Frequently Asked Questions – Fall 2020 Visa and Immigration Requirements

For the Fall 2020 semester, there are currently three primary sources that guide the rules and regulations for F-1 students:

1. F-1 visa regulations, which describe the standard rules and requirements for F-1 students; these still apply except for situations and exceptions discussed in the documents listed in #2 and #3
   • See also our section on Maintaining F-1 Status for a description of general rules that apply to F-1 students in normal operating conditions
2. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program's (SEVP) March 9 guidance and Frequently Asked Questions, which allowed schools to maintain current students in valid status for Spring / Summer 2020 while transitioning to fully on-line classes due to the COVID-19 emergency
3. SEVP's July 24 guidance, and clarifying Frequently Asked Questions, which extend the March 9 guidance and FAQs and explain how these will apply to the Fall 2020 semester

Note: Earlier this summer, on July 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement published Fall 2020 guidance that was subject to multiple legal challenges. These requirements would have required all students to take at least one in-person or hybrid class and schools to reprint I-20s for all students applying for F-1 visas and intending to come to the US for Fall 2020. On July 14, the Department of Homeland Security withdrew the July 6 guidance. The requirements announced by ICEon July 6 no longer apply.

No, the current rules being discussed in this section concern F-1 students who are starting or still working toward their degrees. It does not apply to students on other types of visas or F-1 students on post-completion Optional Practical Training or the STEM Extension of OPT.

For immigration purposes, we are distinguishing between three different types of classes:

• An in-person class is taught primarily in person, e.g., in a lecture hall or other on-campus physical setting
• A hybrid class is a type of in-person class, where the class is taught primarily on-line, but the class still includes in-person components and activities that are a part of the class (e.g., lectures, discussion groups, labs, studios, recitations, examinations, and so on)
• An on-line or virtual class is taught 100% on-line, through video or on-line transmission and other electronic means

Essentially, virtual classes are on-line classes, while hybrid and in-person classes are in-person classes.

• Virtual classes are considered to be on-line classes that don't have an in-person component.
• Hybrid classes have both on-line and in-person components and are considered a type of 'in-person' class for immigration purposes. For international students taking hybrid classes, the classes can count as "in-person" only if they fulfill the in-person components of the classes
• In-person classes are classes that are taught primarily in-person.

When determining whether or not you are complying with the on-line / in-person restrictions, the International Center will review official school records, and particularly on how courses are categorized or labeled in the Student Information System (SIS). We will NOT be monitoring the week-to-week activities for each individual course to decide whether it is on-line or in-person, etc. We assume that how a course is labeled in SIS or the equivalent accurately reflects whether the course is on-line, in-person, or hybrid.

No. When a program is described as "hybrid" this means that it is offering a mixture of different types of classes - on-line, in-person, and hybrid classes. A hybrid class is a class that involves a mixture of on-line and in-person instructional activities.

As a rule these classes are generally considered in-person because they are primarily self-directed research or learning activities:

• thesis, capstone, or dissertation credits
• internship and practicum credits
• credits that reflect in-person studio work or lab-based research
• credits that reflect in-person clinical training or teaching and training in a clinical setting
• independent study credits
• physical education credits

A new student, as described in these FAQs, refers to a student who is coming to the US on an initial attendance I-20 from Tufts. The I-20 would have been issued to you if:

• you are coming to the US to start a Tufts program and you have not previously been in the US on an F-1 student visa
• you are returning to the US after a leave of absence or period of time away, and your previous I-20 and F-1 SEVIS record are no longer active or valid

You are not considered a new student if:

• You were in active F-1 status in Spring 2020 at Tufts or another school, and you are transferring to Tufts to start a new program

Based on the March 9 and July 24 FAQs, new students can come to the US in F-1 student status ONLY if their programs are not 100% on-line and they will not take only on-line classes. In other words, if you are a new student you must enroll in at least one in-person/hybrid class for the Fall 2020 semester, in order to qualify for F-1 student status. This also assume that you have or or able to to obtain a valid F-1 visa, and there are no other travel suspensions or restrictions preventing you from coming to Tufts for the Fall 2020 semester.

If your program is not 100% on-line and you plan to come to Tufts as a new student, you must have a valid passport, F-1 entry visa, and your Tufts I-20. You should also carry your I-901 SEVIS Fee receipt and copies of your Tufts admission letter and financial documents. Please remember that in addition to obtaining these documents, you may need to plan around existing COVID-19 travel suspensions.

