Office of International Services
  • Travel
  • Renewing Passport or F/J Visa

Renewing Your Passport or F/J Visa

All nonimmigrants in the United States are required to maintain a valid passport at all times. Passports should be valid for at least six months into the future when entering and reentering the United States and also when applying for a visa.

Students and scholars should contact their local embassy or consulate for instructions on renewing their passports.

Students and scholars whose passports have expired but whose visas remain valid may still use that visa if they still have the old passports. Remember to carry and present both the old and new passports when traveling.

Students and scholars may stay in the United States on an expired F-1 or J-1 visa as long as they maintain their immigration status by having a valid Form I-20 or DS-2019 and an I-94 Arrival/Departure Record. 

If students and scholars are traveling and will not use automatic revalidation to reenter the United States, they must have a valid visa. Students and scholars who need to renew their F-1 or J-1 visa abroad must schedule an appointment with a U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as possible due to increased security clearance and visa processing times.  

Due to a presidential proclamation issued in June 2025, students holding passports from certain countries are currently not eligible to apply for an F-1 or J-1 visa.

Canadian and Bermudian citizens do not need to obtain an F-1 or J-1 visa to study in the United States. However, they must present a valid passport, a USC-issued Form I-20 or DS-2019, proof of SEVIS fee payment and evidence of financial support at the U.S. Port of Entry where they are admitted in F-1 or J-1 status. They must satisfy all standard admission requirements at the U.S. Port of Entry to be admitted in F-1 or J-1 status.

We recommend setting your social media accounts to “public,” as the U.S. Department of State now reviews publicly available social media content as part of its visa screening and vetting process. Keeping your profiles public can help avoid delays or additional scrutiny during processing.

  • The U.S. Department of State requires nonimmigrant visa applicants to schedule and attend their U.S. visa interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate located in either their country of citizenship or residence. Visas cannot be renewed inside the United States.

    Additionally, consider the following when choosing your visa interview location:

    • If applying in a country based on residency (rather than citizenship), applicants must provide evidence of legal residence in that country. 
    • Applicants are strongly encouraged to email the U.S. embassy or consulate with any questions about residency-based eligibility before the appointment. 
    • For nationals of countries where the United States does not maintain routine immigrant or nonimmigrant visa operations, applicants must apply at designated U.S. embassies or consulates. If this applies to you, verify whether you need a visa to enter that country before making plans. 
    • If you are a Mexican or Canadian citizen or resident and your visa application is denied, automatic revalidation does not apply. 

    Once students and scholars have made a visa interview appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, they should review the embassy or consulate’s website for details on the visa renewal process, including required documents.

  • Students and scholars can check visa wait times at U.S. embassies and consulates through the U.S. Department of State website. Given the high demand for appointments at most U.S. embassies and consulates, schedule your appointment as soon as possible.  

    Due to security checks, administrative processing and significant visa processing backlogs at many U.S. embassies and consulates, the short winter or spring recess may not allow enough time to receive clearance and a renewed visa and to return before classes resume. OIS strongly advises against traveling during these breaks if your visa has expired; instead, contact OIS with any questions or issues.

  • The visa issuance fee, also known as the reciprocity fee, depends on the applicant’s country of citizenship and is based on reciprocal agreements between the United States and that country. Students from certain countries must pay this fee for all initial F and J visa applications and renewals. Not all countries have a reciprocity fee. 

    This fee is separate from the nonimmigrant visa application fee (MRV). Fees and policies can change, so always check the most current information on the U.S. Department of State website.

  • According to the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual: “INA 221(c) and INA 281 require the Department to set visa validity, number of entries, and fees for nationals of a country based on what that country provides to U.S. citizens for the same purpose of travel.  The goal of visa reciprocity is to obtain visa regimes consistent with U.S. laws, regulations, and national interests and to encourage international travel that benefits U.S. travelers and business.”

    The U.S. Department of State maintains online visa reciprocity schedules for each country for which it issues visas.

  • F-1 students should expect to attend an in-person visa interview when applying for an F-1 visa, including most renewals.

    Under the current U.S. Department of State policy, F-1 applicants are no longer among the categories that are generally eligible for an interview waiver, although consular officers retain discretion in individual cases.

Automatic Revalidation

Requirements for Reentry