If your F or J visa has expired and you are traveling outside of the United States, you will generally need to get a new visa from a US consulate or embassy outside of the US before you can return.
Important Reminders about the Visa Stamp
- the visa stamp in your passport can expire while you are in the United States maintaining status
- if your visa is no longer valid at time of re-entry, you must renew your F or J visa before you reenter the US from an international trip
- you cannot apply for a new visa in the U.S. (though you can submit the Form DS-160 and schedule an appointment while in the U.S.)
Timeline of renewing the visa
It is important to consider application timelines when applying for a new visa, especially since you cannot return to the U.S. until you have the new visa.
| Fall/spring break |
Typically, one week is not enough time to expect to have your visa renewed and your passport returned to you
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| Winter break |
While the winter break may seem less risky than fall or spring break, it's important to remember that visa services and appointment availability may be limited due to the holiday schedules.
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Though the process will likely be very similar to what you did when you first applied for your F or J visa, you should not expect processing times or approvals to match previous experiences applying for a visa.
COMPLETE A NEW DS-160 ONLINE VISA APPLICATION
All students applying for an F-1 or J-1 visa must first complete the DS-160 online visa application.
For an overview of the online application process, review here (starting at :40). Once you have completed the DS-160 application, you will be directed to schedule an interview appointment.
The DS-160 asks about your contact at the University of Notre Dame. While graduate students can choose your departmental advisor's information, all students can use the advisor's name listed on your Form I-20 or DS-2019 with this contact information:
International Student & Scholar Affairs
105 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556
Email: issa@nd.edu
Phone: (574) 631-1138
Fax: (574) 631-5711
Additional information requested, like code for field of study, your SEVIS number, and the University's school or program code, can be found on your Form I-20 or DS-2019:
- School code (I-20): found under School Information
- Program Number (DS-2019): found in third block
- SEVIS ID: starts with the letter N, and is in the top left corner of the Form I-20 and the top right corner of the DS-2019.
The Department of State also has a FAQ page here, which addresses both content and technical questions.
Once you have completed the DS-160, print off the DS-160 barcode page to take to the visa appointment. You will now schedule your visa interview appointment by visiting the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will be interviewed.
You may also want to read the Department of State information on visa denials, and things to remember when preparing.
It is important to visit the appropriate site directly for country-specific instructions, as each location may have a different status. If there are no visa appointments currently available, you will need to keep checking the location site for more appointments to open. As noted above, it is important to continue to monitor the appointment sites for open appointments, and there are limitations on applying for an expedited appointment.
DOCUMENTS TO PREPARE
For current enrolled students at Notre Dame, at minimum you will need the following documents:
- Passport valid at least 6 months into the future of when you plan to return
- I-20 or DS-2019 (most recent document that ISSA has issued to you)
- Has a valid travel signature
- Proof of funding (as listed on your I-20/DS-2019)
- Enrollment Verification (find information about how to access this here)
- I-901/SEVIS fee receipt (if you have lost this document, you can reprint it through this page)
For alumni on F-1 Optional Practical Training, F-1 STEM OPT, or J-1 Academic Training, at minimum you will need the following documents:
- Passport valid at least 6 months into the future of when you plan to return
- I-20 or DS-2019 (most recent document that ISSA has issued to you)
- Has a valid travel signature
- I-901/SEVIS fee receipt (if you have lost this document, you can reprint it through this page)
- EAD card or Employment Authorization Letter
- An Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by the USCIS for F-1 students on OPT or STEM OPT; or
- An employment authorization letter issued by ISSA for J-1 students on AT
- Employer Letter confirming the details of your employment
SPECIAL NOTES
F-2/J-2 dependents
Each visa applicant must complete and submit their own DS-160 and pay a visa application fee prior to the interview.
Social media review and security vetting
Effective June 2025, per the Department of State, each applicant will undergo a full social media review and should follow the directions on the DS-160 and from the consulate regarding social media settings.
- All applications will be "denied" initially, so they can go undergo additional administrative processing but students should not panic at the initial denial.
Some applicants will also be subject to additional security vetting in the visa application process, depending on their country of citizenship or birth.
Applying outside your home country
Effective September 6, 2025, per the Department of State, all nonimmigrant visa applicants should schedule their interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of residence or nationality. If there is not a U.S. embassy processing visas in your home country, review this list for instructions on where to apply.
- Though you may be able to technically schedule an appointment, the process may be impacted by applying as a third country national.
Visa interview waivers
As of summer 2025, interview waivers are no longer available for F-1 and J-1 student visa applications.