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International Affairs

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Travel

Traveling For International Students

Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. It is part of the Greater Los Angeles area. It is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) east of Los Angeles. Named for our location beside the Santa Ana River, we are one of the largest cities in Inland Southern California.

Due to both our size and location, we have all the amenities of a larger city with convenient access to camping and hiking as well. We have two international airports within driving distance, the smaller, but closer, Ontario International Airport (ONT), and our primary flight hub, Los Angeles International Airport.

We say, “Riverside is where the desert meets the mountains.” We are close to hiking trails, nature preserves, and national parks where you can enjoy year-round warm weather, abundant sunshine, and natural beauty. You can also go skiing after a short drive into the mountains.
  • While Inside the U.S.

    The U.S. government requires that you have the following documents with you at all times:

    • Passport, valid at all times
    • I-94, obtained through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection
    • I-20 or DS-2019, issued by UCR's International Student Office
    • Employment Authorization Document (EAD), for those participating in OPT or STEM OPT

     

  • Traveling Outside the U.S.

    If you plan on traveling internationally while at UCR, be sure to plan ahead. To enter into new countries or to reenter the US, you will be required to show specific documents.

    • Traveling outside of the United States? 
      • Check with the embassy or consulate of the country that you plan to visit to learn about any travel restrictions or requirements.
    • F-1 students with Form I-20 are permitted to travel and apply for a visa with an I-20 that has been signed electronically by a Designated School Official (DSO). UCR is signing all I-20's electronically.
    • J-1 students with Form DS-2019 are permitted to travel with a DS-2019 that has been electronically signed by authorized Alternate/Responsible Officer (ARO). 

    For detailed information regarding traveling,

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Travel FAQs

     

  • Required Documents for Reentry to the U.S.

    Required Documents for Reentry to the U.S.

    • Valid Passport (with at least 6 months validity upon return to the United States)
    • Valid F-1/J-1 Visa Stamp (Canada Nationals are Exempt)
    • Form I-20 or DS-2019 with valid travel signature from the ISS Office
      • F-1s who are currently enrolled student, travel signature is valid for 12 months

    • Check with your airline or arrival airport for any restrictions or requirements that may be in place before returning to the U.S.

    • Let your department and the ISS office know if you are planning to travel. 

    • Supporting Documents
      • Financial Support documents
      • SEVIS I-901 fee receipt
      • UCR Acceptance Letter (for new students)
      • UCR transcript or proof of course enrollment (for current students)

     

    For F-1s on OPT/STEM OPT
    • Valid Passport (with at least 6 months validity upon return to the United States)
    • Valid F-1 Visa Stamp (Canada Nationals are Exempt)
    • Form I-20 with valid travel signature from the ISS office
      • F-1s on OPT or STEM OPT, travel signature is valid for six months
    • Valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Card 
    • Employment Verification Letter (Recently Dated) & Current Paystubs (1-2 Recent)
    • Important Notes
      • Students engaged in unpaid OPT now or in the past may have difficultly reentering the U.S. Before traveling it is recommended to contact your Employer where you engaged in unpaid employment to provide a recently dated letter outlining; Hours worked per week, specific duties performed, reporting manager, all related interactions with employer.
      • Traveling internationally while your OPT/STEM OPT application is pending is NOT recommend
      • Final Admission into the U.S. is at the discretion of U.S. CBP
  • Requesting a Travel Signature
  • After you return to the U.S.

    Please visit the I-94 Website upon your return to print out and review the information on your updated I-94 card.

  • Special Cases [Automatic Revalidation/Secondary Inspection/Additional Questioning]

    Automatic Revalidation

    F and J student traveling to Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island (expect Cuba) for 30 days or less may be eligible to renter the U.S. with a valid I-94 and expired via. Please review the automatic revalidation information from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or speak with an ISS advisor for further information.

    Secondary Inspection/Additional Questioning

    If a CBP officer cannot verify your documents or has additional questions, you may be asked to go to an area called secondary inspection. At secondary inspection, you will be asked additional questions to verify your immigration status or other information.

    Security Clearances

    You may be subject to certain clearances before a visa is issued. This is often referred to as administrative processing. A consular officer may decide that they need more information before approving and issuing a visa. This could be due to a number of different reasons, including  field of study/research, travel history and more.  Students in the STEM fields are often subject to administrative processing before a visa can be issued. This process takes time (sometimes up to three months or more), so it is important to plan ahead before you travel if you need to apply for a visa. Consult with your department and an ISS advisor before travel.

    Arrests

    If you have been arrested in the United States, please make an appointment with an International Student Advisor before traveling.

  • Travel Tips
    • Learn about your rights - ACLU, Know your Rights
    • Prepare for questions/searches on Electronic Devices & Social Media - CBP officers may conduct searches on your electronic devices or ask you questions regarding your social media accounts. To learn more, please refer to ACLU’s article.

     

    For Detailed Information Regarding Traveling

    https://www.ice.gov/sevis/travel

     

    Contact Information for ISS Office

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