1.    I am in F-1 status and am planning to travel internationally and resume F-1 status upon my return. What should I do before traveling?

Before undertaking any international travel, make sure you have all the required documentation needed for reentry in F-1 status. At a minimum, you must have at least the following documentation:

• 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 (with certain exceptions for trips of 30 days or less to Canada, Mexico, or certain islands adjacent to the United States –  see Question 5 for more details)
• A Form I-20 that has been endorsed for travel by your designated school official (DSO) within the last six months

As detailed below, additional documentation will be required if you have pending or approved OPT or STEM OPT (see Questions 2-3, 6-7, and 13) or are in the cap-gap period (see Question 12).

In addition, as close to your departure date as possible, you should confirm with your DSO that your status in the SEVIS system remains “active.” You should also check the email account associated with your most recent F-1 visa application to determine whether you have been provided notice of a visa revocation. This check may not be determinative, however; in 2025, amid a spike in student visa revocations, there were reports of visas revoked without an email notification. Nevertheless, if you have been provided notice that your visa has been revoked, seek the advice of counsel.

If you are the beneficiary of an approved H-1B petition, you should notify your immigration counsel of your planned travel. In addition, you should review the FAQs below relating to travel by foreign nationals in F-1 status who have been sponsored for H-1B employment; if after reviewing this guidance you have any questions concerning your planned travel and its possible impact, you should consult with your immigration counsel before travel.

If you are in F-1 status and an H-1B change of status petition is pending on your behalf, you must not depart the United States until the petition is adjudicated. International travel while the petition is pending will abandon the change of status request and trigger a $100,000 employer fee in order to obtain a consular notification H-1B petition approval.

You should also seek counsel if you have ever had or been charged with a civil or criminal violation, even if the incident did not result in an arrest or conviction, or if you have any other specific issues of concern that may have a negative impact on your ability to travel and be readmitted into the United States, including the content of your online presence and social media accounts.

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

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 an H-1B cap registration or a petition to change status to H-1B under the H-1B cap, see Questions 8-16.)

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 Questions 5 and 15 for more details);
• An OPT-endorsed Form I-20 that has also been endorsed for travel by your designated school official (DSO) within the last six months;
• A valid EAD; and
• A letter from your OPT employer that verifies your employment, and recent pay statements, if you have already begun your OPT employment. If you do not have a valid job or job offer, you will not be readmitted and your OPT may be terminated.

In addition, as close to your departure date as possible, you should confirm with your DSO that your status in the SEVIS system remains “active.” You should also check the email account associated with your most recent F-1 visa application to determine whether you have been provided notice of a visa revocation. This check may not be determinative, however; in 2025, amid a spike in student visa revocations, there were reports of visas revoked without an email notification. Nevertheless, if you have been provided notice that your visa has been revoked, seek the advice of counsel.

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 6 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.

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

There are 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 7.

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

If you have not applied for OPT or a STEM OPT extension or enrolled as a student in another F-1 program, you will not be able to travel abroad during the 60-day grace period and be readmitted in F-1 status. The purpose of the 60-day grace period 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 request to change status to H-1B have been filed on your behalf, see Question 11.

5.    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, unless you are a Canadian citizen, you will normally need to obtain a new visa stamp at a U.S. consulate. If, however, you are traveling to Canada, Mexico, or certain islands adjacent to the United States (other than Cuba), and staying for 30 days or less, 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: 

• You will need 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 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 depart the United States after the completion of your F-1 activities.
• You will also have to undergo a security check 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 process. If this occurs, your reentry into the United States could be delayed.
• You may be subject to delays or disruptions caused by host country conditions such as weather or political events impacting U.S. consular appointments and/or travel back to the United States.
• Student visa applications are under increased scrutiny under the current presidential administration, including closer review of online presence, social media posts, and activities in the United States. Seek immigration counsel if you have questions about how this increased scrutiny may apply to your visa application.
• As close as possible to your date of departure from the United States, you should confirm with your DSO that your status in the SEVIS system remains “active.”
• As close as possible to your date of departure, check the email account associated with your most recent F-1 visa application, to determine whether you have been provided notice of a visa revocation. This check may not be determinative, however; in 2025, amid a spike in student visa revocations, there were reports of visas revoked without an email notification. Nevertheless, if you have been provided notice that your visa has been revoked, seek the advice of counsel.

