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Serving Harvard's International Community

Reminder: travel signatures for international travel.

If you are planning on traveling internationally over the upcoming school breaks, please check to ensure that you have all required immigration documents necessary to re-enter the U.S. with. 

If you need a travel signature on your Form I-20 or DS-2019 , please review the applicable instructions below. Please note, the HIO will be closed for Thanksgiving break Wednesday, November 23 through Friday, November 25.

• F-1 students may request a travel signature to be sent via email by completing the   F-1 Travel Signature Request Form .
• J-1 students, scholars, and student interns and their dependents will need to visit the HIO during our  walk in travel signature and document pick up hour , which takes place Monday-Friday from 12pm - 1pm on the 8th floor of the Smith Center to obtain a travel signature.
• Beginning November 2nd, the HIO will be hosting travel signature hours in the Longwood area for students, student interns, and scholars to obtain a travel signature or to pick up documents from the HIO. An HIO Advisor will be available every other Wednesday, beginning November 2nd, from 1:00pm - 3:00pm in Gordon 006 (at the HMS/HSDM Office for Postdoctoral Fellows - see map ). The full schedule may be found  here . 

For more information on contacting the HIO, please see Contact Us .

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Request a Travel Signature

Your I-20/DS-2019 Visa Document must have a valid travel signature for you to re-enter the U.S. after travel. The signature verifies that you are maintaining F-1/J-1 status.

STEP 1: Check the Validity of the Travel Signature

Look at Page 2 of your I-20 or Page 1 of your DS-2019, verify if you have a valid travel signature.

• F-1/J-1 Enrolled Students: The travel signature is valid for one year .
• F-1 OPT and F-1 STEM: a travel signature is valid for  6 months .
• J-1 Academic Training: travel signature is valid for one year , or duration of academic training (whichever is earlier)

If your travel signature is not valid or if you don’t have a travel signature. You will need to request it.

STEP 2: Request a Travel Signature

• Complete the Student Travel Signature I-20/DS-2019 Request Form
• Upload using the Student Upload Tool
• Request your travel signature to allow for processing time.

STEP 3: Receive Your New Visa Document with Travel Signature

• A new I-20 or DS-2019 with travel signature will be issued within the processing time.
• Your new I-20 or DS-2019 will be sent to you electronically through DocuSign.
• You will receive an email message with the DocuSign link to retrieve your electronic I-20 or DS-2019.
• You will need to print, sign and carry a hard copy of your I-20 or DS-2019. This is now your newest I-20 or DS-2019.
• Always keep your previous visa documents for your records. Do not throw them away.

A travel signature is required on your DS-2019 visa document to re-enter the U.S. after international travel. The signature from the International Center verifies that you are maintaining J-1 status in the U.S.

Look at Page 1 of your DS-2019, verify if you have a valid travel signature.

• J-1 Scholars and J-2 Dependents: The travel signature is valid for  one year
• Fill out the  Scholar Travel Form  and submit it to  [email protected]
• After review of your request, a digitally signed DS-2019 document for you and any J-2 dependents, will be electronically sent to you via DocuSign

Processing time: 5 business days

• Electronic DS-2019 Document Issuance: You will receive a digitally signed DS-2019 document for you and any J-2 dependents
• The DS-2019 document will be sent to you via DocuSign
• You must print a paper form DS-2019 document and sign with a pen
• Paper form DS-2019 document is required for visa renewal at a U.S. Consulate/Embassy post abroad, and for re-entry to the U.S.

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International services.

Office of Global Learning

Travel Signatures and I-20/DS-2019 Reprints

• For Students

Your I-20 or DS-2019  is an important document that proves you are legally enrolled in a program of study in the United States. 

You will need it to enter and reenter the country, among other things. An advisor in the Office of Global Learning will electronically sign your I-20 (or hand sign your DS-2019) to verify that you are eligible to travel. This is called a travel signature. 

It’s very important to keep your I-20 or DS-2019 up-to-date, safe, and available at all times. We can help with any questions or problems.

Travel Signatures

To obtain a new signature, either come to the office during advising hours with your original I-20 or DS-2019 OR request a reprint of your I-20 or DS-2019 via our I-20/DS-2019 reprint request form . We will send you your form by one of three methods: PDF, "regular" USPS (no delivery time estimate or tracking), or express mail (payment instructions are included in the request link). Express mail is required for international shipments.

