Travel

Please also visit the US Department of Homeland Security's website for more information about what to expect when entering the US and US Customs & Border Protection's website for International Visitors. 

• Plan your arrival: Initial F-1 Students and J-1 Exchange Visitors are prohibited from entering the United States more than 30 days in advance of the program start date identified on your I-20 or DS 2019.
• Always carry your documents: Do not check the following documents in your baggage. If your baggage is lost or delayed, you will be unable to present the documents at your port of entry. As a result, you may not be able to enter the United States. Passport (valid for at least six months beyond the date of your entry), Valid F-1 or J-1 visa, Valid I-20 or DS-2019. In addition, it is recommended that you also hand carry the following documentation: Evidence of financial resources (financial guarantee), Transcripts (for continuing students), Letter of acceptance as a full-time, degree-seeking student, participant in WVU's exchange program, or invitation/offer letter for J-1 scholars, Paper receipt Form I-901 for the SEVIS fee, Name and contact information for your sponsoring organization, including a 24-hour emergency contact number 304-293-9456.
• Complete your entry paperwork:
• If Arriving by Air: Flight attendants will distribute Customs Declaration Forms (CF-6059). These must be completed prior to landing.
• If Arriving by Land/Sea: The CBP Officer at the port of entry will provide the necessary Customs Declaration Forms (CF-6059) to be filled out upon your arrival.
• As you arrive at the Port of Entry (POE): proceed to the terminal area for arriving passengers. Have the following documents available for presentation: Passport, F-1 or J-1 visa, I-20 or DS-2019, Customs Declaration Form (CF-6059). All visitors entering the United States must state their reason for wishing to enter the country. You will also be asked to provide information about your final destination. It is important that you tell the CBP Officer that you will be a student or exchange visitor. Be prepared to include the name and address of the school program where you will enroll/participate. West Virginia University, 1505 University Avenue, Morgantown WV, 26506
• Secondary Inspection Requirements: If the CBP officer at the port of entry cannot initially verify your information or you do not have all of the required documentation, you may be directed to an interview area known as “secondary inspection.” Secondary inspection allows inspectors to conduct additional research in order to verify information without causing delays for other arriving passengers. The CBP officer will first attempt to verify your status by using the Student and Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS). In the event that the CBP officer needs to verify your admission/participation with your sponsor we strongly recommend that you have the name and telephone number of your Program sponsor available. In the event you arrive during non-business hours (evenings, weekends, holidays), you should also have the emergency phone number. Failure to comply with U.S. government entry-exit procedures may result in your being denied entry to the United States. Under certain circumstances, the CBP officer may issue a “Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor” Form (I-515A), which authorizes temporary admission into the United States. Work with your program sponsor to submit proper documentation without delay if this should occur. Once your inspection is successfully completed, the inspecting officer will: 
• Sometimes stamp your passport for duration of status (“D/S”) for F and J visa holders with date and port of entry
• Update your I-94 arrival/departure record online. Be sure to  retrieve your I-94 online immediately after arrival using the information in your visa and verify that it is correct.
• After you have been admitted into the US: Students and Exchange Visitors must report to ISSS within 30 days of the program begin date identified on your I-20 or DS 2019 to have their participation in the program activity validated. This is done via  SEVIS Check-in for students. If you are a J-1 scholar, this is completed during your mandatory  orientation with your immigration specialist.
• Important Note: It will take multiple days to complete all new student requirements. Please schedule your travel plans accordingly so that you arrive in a timely manner bearing in mind that you are  not permitted to travel to the U.S  more than thirty (30) days prior to your program start date (first day of classes).
• For ease of travel, it is highly recommended that you make your travel arrangements to arrive at Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW). Ground transportation to your final destination is easier to arrange from this airport located about 10 minutes drive to the campus.
• Pittsburgh International airport located approximately 90 minutes drive to the campus may be used; however ground transportation is more challenging and expensive to organize.
• Ride sharing services, (for example: Uber and Lyft) also operate in Morgantown and in the Pittsburgh area.
• Please see below for further options and information.