If you are a new student and your program is offering only 100% on-line classes, you should not attempt to enter the US as an F-1 student, even if you have a valid F-1 visa. In this case, the International Center will work with you to defer your I-20 to the next available term (either Spring 2021 or later) when in-person instruction will be available. You may, however, take on-line classes from your home country.

If you are a new student and your program is fully (100%) on-line, you cannot come to the US as an F-1 student at this time. You may start taking classes from your home country. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has said in the past, and recently confirmed on July 24, that 100% online programs are ineligible to sponsor new students in F-1 status.

For Fall 2020, there is no specific limit on the number of on-line classes you can take as a new student; however, these guidelines should be followed:

• You cannot take only on-line classes: you must take at least one class that is taught in-person or through a hybrid format (involving in-person and on-line elements); as long as you are taking one in-person or hybrid class, however, other classes may be on-line
• If there is a choice between in-person / hybrid versus on-line classes, you should select the in-person / hybrid options
• However, you should prioritize taking the classes that are appropriate for you at your stage of the program, and which will help you to have a successful start and make progress toward your degree requirements

Student should also know that as a rule, they must be prepared to study full-time, which is 12 SHUs / credits per semester for undergraduate students and 9 SHUs / credits per semester for graduate students.

You cannot come or remain in the US as a new student if you are taking only on-line classes, even if your program is not 100% on-line. For example, your program may offer a variety of classes that are both in-person / hybrid and on-line. You cannot maintain your status if you enter the US as a new student on an F-1 visa and only choose the on-line classes. Your Fall 2020 schedule must include at least one in-person / hybrid class.

We understand that there are many reasons  - ranging from personal reasons to visa and travel restrictions - why new students either cannot or do not want to come to the US at this time to start their Tufts programs. You may either choose to defer to a later semester, or start the program by taking on-line classes. Talk to your school or department about procedures for either deferring your start date or starting the Fall 2020 semester with on-line classes.

Note: If you are a new student and already received your Form I-20, the International Center will defer your I-20 for arrival in Spring 2021 or later. Deferring your I-20 does not mean you cannot take classes on-line from outside the US; it only means that your expected arrival in the US on an F-1 student visa will not take place until the Spring 2021 semester (or later). The International Center will start working with students in mid-August to finalize Fall 2020 plans and will provide updated instructions at that time for students who will only arrive at Tufts in Spring 2021.  applications and requests for I-20s for Spring 2021 or later in September

If you are new to Tufts and have not yet started your Tufts program, you may be able to ask for a deferral of one semester or even one year (i.e., take a 'gap year'). A deferral means that you will not be taking any classes but starting your program at a later date.

Incoming first-year undergraduate students may request a gap year although all requests are subject to approval. However, one semester deferrals are not granted. If approved, the next start date may be Fall 2021 or even as late as Fall 2022 (in two years). See here for instructions on requesting a gap year. Instead of taking a gap year, students may also choose to start their programs on-line. Please note, students who are transferring to Tufts from other higher education institutions are not eligible for a gap year and must enter in Fall 2021.

Incoming graduate students may request a deferral for a semester or longer. All requests should be made directly to their programs, who will be responsible for determining whether to grant a deferral.

If you already received your I-20 from Tufts for Fall 2020, but plan to defer or take a gap year, do not use your current I-20 to enter the US. You will be contacted by the International Center to get a new I-20 for either the Spring 2021 semester or later, depending on when you plan to come to the US to start your program. In general, you will not need to reapply for your I-20 if the deferral is one semester. You will need to reapply for your I-20 if the deferral is one year or longer.

It may be possible to change your mind and attend Tufts this fall, but your options may be limited to starting classes on-line from your home country (if you are outside the US) rather than coming to campus for in-person classes. This depends on when you make your decision and other factors.

Undergraduate students who have already submitted their Fall 2020 notification response (due on July 7, 2020) may be given the option to study remotely. This is because assignments for on-campus housing and other campus services are being decided based on the July 7th response. Contact studentservices@tufts.edu with your request to see if your deferral decision can be changed.

Graduate students should notify their graduate admissions office and program to request a cancellation of any deferral request.