You may be able to travel many times on one travel signature. Students on an F-1 or J-1 visa are not required to have an original "wet" signature on the I-20 or DS-2019; a digital signature from our advising team is fully acceptable for your travel needs. Note that you are still required to print and sign your digital I-20 or DS-2019 for visa applications and for travel to the U.S.

A travel signature from the International Services is good for six months or a year, depending on your visa status and situation. Here’s how long your travel signature will remain valid …

What if I plan to travel home, and my travel signature has expired?

In order to reenter the United States, you need to have a valid travel signature. If you need to update the signature, request a new I-20 or DS-2019 with a new travel signature via our I-20/DS-2019 reprint request form . If you are a Cornell Tech student, visit the Cornell Tech office to obtain an updated signature.

Need a I-20/DS-2019 reprint for travel?

If you’ve lost your form, forgot to bring it with you, or need an updated travel signature while traveling, we can help! We will reprint your I-20 or DS-2019 and send it to you wherever you are in the world! Just complete the I-20/DS-2019 reprint request form .

Need a new I-20 to apply for OPT? 

To request an new I-20 for the OPT application, follow the directions on  F-1 OPT . 

What if I have a recent change to my program, and I want an updated form?

Use the request form to update us on your new employment, cap-gap extension, change of major, or other change. We will send you an updated I-20 or DS-2019.

How will I get my updated form? Can I get it faster?

We will send you your new I-20 or DS-2019 PDF form within five business days after you submit your online request. If you wish to receive an original paper form quickly or need tracking, request expedited shipping via eShipGlobal . Once you have completed the eShipGlobal payment make sure to notify an advisor. 

What if I’m traveling and don’t have any time to wait?

If you are traveling back to the United States too soon to receive a new I-20 or DS-2019 by mail, don't panic! When you reach your port of entry, explain to the officer that you forgot your I-20 or DS-2019, and ask the officer to let you in to the United States with an I-515A . The I-515A will allow you entry to the United States in F-1 or J-1 status for 30 days. If you get an I-515A at the port, visit the Office of Global Learning as soon as you arrive back in Ithaca, and we will help you complete the requirements.

Can I request a reprint of my I-20 if I’ve already applied for an OPT I-20?  

If you missed the 30-day window for mailing your OPT application, do not ask for a reprint! Request a cancellation of your first OPT request. Then use this OPT request form  to ask for a new I-20 with OPT recommendation. 

I’m not traveling, but I think I need to extend my I-20!

If you need more time to complete your academic program, you’ll need to apply for an extension to your I-20 or DS-2019. Find out more.  

Next Up:  Study or Research Abroad  

Campus Resources

I am abroad and I forgot to request a new Form I-20 / DS-2019 to get a travel validation signature. What do I do?

• Knowledge Base
• Immigration and Travel
• I am abroad and I forgot to request a new Form I-2…

If you forgot to get a travel signature before leaving the U.S., you can request a new Form I-20 / Form DS-2019 by logging in to iMIT, click on “F-1 Student Services” (or “J-1 Student Services”), then click on “Request a Replacement Form I-20” (or “Request a Replacement Form DS-2019”), complete the eform and upload the required documentation, including updated financial support documentation for the current academic year, and submit the request. 

Processing time for a new Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 is 10 business days. If you will need the new Form to return to the U.S. earlier than 10 business days, please contact your ISO Advisor to notify them of the urgent situation so they may be able to expedite the processing if possible.

Once ISO processes your new Form I-20/DS-2019, your new Form will be sent to you electronically (by email) to your MIT email address (or the primary email address on file for you in SEVIS). When you receive the new Form I-20/DS-2019, you will need to download, print, and “wet” sign the new document for your use. Do NOT throw away any previous Form I-20/DS-2019 issued to you; you should carry with you ALL of your Forms I-20 or DS-2019 when traveling in case you are requested by a consular official or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official to document the history of your stay in the U.S. Additional guidance is available on the ISO “Visas and Travel” webpage .

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A Green Card application has been filed on my behalf, and the Form I-140 has been approved, can MIT continue to issue Form I-20/Form DS-2019 for me to maintain my F-1 or J-1 student status and authorized F-1/J-1 benefits?

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I need to get a new travel signature on my I-20 to re-enter the US. How can I get one from the Office of International Affairs (OIA)?