If you will be the beneficiary of a petition to change your status to H-1B, see Questions 8-16 for important additional guidance about travel and the visa application process.

6.    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 2, including a valid passport, F-1 visa if required, a STEM-OPT-endorsed Form I-20 that has been endorsed for travel in the last six months, an employment letter from your STEM OPT employer, and recent pay statements. As close as possible to your departure date from the United States, you should also check with your DSO to ensure that your status in the SEVIS system remains “active.” You should also check the email account associated with your most recent F-1 visa application to determine whether you have been provided notice of a visa revocation. This check may not be determinative, however, as there have also been reports of visas revoked without this email notification. If you have been provided notice that your visa has been revoked, seek the advice of counsel.

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 unemployed 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 which can be accrued during the initial 12 months of OPT. 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 14-16 for important additional guidance about travel.

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

If your initial grant of OPT, your initial EAD, and your 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 2. If your F-1 visa has expired but your initial 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, 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 (not required if you are Canadian);
• A STEM-OPT-endorsed Form I-20 Certificate that has also been endorsed by your DSO for travel in the last six months;
• Your expired EAD;
• The filing receipt for your application for a STEM OPT extension and a copy of the EAD extension application; and
• A letter from your OPT employer that verifies your employment, and recent pay statements.

In addition, as close as possible to your departure date from the United States, you should confirm with your DSO that your status in the SEVIS system remains “active.” You should also check the email account associated with your most recent F-1 visa application to determine whether you have been provided notice of a visa revocation. This check may not be determinative, however; in 2025, amid a spike in student visa revocations, there were reports of visas revoked without an email notification. Nevertheless, if you have been provided notice that your visa has been revoked, seek the advice of counsel.

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.

Also, it is worth noting that premium processing service is available for F-1 OPT and STEM OPT applications. The fee for premium processing these applications is $1,780 and the adjudication timeframe is 30 calendar days after USCIS receives all prerequisites for the application. Online filing of the Form I-907 premium processing request is available. For more information on premium processing an OPT or STEM OPT application, please refer to the USCIS website.

If you will be the beneficiary of a petition to change your status to H-1B, see Questions 14-16 for important additional guidance about travel.

8.    My employer submitted a registration on my behalf in this year’s H-1B cap lottery. How will this affect my ability to travel?

Being entered into and/or selected in the H-1B cap lottery will not on its own affect your ability to travel while in F-1 status. If you are not selected in the lottery and need to travel, see Questions 2-7 above to determine whether travel is appropriate, and if so, what documentation you will need to reenter the States.

Also refer to Questions 2-7 if you are selected in the H-1B cap lottery and you need to travel before an H-1B cap petition and request to change status are filed on your behalf. If you decide to travel in this scenario, keep in mind that you must return to the United States to be physically present in the United States when your employer files your H-1B change of status petition with USCIS. Also note that in order to preserve cap-gap benefits, your change of status petition must be received by USCIS while you are still in a period of valid F-1 status. To extend work authorization under the cap gap, the petition must be received at USCIS while your OPT is still valid.

Please see Questions 9-16 if you are selected in the H-1B cap lottery and are considering travel after your employer files a change of status petition on your behalf.

9.    I am an F-1 student, and an H-1B cap petition and request to change status to H-1B have been filed on my behalf. May I travel internationally while they are pending?

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, and the petition will only be approvable for consular notification, meaning your employer will be subject to a new $100,000 H-1B fee in order to obtain H-1B approval, unless the petition qualifies for a national interest exception. Thus far, no national interest exceptions have been granted by USCIS, even for health care workers who intend to work in objectively compelling circumstances in the United States, such as in underserved areas.

If your employer pays the additional $100,000 fee in order to obtain the consular notification H-1B petition approval, you would then have to take extra steps to assume your H-1B status before you begin H-1B employment on October 1 (or later, depending upon the employment start date requested by your H-1B employer). You would have to leave the United States again and apply for an H-1B visa at a U.S. consulate (unless you are a visa-exempt Canadian). If you apply for an H-1B visa abroad, you could be subject to an unexpected wait overseas and additional scrutiny 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. See Questions 14-16 for more information about the visa application process.