Changes to any deferral requests should be made as soon as possible before the start of the Fall 2020 semester in order to ensure appropriate planning can be made with respect to housing, dining, classroom, laboratory and other resources. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University must plan the use of these spaces and resources depending on how many students are expected to arrive and take classes.

Undergraduate students who have already submitted their Fall 2020 notification response (due on July 7, 2020) should contact studentservices@tufts.edu or your undergraduate advising dean let them know of your change in plans for the Fall 2020 semester. Ideally, you should make this notification prior to the start of the semester, especially if you have a student on-campus housing assignment.

Graduate students should notify their graduate admissions office and program to request a cancellation of any deferral request.

Changes to your plans should be made as soon as possible once you have made your decision before the start of the Fall 2020 semester in order to ensure appropriate planning can be made with respect to housing, dining, classroom, laboratory and other resources.

A continuing student is an F-1 student who was enrolled full-time at Tufts in the Spring 2020 semester and will be continuing their studies at Tufts during the Fall 2020 semester. If you were studying at Tufts during Spring 2020 on an F-1 visa, and you are continuing on in your program for Fall 2020, then you are a continuing student.

Under March 2020 rules, which were confirmed with the July 24 announcement, continuing students may continue to maintain valid F-1 status as long as they are enrolled full-time. If you are a continuing student, there is no specific requirement on the type of classes that you must take, other than that the classes should help you make continued progress toward meeting your degree requirements. You may even take on-line classes from outside the US and maintain your F-1 SEVIS record in active status, as long as you maintain full-time enrollment.

For graduate students who have finished courses and have moved on to thesis or dissertation research, you are considered to be working 'in-person' as long as you register for the appropriate thesis / dissertation credits. You may choose to do your research either inside the US or outside the US, and your F-1 status will be maintained in active status as long as you are registered full-time.

We understand that for many reasons, you may have to or prefer to stay outside of the US for the Fall 2020 semester. Your F-1 record will be updated depending on what you will be doing for Fall 2020:

• Full-time Study for Fall 2020: If you are taking on-line classes or doing research on a full-time basis while outside the US, your F-1 record will be maintained in active status. We will need to update your SEVIS record to indicate that you will be staying outside the US for Fall 2020, but the record will not be deactivated. The International Center will send you instructions early September to confirm that you will be staying outside the US, and will update your record if this applies to you.
• Part-time Study or Leave of Absence for Fall 2020: If you will be studying only part-time, or will be taking a non-medical leave of absence, your F-1 SEVIS record and I-20 will be deactivated for authorized early withdrawal. When you are ready to return, we will work with you to either reactivate your I-20 or have you re-apply for a new I-20 (see next tab).

If you plan to maintain full-time enrollment while outside the US, consult with your department about your plans so that they know where you are. You should also keep your most recent US address in SIS, or update it to the address of a US contact such as a US-based family member or relative.

The International Center is required to deactivate your I-20 and SEVIS record if you plan to spend the Fall 2020 semester (or longer) outside of the US and will not be a full-time student during that time. This is not an immigration violation since there is no visa requirement to study full-time, or at all, while you are outside the US. Deactivation indicates that you are temporarily taking time off from full-time study. You should, however follow F-1 procedures for taking an F-1 leave of absence (even if still plan to study part-time while outside the US). We need to know your plans ahead of time so we can take the appropriate steps and procedures.

When you are ready to return to the US to resume full-time study, we may either reactivate your previous I-20 or have you reapply for a new initial attendance I-20.

• Reactivation is available if the leave of absence is no more than one semester. A reactivation request can be made up to 60 days before the start of the next term. The International Center will submit a request on your behalf and the request is subject to Department of Homeland Security approval. If DHS grants reactivation, you can use your current I-20 and SEVIS record to re-enter the US within 30 days before the start of your term. Students whose records are reactivated are allowed to count time previously spent in the US as an F-1 student toward practical training (CPT/OPT) eligibility.
• Reapplication for a new I-20 will mean applying with the International Center for a brand new I-20, which will also have a new SEVIS ID number and require a new SEVIS fee payment. Students who come back on a new I-20 / new SEVIS ID number will need to study for two semesters on a full-time basis before re-establishing practical training eligibility.

Regardless of whether returning on a reactivated or new I-20, you may use your existing. F-1 entry visa as long as the visa is not expired on the date of your return to the US.