The Office of International Affairs (OIA) is closed physically, but we are still providing services remotely. Travel signatures are valid for 12 months from the date signed on page two of your I-20 (six months for alumni on OPT). You can request a new travel signature by writing to  [email protected]  and including your name as printed on your passport and Pratt ID number. Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the Department of Homeland Security has provided us special authorization to send students I-20s electronically with e-signatures. Any new electronic I-20 you receive will remain valid for your use beyond the COVID-19 emergency, until you need an updated I-20 for another purpose. Please print your I-20 on letter-sized paper and sign it at the bottom so you have a paper copy to carry with you.

Travel Signature

Updated 12/3/2023

A signed I-20/DS-2019 is not required to depart the U.S.; however, international students and scholars who are reentering the U.S. must ensure they have a valid travel signature on their I-20/DS-2019. Only Designated School Officials (F-1)/ Responsible Officers (J-1) at the Office of International Services are permitted to sign the I-20/DS-2019 for travel.

Travel Signature Endorsement and Validity

Continuing students/scholars.

The signature on page 2 or 3 of the I-20 or on the bottom right corner of page 1 of the DS-2019 is valid for 12 months. If your re-entry date to the U.S. is within 12-months from the last signature, you will be eligible to re-enter on that I-20/DS-2019.  However, if you re-enter after the 12-month period, then a new travel signature is required.

Information for F-1 students on OPT/STEM OPT

The signature on page 2 or 3 of the OPT I-20 is valid for 6 months from when it was signed. If your re-entry date is within 6 months from the last signature, you will be eligible to re-enter on that I-20.  However, if you re-enter after the 6-month time frame, a new travel signature is required.

Information for J-1 Short-term Scholars and J-1 Students on Academic Training 

Travel signatures are valid for 6 months or until the end of program, whichever is sooner.

How to Request a Travel Signature Remotely

Students/scholars who need a travel signature should request one prior to their departure from the U.S. if possible. A travel signature require seven business days processing time. Please arrange your travel/re-entry plans accordingly.

F-1 Students

To request a travel signature, the student must submit a Travel Signature I-20 Request . The processing time for these requests is  seven (7) business days . The I-20 will be signed electronically and emailed to student’s USC email account. U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and Department of State (DoS) accept electronically signed I-20s.

J-1 Students/Scholars

To request a travel signature, the Exchange Visitor (EV) must complete the Student Travel Signature Request or Scholar Travel Signature Request form . The processing time for these requests is  seven (7) business days . The DS-2019 will be signed electronically and emailed to the EVs USC email account. Please note that EVs are not permitted to digitally sign the DS-2019. U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and Department of State (DoS) accept electronically signed DS-2019s.

Special note for J-2 Dependents: OIS will automatically include travel endorsements for all J-2 records on file with the J-1 Exchange Visitor’s request.

Did you forget to get your I-20/DS-2019 endorsed for travel? 

Enter the U.S. on I-515A. The I-515A is a document issued by the U.S. Port-of-Entry officer that allows students and scholars to re-enter the U.S. on a temporary status of 30 days.  If you do not have a valid travel signature, you will likely be issued a Form I-515A by the U.S. Port-of-Entry officer.  Since this is a temporary stay document that only allows 30 days stay in the U.S., it is very important that you contact OIS immediately upon arrival to fix your status to F-1 or J-1 D/S.  Entering on an I-515A may cause some delays at the Port of Entry, so please plan accordingly.

Please visit the  Contact Us page for OIS office hours and closures. Any requests submitted during weekend or holiday closures will not be processed and emailed until the office reopens.

Reminder: Upon re-entry to the U.S., students should print out their I-94 Arrival/Departure record .

Office of Global Engagement

International students and scholars.

Travel Signature Reminder: Drop off your I-20 or DS-2019 at OISSS

News & Alert

If you will be traveling outside the U.S. this fall or over winter break, please take a moment to check that you have a current (less than a year old at time of re-entry to the U.S.) travel signature on page 2 of your I-20 for F-1 students, or in the lower right hand corner of your DS-2019 for J-1 students/scholars. Travel signatures are valid for 1 year to the date signed (6 months on post-completion F-1 OPT) and can be used multiple times before they expire.

If you need a new travel signature, please drop off your I-20 or DS-2019 to the OISSS to be signed. Do not wait until the last minute! Please keep in mind that due to the volume of requests, the travel signature process can take 5 business days.

