Important Immigration Definitions

Identifying paperwork and legal documents can be a tricky thing. With the definitions below, we hope to give you a brief overview of the documents you will encounter while studying abroad. So take a deep breath, relax, and
prepare to have your questions answered.

PASSPORT
This document is issued by your government, and allows you to travel abroad. It must be kept valid at all times. In addition, your passport expiration date must be six months or more in the future. If your passport expiration is less than six months away at any time during your stay, you must renew it. If students passports are not kept up to date, their permission to stay in the U.S. is no longer valid.

For passport renewal, your embassy may need a letter verifying your full-time student status. You may request this letter from the Center for International Programs or the Registrar's office.

Students should keep their passport in a safe place at all times. You are also encouraged to make a copy of your passport, and keep it in a separate place.

STATUS
When you enter the U.S., the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officer who inspects the passport will staple an I-94 card in it. This card indicates your status in when you entered the country. This status should be the same as your visa type.

VISA
The visa is a form stamped into your passport by the U.S. consulate in your home country. This document allows students to apply for entry to the U.S.

However, if you plan to travel outside the U.S. at any time during your stay, you need to have a valid visa for re-entry to the U.S. Students should check with the Rinker Center for International Programs before making foreign travel plans.

I-20
This is the form issued by the University at the time of your admission to enable students to obtain a F-1 student visa. The form specifies the academic and financial conditions under which the student was admitted. This form is to be kept in your passport at all times, as it is used for travel permission and work permission
purposes.

DS-2019
This is the form used to obtain a J-1 visa. It specifies the terms of your admission as the I-20 form does. Students are generally required to use this form if they are participating in a semester or year-long exchange program or if they are recipients of a scholarship from the U.S. government. If you plan to travel outside the US at anytime during your stay, you need to have your DS-2019 signed.

I-94
This is a small white card which should be stapled inside your passport to indicate your status and the length of time it is valid. This form must be kept valid at all times.

If you travel outside the US during your stay, you must have a valid passport, visa, and a valid I-20 or DS-2019 to present upon return. It may able be helpful to carry documents that support your financial capability and ties to a home country, such as family, a job, or property ownership.