In general, you should be able to reenter the United States in F-1 status prior to your H-1B employment start date to resume your F-1 activities; however, you may be subject to greater scrutiny about nonimmigrant intent based on the filing of the H-1B petition, as well as scrutiny of your activities in the United States and your compliance with F-1 program rules. See Question 14 for more information about this issue. See Question 12 for additional considerations if you are considering international travel during a cap gap period.

10.    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 my H-1B employment start date?

After your change of status is approved but before it takes effect, you should be able to travel abroad and reenter, as long as your course of study is not finished, and you are coming back to the United States to resume your studies, though you may be subject to greater scrutiny about nonimmigrant intent based on the filing of the H-1B cap petition (see Question 14) as well as scrutiny of your activities in the United States and your compliance with F-1 program rules. (If you will be finished with school by the time you travel, see Question 11.)

When you travel, make sure you have a valid passport, a valid F-1 visa stamp (unless you are a visa-exempt Canadian), and a Form I-20 that is endorsed for travel. As close as possible to your departure date from the United States, confirm with your DSO that your status in the SEVIS system remains “active.” If your F-1 visa is no longer valid, you will need to get a new one to reenter in F-1 status and could be subject to additional delay and scrutiny (unless you are eligible for automatic visa revalidation, as described in Question 5 above).

As close as possible to your departure date, you should also check the email account associated with your most recent F-1 visa application to determine whether you have been provided notice of a visa revocation. This check may not be determinative, however; in 2025, amid a spike in student visa revocations, there were reports of visas revoked without an email notification. Nevertheless, if you have been provided notice that your visa has been revoked, seek the advice of counsel.

11.    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 the start date of your approved H-1B change of status petition or April 1, whichever is earlier. If your H-1B cap petition and change of status remain pending at USCIS beyond April 1, you can remain in the United States through the adjudication of the filing, but you may not begin work until your cap petition and change of status are approved and take effect.

If you must leave the United States after the approval of your H-1B change of status petition, you will have to apply for an H-1B visa to return, and will not be able to work in H-1B status until the H-1B employment start date requested by your employer, though you may enter the United States up to 10 days prior to the petition employment start date. See Questions 14-16 for more information about H-1B visa application procedures and possible delays.

12.    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 in F-1 status before the cap gap period has expired?

USCIS permits cap-gap travel in certain circumstances. 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 14 for important information about establishing nonimmigrant intent and Question 15 about potential visa processing delays.

If your application to change status to H-1B was filed before your OPT expired and the change of status has been approved, you will receive a cap-gap extension of stay and work authorization through the start date of your approved H-1B petition or April 1, 2026, whichever is earlier. You may also travel abroad and return to the United States in F-1 status before the end of your cap-gap period, 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 (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 letter from your OPT employer that verifies your employment, and recent pay statements; and 
• A copy of your H-1B petition and approval notice.

In addition, as close to your departure date as possible, you should confirm with your DSO that your status in the SEVIS system remains “active.” You should also check the email account associated with your most recent F-1 visa application to determine whether you have been provided notice of a visa revocation. This check may not be determinative, however; in 2025, amid a spike in student visa revocations, there were reports of visas revoked without an email notification. Nevertheless, if you have been provided notice that your visa has been revoked, seek the advice of counsel.

If you travel abroad before your change of status to H-1B is approved, you will abandon the change of status request, trigger a $100,000 H-1B employer fee in order to obtain an H-1B approval, and will be unable to return in F-1 status; see Question 9.

13.    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 if you are returning to the U.S. before your H-1B change of status takes effect. 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 14 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 the start date of your approved H-1B petition 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 increased scrutiny and possible delays at the U.S. consulate and additional questioning at the port of entry regarding nonimmigrant intent (see Questions 14-16 for more details);
• An OPT-endorsed Form I-20 that has been endorsed for travel 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; and

• A letter from your OPT employer that verifies your employment, and if already working, recent pay statements. 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.

In addition, as close to your departure date as possible, you should confirm with your DSO that your status in the SEVIS system remains “active.” You should also check the email account associated with your most recent F-1 visa application to determine whether you have been provided notice of a visa revocation. This check may not be determinative, however; in 2025, amid a spike in student visa revocations, there were reports of visas revoked without an email notification. Nevertheless, if you have been provided notice that your visa has been revoked, seek the advice of counsel.