If you are an F-1 student in your final semester you only need to take the classes you need to graduate - you do not need to be full-time. However, you should follow procedures for requesting a reduced course load.

Under normal operating conditions, you would not be allowed to take only on-line classes in your final semester of study. However, for the Fall 2020 semester, this restriction has bene removed. You are only required to take the classes you need to complete your degree, even if these classes are entirely on-line.

While you can take these on-line classes outside the US, please remember that if you are a continuing student in your final semester and plan to apply for post-completion Optional Practical Training, you must submit your OPT application from inside the US. Therefore, you will need to return to the US in F-1 status at some point during the Fall 2020 semester in order to be able to submit your application for post-completion OPT. If you do not plan to apply for OPT, and you will remain outside the US after the Fall 2020 semester is over, your F-1 status will end once the Fall 2020 semester ends.

If you have already started your Tufts program (i.e., you are a continuing / returning student), you may take a leave of absence if you do not want to or are not able to take classes during the Fall 2020 term. A leave of absence is approved by your undergraduate advising dean or by your graduate department following school policies. All requests for a leave of absence should be made in SIS. In most cases, you will need to leave the US during the leave term(s). See the section on "Immigration Consequences," below.

For questions regarding leaves of absence for Arts & Sciences and Engineering, read these responses.

If you are a current F-1 student and you are taking a medical leave of absence, you have the option of either remaining in the US in valid F-1 status or discontinuing your status and returning to your home country or another international destination. To be eligible to stay in the US, you must qualify for an F-1 medical reduced course load. Please follow the instructions indicated to request a medical RCL.

If you are taking a personal leave from school for non-medical reasons, you must receive the approval of your school or program first. Once you have been approved for a leave, please contact the International Center at internationalcenter@tufts.edu. Include your full name, student ID number, school / program, and expected leave terms (e.g., Fall 2020 semester, Spring 2021 semester). Your I-20 will need to be terminated for authorized withdrawal, since you will not be in active student status for the Fall 2020 term (or longer, depending on the length of your leave of absence).

You are a transfer student if you were attending another school (e.g., a high school or another college / university) in Spring 2020 and are now coming to Tufts for a Fall 2020 program. In this case, while you are "new" to Tufts, your immigration status as an F-1 student is already active.

You should have received, or will receive, a Transfer Pending I-20 from Tufts to reflect the fact that you are transferring your F-1 status from your previous school to Tufts.

In general, the requirements for transfer students who are already and who will be staying in the US are the same as the requirements for continuing students, as described in the section above. You must:

• enroll full-time for the Fall 2020 semester (12 SHUs for undergraduate students and 9 SHUs for graduate students)
• choose in-person or hybrid classes if available, but there are no specific requirements regarding the minimum or maximum number of on-line or in-person/hybrid classes you must take
• prioritize classes that your academic advisors recommend as the appropriate classes for your Fall 2020 semester

In general, the F-1 transfer process requires that we confirm you have arrived in the US (or are already in the US) and intend to enroll at Tufts for the Fall 2020 semester. Once we have that confirmation, we will then activate your SEVIS record, finalizing the transfer of your F-1 sponsorship from your previous school to Tufts. Given the current pandemic conditions, however, we are following these different instructions depending on your situation:

• Students who are currently in the US and who plan to come to the US for the Fall 2020 semester: we will start to initiate the transfer process on August 10, 2020
• Students who are currently outside the US and are planning to come to Tufts for the Fall 2020 semester: we will complete the transfer process after you arrive at Tufts, shortly after the Fall 2020 semester starts
• Students who will be attending Tufts@BNU for their first semester at Tufts: we will notify you by email once Tufts@BNU finalizes its enrollment and registration process, and no later than the first two weeks of the Fall 2020 semester
• Students who are outside the US and do not plan to return to the US for the Fall 2020 semester: you will be contacted after the start of the Fall 2020 semester to confirm your location and your Fall 2020 plans
  • We are unable to complete the transfer process for students who are not in the US and who will be studying only in remote (on-line) classes. Instead, we will need to arrange with Homeland Security to have updated I-20s issued to indicate that you will not be coming to the US until Spring 2021. This process will only begin in September 2020. You do not need to get a new F-1 visa if you already obtained one, but you will be contacted by the International Center in September 2021 about getting a new I-20.

