that you do not intend to abandon is a requirement for F-1 status. If you have an approved H-1B in the system, consular and border officials will know that you have a professional job in the United States – a possible indication of strong ties to the United States. Though the intent to return to your home country is a longstanding F-1 requirement, the State Department has tightened its policies on this issue and could subject your application for an F-1 visa or entry to the United States to more intensive scrutiny.  If a consular or border officer feels convinced that you do not have the present intent to return to your home country after you have completed your F-1 activities, you could have your visa or entry denied or delayed, and may have to wait overseas until you can apply for an H-1B visa to enter and start your H-1B employment. Having a foreign residence is not a requirement for an H-1B visa.

5. I am an F-1 student who plans to apply for an H-1B visa while I am abroad. Are there any additional restrictions I should be aware of?

Yes. Though the presidential proclamation suspending the entry of foreign nationals in the H-1B, H-2B, L-1 and certain J-1 categories is no longer in effect, it nevertheless remains difficult to obtain an H-1B visa appointment at a U.S. consulate abroad, as discussed in detail in Question 4 above. 

If you are able to secure an H-1B visa appointment, please keep these additional H-1B-related factors in mind:

• U.S. consular posts generally do not allow you to apply for your visa more than 90 days before your H-1B petition start date. This means that if your start date is October 1, 2021, you would  not be able to apply for your H-1B visa until July 3, 2021.
• Be prepared for a possible security clearance. As discussed in Question 4, if your name, personal details or travel history match information in government security databases or on travel watch lists, the State Department may not be able to issue your visa until it confirms that you are not the same person as a listed individual. A security clearance may also be required if you will work in high technology, engineering or the sciences, or with products or services that have both commercial and military applications (known as "dual use" technologies). Security clearances typically get resolved in a matter of weeks, but can take several months or longer depending on the circumstances.
• If you are able to secure an H-1B visa before October 1, 2021, please note that you may not enter the United States in that status until September 21, 2021.  The United States allows new visa holders to enter the country ten days before the petition start date so they can get settled in the United States.  Though you can enter the country before October 1, you cannot engage in H-1B employment until the petition start date.

6. If I am able to travel and return to the United States, will I have to quarantine upon my return? 

At this time, the United States has no federal quarantine requirements in place. The federal agency Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued after-travel recommendations only, which can be found here.

Quarantine requirements in the United States are governed by the U.S. state through which you enter. Some states do not have after-travel requirements in place. For some states, entry from a CDC Level 2 or Level 3 COVID-19 country triggers heightened requirements. State policies can vary widely and change quickly; travelers should closely monitor their destination state requirements before travel and prior to reentry to the United States. 

7. I am an F-1 student working on my initial 12-month period of post-completion OPT. I will not be the beneficiary of a petition to change my status to H-1B this year.  How does international travel affect my status?

Outside of the COVID-19 considerations outlined above, if USCIS has approved your request for an initial 12-month grant of post-completion OPT and has issued your employment authorization document (EAD), you should be able to leave and reenter the United States to begin or resume OPT employment, provided that you have an OPT job or job offer and you do not have a pending or approved application to change status to another non-immigrant category. (If you will be the beneficiary of a petition to change status to H-1B under the H-1B cap, see Questions 13-17.)

If you decide to travel, you should carry the following items with you:

• A valid passport;
• A valid F-1 visa stamp (unless you are Canadian).  If your student visa has expired, you will need to apply for a new F-1 visa stamp to reenter the United States as a student (see Question 4 for more details);
• A Form I-20 that has been endorsed for travel and OPT by your designated school official (DSO) within the last six months;
• A valid EAD;
• A letter from your OPT employer that verifies your employment.  If you do not have a valid job or job offer, you will not be readmitted and your OPT may be terminated;
• Documentation of a negative COVID test result obtained within three calendar days of departure or documentation of your recovery from COVID and clearance for travel; and
• If applicable, evidence that you qualify for an exception to any applicable regional COVID-19 public health travel restrictions.

