If a student’s F or J visa has expired and they are traveling outside of the United States, they will generally need to get a new visa from a US consulate or embassy outside of the US before they can return. As a reminder, the visa can expire while you are in the United States maintaining status, but you must renew your F or J visa before you reenter the US from an international trip if it will no longer be valid at the time of your reentry. You cannot apply for a new visa inside the US.
Note that this process will likely be very similar to what you did when you first applied for your F or J visa to begin your studies in the United States.
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, watch 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
- Proof of funding (as listed on your I-20/DS-2019)
- 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.
Applying outside your home country
While it is generally more advisable to apply within your home country, it is possible to apply for a visa renewal in a third party country. However, it is your responsibility as the applicant to reach out to the embassy or consulate where you want to apply for more information about whether they allow third country applicants to apply for a visa there. This availability varies by country, and you may need to provide further information about why you are applying outside your home country.
Timeline of renewing the visa
Typically, one week is not enough time to expect to have your visa renewed and your passport returned to you. Therefore, it is not usually advisable to renew the visa during the Spring/Fall break periods as this can lead to a delay in your ability to return to classes.
Similarly, we do not advise that you base your expected processing time on previous experiences applying for a visa.
Visa interview waivers
In 2022, the Department of State announced that certain nonimmigrant visa applicants (including F and J visa applicants) who were previously issued any type of visa, and who have never been refused a visa, and who have no apparent ineligibility may be eligible to have the interview requirement waived. Applicants renewing a visa in the same classification within 48 months of the prior visa’s expiration may also be eligible for interview waiver. In the process of applying for the visa, there is a section on the DS-160 where you can establish whether you are eligible for the interview waiver.
Please note that in-person interviews may still be required on a case by case basis. Though you may be eligible for a visa interview waiver, there is no guarantee that the interview requirement will be waived.