If your program is not offering any classes for Fall 2020 (either on-line or in-person/hybrid), with the result that you will not be able to start your program until Spring 2021, contact the International Center about your case. In all likelihood, we may need to delay the transfer process in your situation from the Fall 2020 term to the Spring 2021 term.

The exact procedure will differ depending on what your Fall 2020 plans will be.

• If you are planning to start studying on-line during the Fall 2020 semester while outside the US, we will need to delay your transfer to the Spring 2021 semester. You can start your program during the Fall 2020 semester by taking on-line classes, but the F-1 transfer process cannot be completed if you are not in the US and will not be coming to the US until a later date. The International Center will work with you to update your I-20 for a Spring 2021 arrival.
• If you decide to defer your program start until a later date and will not be taking classes at Tufts this Fall semester, we will need to work with you to send you an updated I-20. Please talk to your admissions office about your decision.

The International Center is required to deactivate your I-20 and SEVIS record if you plan to spend the Fall 2020 semester (or longer) outside of the US and will not be a full-time student during that time. This is not an immigration violation since there is no visa requirement to study full-time, or at all, while you are outside the US. Deactivation indicates that you are temporarily taking time off from full-time study. You should, however follow F-1 procedures for taking an F-1 leave of absence (even if still plan to study part-time while outside the US). We need to know your plans ahead of time so we can take the appropriate steps and procedures.

When you are ready to return to the US to resume full-time study, we may either reactivate your previous I-20 or have you reapply for a new initial attendance I-20.

• Reactivation is available if the leave of absence is no more than one semester. A reactivation request can be made up to 60 days before the start of the next term. The International Center will submit a request on your behalf and the request is subject to Department of Homeland Security approval. If DHS grants reactivation, you can use your current I-20 and SEVIS record to re-enter the US within 30 days before the start of your term. Students whose records are reactivated are allowed to count time previously spent in the US as an F-1 student toward practical training (CPT/OPT) eligibility.
• Reapplication for a new I-20 will mean applying with the International Center for a brand new I-20, which will also have a new SEVIS ID number and require a new SEVIS fee payment. Students who come back on a new I-20 / new SEVIS ID number will need to study for two semesters on a full-time basis before re-establishing practical training eligibility.

Regardless of whether returning on a reactivated or new I-20, you may use your existing. F-1 entry visa as long as the visa is not expired on the date of your return to the US.

If you are a graduate student and enrolled in full-time thesis or dissertation credits, but will be staying outside the US to do your research activities, your F-1 SEVIS record and I-20 will be maintained in active status "as if" you were still in the US.

If you are an undergraduate student and enrolled in full-time while participating in a Tufts-organized and approved study abroad / study away experience, your I-20 and F-1 SEVIS record will be maintained in active status.

Under normal conditions, F-1 students are subject to a "five month" rule which says that if they are outside the US for more than five months, their existing I-20 and SEVIS record will be deactivated. The student must then apply for a new I-20 before returning to the US, although any existing F-1 student visa may still be used if the expiration date has not been reached. This rule, even under normal circumstances, does NOT apply to students who are outside the US but still registered full-time as a Tufts study abroad student or as a graduate student doing full-time research outside the US.

Based on the March 9 and July 24 announcements, this rule will not apply to you if you were in the US as an F-1 student in March 2020 and you are going to continue to maintain full-time enrollment while outside the US for Fall 2020. In brief, any student who was in status in March 2020 and who will maintain full-time enrollment during the Fall 2020 semester will continue to have an active SEVIS record even if outside the US, and the five month rule will not be applied. Note that there are special procedures for transfer students who are going to start their Tufts programs while outside the US (see the 'Transfer Students' section above).

The March 9 and July 24 guidance provided by SEVP indicates that F-1 students will not lose valid immigration status if the campus has to transition once again to a fully on-line Fall 2020 schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will apply to any student in the US under our F-1 visa sponsorship during Fall 2020.

The US State Department announced that there will be phased re-opening starting July 15 depending on local conditions and readiness. As of 8/5/2020, we have reports that many US consulates around the world are now providing at least limited visa services for F-1 student visa applicants.

• You should monitor and consult with the web site of your local US consulates to determine if, and when, consular and visa services will resume in your country / region
• Please note however that visa service availability and issuance of a visa does not automatically remove COVID-19 travel restrictions, which are separate; however, we have been advised that the State Department as of July 16 has indicated that students may be given the possibility of returning from a COVID-19 restricted area. Please consult this announcement for more information.