Keep in mind that the number of days you spend outside of the country while your EAD is valid may be counted against the regulatory limit on unemployment during the OPT period. Current USCIS rules require an F-1 student to have no more than 90 days of unemployment during an initial 12-month grant of post-completion OPT. (See Question 11 for the allowable period of unemployment during a STEM OPT extension.) Unemployment includes time spent in or outside the United States while unemployed, but does not include international travel that is part of your OPT employment or that takes place during leave authorized by your OPT employer.

8. Can I travel abroad while my initial request for post-completion OPT is pending?

Outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are other risks involved in traveling before your post-completion OPT request has been approved and you receive your OPT EAD, particularly if you have completed your course of study. Please reach out to your Fragomen attorney to discuss your options for traveling under these circumstances.

If you have a pending request for a STEM extension of OPT and are considering international travel, see Question 12 .

9. Can I travel abroad and reenter during the 60-day grace period after completing F-1 study or OPT?

If you will not apply for OPT, a STEM OPT extension or a change of status to another nonimmigrant category, you will not be able to travel abroad during the 60-day grace period and be readmitted in F-1 status. This is in keeping with the purpose of the 60-day grace period, which is to provide you with time to prepare for final departure from the United States following the completion of your course of study or OPT.

If you are in the grace period and an H-1B petition and application to change status to H-1B have been filed on your behalf, see Question 15.

10. I am an F-1 student who is eligible to travel abroad, but my visa has expired.  Do I need a new visa to reenter the United States?  What should I expect when I apply for a new F-1 visa and seek readmission

Yes, as a general rule, you will need to obtain a new visa stamp at a U.S. consulate.  If, however, you are traveling to Canada, Mexico or an island adjacent to the United States (other than Cuba), and staying for less than 30 days, you may be able to reenter the United States with your expired F-1 visa stamp, a valid passport, your EAD card (if in OPT) and an I-20 that has been endorsed for travel by your DSO.  Qualifying adjacent islands include the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad, and certain other islands. You should reach out to your Fragomen professional if you believe you fall under this exception. 

If you do not fall within this exception, you should take the following into consideration when applying for an F-1 visa.  First, you will be required to appear for an interview at a U.S. consulate.  And, as discussed in detail in Question 4, simply securing a visa appointment is currently a challenge given that many U.S. consulates are either closed or operating at extremely reduced capacity due to local COVID-19 conditions.

Second, if you are able to secure an appointment, you must be prepared to establish that you are returning to the United States to resume legitimate F-1 student activities, such as continued study or OPT employment.  You should also be aware that officials at U.S. consulates and the U.S. border may question whether you have nonimmigrant intent, i.e., whether you genuinely intend to return to your home country after the completion of your studies. 

Finally, you will have to undergo a security clearance before your visa can be issued. If your name, personal details or travel history match or are similar to information in government security databases or travel watch lists, the State Department will not be able to issue a visa until it completes a security clearance. If this occurs, your reentry to the United States could be delayed.

If you will be the beneficiary of a petition to change your status to H-1B, see Questions 5 and 13-17 for important additional instructions about travel and the visa application process.

11. Can I travel if I am currently working on a STEM OPT extension and have a valid employment authorization document and F-1 visa?  What if I need a new F-1 visa?

If USCIS has approved your request for a 24-month STEM OPT extension and has issued your EAD, you should be able to leave and reenter the United States to either begin or resume STEM OPT employment. You should carry all of the items identified in Question 7, including a valid passport, F-1 visa if required, a Form I-20 that has been endorsed in the last six months for STEM OPT and for travel, and an employment letter from your STEM OPT employer. Keep in mind that if you do not have a valid job or job offer at the time you apply for admission to the United States, you will not be readmitted upon your return and your OPT may be terminated. 

The number of days you spend outside of the United States may be counted against the regulatory limit on unemployment during the OPT period. Current USCIS rules require an F-1 student with a STEM OPT extension to have no more than 150 days of unemployment during their 36 months of OPT. No more than 90 days of unemployment can be accrued during the initial 12 months of OPT. An additional 60 days is added for beneficiaries of a 24-month STEM OPT extension. Unemployment includes time spent in or outside the United States while unemployed, but does not include international travel that is part of your OPT employment or that takes place during leave authorized by your OPT employer.

If you will be the beneficiary of a petition to change your status to H-1B, see Questions 5 and 14-17 for important additional instructions about travel and the visa application process.