Be sure to keep track of the number of days you spend unemployed 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 2 and 6 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 for students who have been granted a 24-month OPT extension based on a STEM degree, the foreign national is limited to no more than an aggregate of 150 days of unemployment over the combined 36-month initial and STEM OPT periods.

14.    Before my H-1B change of status takes effect, I plan to leave the United States and reenter in F-1 status, but I will need to apply for a new F-1 visa while I am abroad. What should I expect during the visa application process and at the port of entry?

If you have an approved H-1B change of status and choose to travel abroad before it becomes effective, you should be prepared for possible delays and difficulties when you apply for a new F-1 visa and when you are inspected at the border.

First, officials at U.S. consulates and the U.S. border may question whether you have nonimmigrant intent, i.e., whether you genuinely intend to leave the United States after you complete your studies and any OPT status granted to you. Having a foreign residence that you do not intend to abandon and having the present intent to depart the United States after completion of your F-1 activities are requirements for F-1 status. If you have an approved H-1B in the system, consular and border officials may become aware that you have a professional job in the United States – a possible indication of lessened ties to your home country and possibly stronger ties to the United States that could impact your intention to depart the United States at the conclusion of your F-1 stay. If a consular or border officer believes that you do not have the present intent to leave the United States after you have completed your F-1 activities, you could have your visa or entry denied or delayed, and you may have to wait overseas until you can apply for an H-1B visa to enter and start your H-1B employment. Unlike F-1 visa applicants, H-1B visa applicants are not required to maintain a foreign residence to which they intend to return at the end of their stay in the United States.

Second, like any visa applicant, you could be required to go through a security clearance before your visa can be issued. If your name, personal details, or immigration 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 addresses this finding. A security clearance may also be initiated as a result of your nationality, past interactions with law enforcement, or if you will work in advanced technology, engineering, or the sciences, or with products or services that have both commercial and military applications (known as "dual use" technologies). If a security clearance is required, your reentry into the United States is likely to be delayed.

Student visa applicants are also subject to greater scrutiny of online presence, social media activity and activities in the United States. The U.S. government has also increased its scrutiny of foreign student online presence and social media content, and student violations of any civil or criminal law, regardless of whether the incident resulted in the student’s arrest or conviction. If you have any such incident in your history, it is recommended that you consult immigration counsel before deciding to travel.

15.    If I decide to leave the United States before my H-1B employment start date, how soon can I apply for my H-1B visa and enter the United States in H-1B status?

U.S. consulates differ on how far in advance of an H-1B start date they will permit submission of an H-1B visa application, but in general, if your start date is October 1, 2026, you should be able to apply for your H-1B visa as early as July 2026. Because procedures differ among U.S. consulates, however, you should check with the consulate where you will apply for specific instructions on when you can submit your visa application. Contact information for U.S. embassies and consulates is available at https://www.usembassy.gov/.

Once you have applied for your H-1B visa, be prepared for possible security clearance and visa issuance delays. As discussed in Question 14, if your name, personal details, or immigration 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 addresses the findings. A security clearance may also be initiated as a result of your nationality, past interactions with law enforcement, or if you will work in advanced technology, engineering, or the sciences, or with products or services that have both commercial and military applications (known as "dual use" technologies). Security clearances may get resolved in a matter of weeks, but can take several months or years, depending on the circumstances.

Your visa application may also be subject to additional clearance requirements if your online presence, social media postings or activities in the United States raise concerns in connection with the U.S. government’s increased scrutiny of international students.

Once you have received your H-1B visa, you may enter the United States up to 10 days before your H-1B petition start date. If your start date is October 1, 2026, you can enter as early as September 21, 2026. The extra ten days allows you to get settled in the United States, but you cannot engage in work during this time. You are not authorized to start your H-1B employment until your actual petition start date.

16.     Must I attend an in-person interview if I apply for a new visa?

Yes. Starting in September 2025, the State Department significantly narrowed its policy on the waiver of in-person nonimmigrant visa appointments and under the current policy, all F-1 visa applicants are required to have an in-person interview at a U.S. consulate abroad. Because the State Department has also significantly limited its policy on third-country national visa appointments, the visa interview is likely to be required to be conducted at a consulate in the F-1 visa applicant’s home country.