At this time we also remind you to take a moment to review the travel information on the OISSS website here .

If you have already submitted your I-20 or DS-2019 due to a planned trip outside the U.S., please make sure to pick-up your document prior to departure between 9 am - 12pm or 1:30pm - 5pm Monday through Friday.

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• Travel Signature

I-20/DS-2019 TRAVEL SIGNATURE

F-1 student need a valid travel signature on their I-20 forms, and J-1 students need a valid travel signature on their DS-2019 forms in order to return to the U.S. after a temporary leave from the U.S. Review all information below to understand when and how to get a new travel signature, and how an expired travel signature may affect your visa status.

STEP 1: Check if Your Travel Signature Has Expired

Check if your travel signature is expired.

• You do   not   need a new I-20/DS-2019 travel signature every time you travel internationally, if your current signature is still valid. See below to confirm whether it is still valid or already expired.

Enrolled F-1 Students:

• Check page 2 of your current I-20, and if the travel signature will be more than   one year old at the time you plan to return to the U.S., then you need to renew it before returning to the U.S.

F-1 OPT and STEM OPT Extension Students:

• Check page 2 of your current I-20, and if the travel signature will be more than   6 months  old at the time you plan to return to the U.S., then you need to renew it before returning to the U.S.

J-1 Students:

• Check page 1 of your current DS-2019,  and if the travel signature will be more than   one year old at the time you plan to return to the U.S., then you need to renew it before returning to the U.S.

STEP 2: Confirm Your Eligibility to Renew Your Travel Signature

You are eligible to renew your travel signature :.

• If you are enrolled in at least 12 academic units at UC San Diego during the Fall, Winter and Spring quarters, or
• If you are enrolled below 12 academic units, but have an approved Reduced Course Load authorization , or
• If you have applied for or have an approved post-completion F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) or J-1 Academic Training (AT)   employment authorization.

You are not eligible to renew your travel signature: 

• If your SEVIS record at UC San Diego has been terminated due to visa status violations , or
• If your SEVIS record at UC San Diego has completed due to your program completion , or
• If your SEVIS record at UC San Diego has been released/transferred out to another school .

STEP 3: Submit Your Request for a New Travel Signature I-20/DS-2019

• Log in to  iportal.ucsd.edu  .
• Go to " Services " tab.
• Select " Travel Signature I-20/DS-2019 Request ".
• Complete your request.
• " Submit " your request.

STEP 4: Receive Your New I-20/DS-2019

• Please note that your new I-20 will be uploaded to your request. Electronic delivery of I-20 forms is now allowed by SEVP (as part of the measures addressing the COVID-19 emergency ) for the purposes of entering the U.S., and it is a faster, safer and more health-conscious delivery method than mailing a hard copy.
• However, you will still need to print, sign, and carry the hard copy when returning to the U.S.
• You can check the status of your request anytime by logging in to  iPortal   and clicking on " My Requests " tab.
• A notification email will be sent to you when your document is ready.
• Sign your new I-20/DS-2019 when you receive it, and keep your previous I-20/DS-2019 for your records, do  NOT  throw it away.

Learn More About Traveling Internationally

• Check in for I-20/DS-2019 Activation
• Traveling in the U.S.
• Traveling Outside the U.S.
• Visa Application
• Document Self-Check

Tyumen Oblast, Russia

Tyumen oblast is great for, eat & drink.

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Tyumen: Bourgeois Siberian oil capital

The Lover’s Bridge in Tyumen. Source: RIA Novosti

There’s something different about Tyumen. This city of over half a million people was the first Russian settlement in Siberia. Today, it’s the capital of the vast Tyumen Oblast, or province, that stretches from the Kazakhstan border north to the Arctic Ocean. Tyumen Oblast is home to the majority of Russia’s seemingly limitless oil and natural gas reserves. Some of the world’s largest drilling companies have officers here, and Tyumen residents enjoy much higher incomes than elsewhere in Russia. The result is a cosmopolitan city with a bright outlook on the future.

A stop in Tyumen provides an interesting glimpse into how modern Russia’s oil revenue has influenced Siberia’s oldest Russian city. Tyumen is a great stopover point on the Trans-Siberian Railroad and a short ride from Yekaterinburg (five hours) or Tobolsk (four hours).