12. Can I travel abroad while my STEM OPT extension application is pending?

If your initial grant of OPT, your EAD and F-1 visa will all remain valid throughout your trip, then you should be able to leave the country and return in valid F-1 status while the extension application is adjudicated, provided you carry and present the documents listed in Question 7 above. If your F-1 visa has expired, but your EAD remains valid, you should contact your Fragomen professional to discuss the risks involved in traveling and applying for a visa at a U.S. consulate.

If your initial grant of OPT has expired and your request for a STEM OPT extension remains unadjudicated, barring other COVID-19 travel restrictions discussed in Questions 1-5 above, you should also be able to leave the country and return in valid F-1 status, provided that you carry the following items with you:

• A valid passport;
• A valid F-1 visa stamp that permits multiple entries (unless you are Canadian);
• A Form I-20 Certificate that has been endorsed by your DSO in the last six months for STEM OPT and travel;
• Your expired EAD;
• A copy of your request for a STEM OPT extension;
• A letter from your OPT employer that verifies your employment;
• Documentation of a negative COVID test result obtained within three calendar days of departure or documentation of your recovery from COVID and clearance for travel; and
• If applicable, evidence that you qualify for an exception to any applicable regional COVID-19 public health travel restrictions.

Keep in mind that as with any other instance in which an individual seeks admission to the United States, admissibility is determined at the time the individual applies for admission at the port of entry, and CBP makes such determinations after examining the applicant for admission.

If you will be the beneficiary of a petition to change your status to H-1B, see Questions 5 and 13-17 for important additional instructions about travel and the visa application process.

13. I am an F-1 student and an H-1B cap petition and application to change status to H-1B have been filed on my behalf, but are not yet approved. May I travel internationally while they are pending?

If you leave the United States before your H-1B cap petition and change of status are approved by USCIS, you take on additional risks and processing steps, which could delay your ability to start work in H-1B status on October 1. 

First, if you travel abroad while your H-1B petition and request to change status are being processed, the change of status portion of your case will be considered abandoned. USCIS may still approve the H-1B petition itself, but you would not automatically change from F-1 to H-1B status on October 1.  In order to activate your H-1B status, you would need to take one of the following approaches:

• Remain outside of the United States and apply for an H-1B visa at a U.S. consulate abroad. 
• Attempt to return to the United States in F-1 status, and then leave the United States at a later date and apply for an H-1B visa at a U.S. consulate abroad.
• Attempt to return to the United States in F-1 status, after which your H-1B employer could submit a new petition requesting to change your status to H-1B.

Regardless of which approach you take, as discussed in detail in Questions 3-5 above, traveling and applying for a visa during the COVID-19 pandemic presents a number of challenges given the combination of regional COVID-19 public health bans, entry and exit restrictions and significant consular closures and backlogs.  If you apply for an H-1B visa abroad, you will likely be subject to a wait overseas during the visa application process, which could delay your return to the United States and your ability to begin your H-1B employment on time.

14. I am an F-1 student who is still in school. I am not applying for Optional Practical Training, but I will be the beneficiary of an H-1B cap petition. After my H-1B petition and application to change status are approved, can I travel abroad before October 1?

After your change of status is approved but before it takes effect on October 1, you should be able to travel abroad and reenter in F-1 status, as long as your course of study is not finished, and you are coming back to the United States to resume your studies. (If you will be finished with school by the time you travel, see Question 15.)

When you travel, make sure you have a valid passport with a valid F-1 visa stamp and a Form I-20 that is endorsed for travel. If your F-1 visa is no longer valid, you will need to get a new one to reenter in F-1 status. As noted in Questions 3-4 above, you should expect delays during the visa application process, and depending on where you are traveling from, you could become subject to one of the regional COVID-19 public health bans. 

Also, keep in mind that you may be subject to greater scrutiny about your nonimmigrant intent based on the filing of your H-1B petition. See Question 4 for important information about this issue.

15. I have completed my F-1 academic studies and am not applying for post-completion Optional Practical Training. After my H-1B petition and change of status are approved, will I be able to travel abroad?