In addition to the current shutdown in US visa operations, the US and other countries have imposed travel restrictions on exit and entry, and international airlines continue to limit flight availability in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because these uncertainties and delays in visa operations are likely to last through much of the summer, any student currently outside the US who does not have a valid visa(*) to enter the US for Fall 2020 should consider making back-up plans, such as taking classes remotely from their home country or taking a leave of absence or deferral.

No, that is not accurate.

Only citizens of Canada are exempt from the visa requirement; others must still present a visa if coming to the US to study. If you are coming to the US to study, you must have a valid F-1 or J-1 student visa in order to enter the US. This is in addition to your unexpired passport and Form I-20 from Tufts (or Form DS-2019 for J-1 students). You should also carry a printout of your I-901 SEVIS fee receipt, and we recommend carrying (especially for new students) copies of your admission letter and financial documents.

(Note: because of the current pandemic, your I-20 or DS-2019 may be presented as an original document or as a printout from an email / scanned copy.)

In general, no. You must always have an I-20 from the school you are planning to attend - for example, if you are a student coming to Tufts, you must have an I-20 from Tufts. However, you can use an F-1 visa you already received for an earlier program, as long as the F-1 visa remains valid and unexpired.

If you are coming to the US to study, you must enter the US on a student visa. However, you can also use another type of visa that also allows you to study on a full-time basis (e.g., a H-4 dependent visa, if your spouse or parents are in H-1B status). However, some visa types do not allow degree study and/or full-time study. For example, you cannot engage in a course of study if you come to the US as a visitor (B-1/B-2 visa or ESTA travel). F-2 dependents cannot study full-time if working toward a college or university degree.

We recommend that you go ahead and schedule your visa appointment for the next available date, even if it is after the start of your Fall 2020 program. It is possible that once US visa services reopens, earlier visa appointments will become available. Once that happens, you may be able to work with your local US consulate to get your appointment moved to an earlier date and time.

In addition, even if you defer or delay your arrival at Tufts to Spring 2021, you may still be able to use the visa appointment to secure a visa for the later arrival date.

As a rule, if you are planning to come to Tufts for Fall 2020, you should be prepared to arrive no later than the second week of classes. Any further delays may make it extremely difficult for you to start the Fall semester successfully and to get settled - especially if you are new to Tufts and to the Medford / Boston area. However, depending on your schedule, there may be some flexibility especially if your Fall 2020 schedule is heavily on-line.

New students and transfer students should talk to their admissions office and to the International Center about potential delays in arrival and whether it would be advisable to defer attendance to a later semester or year, or start taking classes on-line instead.

Continuing students may have more flexibility about their arrival date, especially if they are advanced graduate students who are doing self-guided research rather than taking classes. However, students should talk to their advisors and departments about accommodations and flexibility for later arrivals.

Notify your undergraduate admissions office or graduate department, as well as the International Center, as soon as possible once it becomes clear that you will not be able to arrive on time. The earlier you notify us, the better, as your class registration, tuition, housing, and other matters may be affected.

In general, if you are not able to arrive in the US you should have the options to:

• switch to on-line / remote classes; or
• request a deferral for a semester or year, depending on your school's deferral policies

It is strongly advisable to keep monitoring your visa and travel situation and to make an assessment before the start of the Fall 2020 semester, so that adjustments to your Fall 2020 plan can be made. Waiting until the semester starts may complicate your ability to switch to online classes and may affect your eligibility for any refunds for which you would normally be entitled, including refunds on tuition payments or deposits. Please consult with studentservices@tufts.edu for more information.

See our Deferral, Gap Year, and Leaves of Absence FAQs for more information about these options.

No. If your current F-1 visa is valid, you do not need to get a new F-1 visa to enter the US. You must have an I-20 from Tufts if you are coming back to the US to continue your studies at Tufts. Canadian students do not need a visa to enter the US, but must have an I-20 from the school they are attending.

See our Travel Resources section for more information about travel and entry requirements.

The July 6 guidance required schools to reprint I-20s for all students applying for F-1 visas and coming to the US for the Fall 2020 semester. At this time, the July 6 guidance has been withdrawn. Reprints are not required.