How to get there

Direct flights run each day between Tyumen and Moscow or St. Petersburg ($450 roundtrip). Tyumen is also located on the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Trains leave Moscow in the afternoon and evening ($110-250, 32-38 hours).

In the 16th century, Russia started expanding eastward into parts of Central Asia ruled by the Tatars, an Islamic people who still live thoughout Russia. A band of Cossacks wrested control of Tyumen from the Tatars in 1580. Six years later, Russians established a fort in Tyumen on the Tura River.

For centuries, Tyumen vied with the nearby city of Tobolsk—once the official capital of Siberia—for the prestige of the region’s most important city. Tyumen won in the end, when the Trans-Siberian Railroad bypassed Tobolsk and was routed through this now oil-rich city.

Tyumen played an important role in Russian history during times of war. At the beginning of the Russian Civil War, the Bolshevik Red Army slowly pushed the White Army, commanded by Admiral Alexander Kolchak, into Siberia. Kolchak and his anti-Bolshevik forces holed up in Tyumen until the Red Army overtook them in January of 1918.

Tura River. Source: Lori / Legion Media

During the Second World War, many Russian industries were moved away from the front to Siberian cities. Tyumen had already become an industrial capital during the early Soviet era, and the city became an ideal spot to relocate Russia’s western factories. As Nazi forces approached Russia in 1941, the embalmed body of Vladimir Lenin was sent from the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow’s Red Square by train to the Tyumen State Agricultural Academy for safekeeping. In 1945, Lenin’s body was shipped back to Moscow.

Where to stay

Located in a stunningly remodeled Soviet building, The Hotel Vostok offers modern rooms ($80-125). Far more luxurious—and twice as expensive—is The Hotel Tyumen .

Some of the factories relocated to Tyumen during wartime remained in the city. The discovery of oil in the region catapulted Siberia’s oldest Russian settlement to further prosperity. Modern Tyumen is a vibrant city with a number of universities and a revamped center well-suited for exploration by foot.

Start your walking tour around central Tyumen on Ulitsa Respubliki. The city’s main drag has fine pedestrian walkways and leads wanderers past an impressive collection of tsarist-era buildings that recall Tyumen’s importance in the beginning of Russia’s colonization of Siberia.

From the southeastern end of Ul. Respubliki, head north toward the Tura River and take a brief side trip onto Ul. Ordzhonikidze to visit the Fine Arts Museum (47 Ul. Ordzhonikidze) which houses exhibits of classical Russian and Soviet art as well as traditional bone carving and works produced by the native people who live in the far north of Tyumen Oblast.

Detail of wood carvings and windows on wooden house. Source: Getty Images

Back on Ul. Respubliki, you’ll soon see the city’s requisite Lenin statue by the local government buildings. A block away, opposite Lenin, is Tyumen’s city park, a delightful place to walk or hop on one of its amusement rides.

Most Siberian cities developed under the watchful eyes of the atheist Soviet regime and churches are usually not Siberia’s strongpoint. But this isn’t true in four-centuries-old Tyumen. Strolling up Ul. Respubliki, you’ll soon come to the Church of the Saviour (41 Ul. Lenina) and the Znamensky Cathedral (13 Ul. Semakova). Each of these stunning Baroque-influenced churches are located right off Ul. Respubliki and were built in the late 18th century.

Tyumen is also famous for its historic wooden houses. Heading further up Ul. Respubliki, stop to wander around some of the side streets and snap photos of these ornate wooden structures which provide a glimpse back in time. Near the Tura River, you’ll pass a civil war monument in remembrance of the Tyumen natives who died fighting the White Army and the Tyumen State Agricultural Academy (7 Ul. Respubliki) an impressive building in its own right where Lenin was stored during the Second World War.

Near the end of Ul. Respubliki, take a walk over the Tura River on the Lover’s Bridge, a suspension bridge open to foot traffic only that has become one of Tyumen’s iconic sights. The other side of the river is a great place to see more of Tyumen’s signature wooden houses as well as take in the churches scattered around the city center.

Save the best for last and visit the Trinity Monastery (10 Ul. Kommunisticheskaya) at the end of Ul. Respubliki. A white wall surrounds the monastery, giving it the appearance of a mini-kremlin, and the golden onion domes of the 18th century churches within should not be missed.

Although navigating Tyumen is straightforward enough, the St. Petersburg-based travel company OSTWEST can arrange a city tour in Tyumen and the surrounding countryside. 

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

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