If you have competed your studies and have not applied for OPT, you will not be able to return to the United States in F-1 status after international travel. However, if your H-1B petition and application to change status to H-1B are filed before your F-1 status expires, you can remain in the United States during the cap-gap period between the end of your F-1 period of stay (including 60-day grace period) and October 1.

If you leave the United States, you will have to apply for an H-1B visa to return.  See Questions 4 - 5 for more information about the visa application process and possible delays. 

16. I am an F-1 student awaiting a change of status to H-1B and my OPT expired after my change of status was filed. During the cap-gap, can I travel internationally after my change of status is approved and reenter before October 1?

Though past policy forbade international travel during the cap gap if your OPT EAD had expired, USCIS has changed its policy and now permits cap-gap travel in certain circumstances, in connection with rules that were revised in 2016. However, you must be sure to have the appropriate documentation and be prepared to demonstrate that you intend to comply with F-1 rules, including having nonimmigrant intent and the intent to return to pursue legitimate F-1 activities. This is especially true if you will need to apply for a new F-1 visa in order to return to the United States. See Question 4 for important information about establishing nonimmigrant intent. 

If your change of status to H-1B was filed before your OPT expired and has been approved, you will receive a cap-gap extension of stay and work authorization through October 1, 2021. You may also travel abroad and return to the United States in F-1 status before October 1, even if your OPT EAD is no longer valid on its face. Your H-1B change of status petition must be approved prior to departure.

You will need the following documents in order to reenter in F-1 status:

• A valid passport;
• A valid F-1 visa stamp that permits multiple entries (unless you are Canadian);
• A Form I-20 Certificate that has been endorsed for travel by your DSO in the last six months and for a cap-gap extension of stay and work authorization;
• Your expired EAD;
• A copy of your H-1B petition and approval notice;
• Documentation of a negative COVID test result obtained within three calendar days of departure or documentation of your recovery from COVID and clearance for travel; and
• If applicable, evidence that you qualify for an exception to any applicable regional COVID-19 public health travel restrictions.

If you travel abroad before your change of status to H-1B is approved, you will be unable to return in F-1 status and will need to take extra steps to assume H-1B status; see Question 13.

17. I am currently in a valid period of OPT and I have a valid employment authorization document. Is international travel possible if my change of status petition has been approved?

If you are in a valid period of OPT (whether it is an initial grant or a STEM extension), have a valid EAD, and your change of status to H-1B has been approved before your U.S. departure, you should generally be able to return to the United States in F-1 status. You must have the appropriate documents and be able to show visa and immigration officers that you intend to comply with F-1 rules, including having nonimmigrant intent. See Question 4 for important information about establishing nonimmigrant intent. If your H-1B change of status is approved before you depart the United States, the change of status will take effect on October 1 as long as you have returned to the United States before that day.

You will need the following documents in order to reenter in F-1 status:

• A valid passport;
• A valid F-1 visa stamp (unless you are a Canadian). If you need to apply for a new F-1 visa stamp to reenter the United States as a student, you should expect delays at the U.S. consulate and at the port of entry (see Question 4 for more details);
• A Form I-20 that is endorsed for travel and OPT by your DSO in the last six months;
• A valid EAD. If you are applying for an extension of your OPT on the basis of a degree in a designated STEM field, you should carry evidence of your timely filed EAD extension;
• A letter from your OPT employer that verifies your employment. If you do not have a valid job offer, you may not be readmitted and your OPT may be terminated. You may not be able to return to the United States unless and until you obtain an H-1B visa;
• Documentation of a negative COVID test result obtained within three calendar days of departure or documentation of your recovery from COVID and clearance for travel; and
• If applicable, evidence that you qualify for an exception to any applicable regional COVID-19 public health travel restrictions.

As always, be sure to keep track of the number of days you spend outside the United States as this travel time will be counted against the regulatory limit on unemployment during the OPT period, unless the travel takes place during leave authorized by your OPT employer or as part of your OPT employment. As indicated in Questions 7 and 11 above, current USCIS rules require an F-1 student to have no more than 90 days of unemployment during an initial grant of OPT; and no more than 60 days during a 24-month OPT extension based on a STEM degree, for a maximum period of 150 days of unemployment.