{"id":10618,"date":"2021-12-10T09:39:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-10T14:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/global-education\/?page_id=10618"},"modified":"2024-10-25T11:07:14","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T15:07:14","slug":"get-a-travel-signature","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/global-education\/get-a-travel-signature\/","title":{"rendered":"Get A Travel Endorsement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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You must plan ahead to get your I- 20 signed before you leave the country. Request a travel endorsement of your I-20 at least five business days prior to your departure.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

Do you need a travel endorsement?<\/strong><\/p>\n

All F-1 visa holders planning to travel abroad and request reentry to the U.S. must have a valid travel endorsement on their I-20.<\/p>\n

In order for the signature to be considered “valid,” it must be less than one year old* at the time of your return. To request a travel endorsement, please follow the steps below.<\/p>\n

*Note:<\/strong> Travel signatures for students on OPT\u00a0 and STEM OPT are valid for 6 months<\/strong> only.<\/p>\n

Schedule a meeting with us via BatesReach<\/a> or email us as soon as you know your travel plans. Please don’t wait until the last minute\u2014this process takes a little bit of time.<\/p>\n

Bring your current I-20 with you to our office. We’ll confirm your current enrollment status and review your records, and then will provide the travel signature for you if everything is in order.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced that schools may sign and send I-20s electronically<\/a>.\u00a0 If you receive your I-20 via email with updated travel endorsement, please be sure to print out your I-20 and sign the bottom of page one, using ink. Carry the print-out of this I-20 when presenting it to U.S. officials.<\/p>\n

Who is authorized to sign your I-20?<\/strong><\/p>\n