Emergency contact information for ISSS - (304) 293-9456

Travel endorsements can be made via your International Student Services Portal. Please login and go to the "Request and Documents" tab, select the "Travel Endorsement" icon, answer all questions, upload all required documents, and submit your request to ISSS.

Signatures can be provided electronically by a DSO or ARO and you can access your newly signed I-20 or DS-2019 via your request portal. You will be notified once the endorsement is ready via your WVU MIX email with directions on how to access the I-20 or DS-2019.

Please be sure to try to make this request prior to travelling and as soon as possible. Though a travel endorsement is not needed for exit from the U.S., it will be required by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon re-entry. If you already departed the U.S. and did not request the travel endorsement, please place the request as soon as possible prior to your return. An advisor will review the request and can provide the document electronically to you to access, print, and sign prior to your return from abroad.

Travel signatures are valid for one year (6 months if on OPT), but it is generally good practice to acquire an updated signature and have ISSS check your record prior to any travel or at least every 6 months prior to travel.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

What if I find out that I cannot obtain a visa appointment or cannot arrive by my program start date? We recommend deferring your admission and I-20/DS-2019 until you are able to obtain a visa and arrive in the U.S. Please e-mail our team at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu if you feel your arrival in the U.S. by your start date will be delayed or you cannot arrive for the start of the semester. We will work with you to defer your I-20/DS-2019 and will have further instructions on how you can defer your admission. 

Can your office provide a support letter to improve my chances of obtaining a visa or to secure a visa appointment? Unfortunately, the Department of State (DOS) has indicated that the visa interview is not a document-driven process and letters or appeals from a university would not be considered in issuance of a non-immigrant visa or to obtain an expedited appointment. There is unfortunately not anything that WVU nor ISSS would be able to do to persuade any embassy to issue a visa or expedite a visa interview for an applicant. Those decisions are strictly up to the DOS and your form I-20/DS-2019 serves as our school’s official information for the embassy official. We cannot provide a support letter for a visa appointment. 

What do I do if my visa was denied by a U.S. embassy? Please e-mail us at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu with you proof of denial and we will follow up with further guidance. In these instances, you may need to plan to defer your I-20/DS-2019 and admission until you are able to secure a visa with another appointment. If selected for administrative processing, please be advised that this is a DOS procedure and may take several months to complete. Please see Administrative Processing for further information. It these instances, we highly recommend deferral of your I-20/DS-2019 and admission for administrative processing. 

At my visa appointment, the embassy official requested that my program start date be changed as it is too late to enter by the previous start date…how do I request a change in start date? As policy, our office does not change the program start date. Our office must conduct a review of an embassy request and require official confirmation from the embassy of a requested change. Please e-mail isss-students@mail.wvu.edu with an official document from the U.S. embassy stating the reason for why your visa issuance is held up. If an embassy official indicates it is because of the start date, please provide that document to us for further review. Changes to the start date are not guaranteed and we will need time to review any embassy document for the request. Without official documents from the embassy or consular official, we will not consider a change to a program start date. 

I was able to obtain a visa appointment, but it is not until after my program start date OR I have a visa, but I cannot arrive in the U.S. until after my current program start date. What should I do? As policy, we do not change start dates on the current I-20/DS-2019 for late arrival per U.S. regulation. You must arrive by the start date of your program. In some instances, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of State (DOS) may allow late entry, but it is up to their discretion. If you want to keep a visa appointment and/or can arrive to the U.S. within 30 days after the program start date, you will need express permission from your academic department and/or department in which you are employed to assist. You must reach out and coordinate this with the department(s) and if permitted, ask for an official letter on academic department letterhead that contains:

• Language that gives express permission from the academic department to you for late arrival and state definitively the latest specific date that you can arrive (within 30 days from program start date),
• A statement that you can still make adequate progress in your academic work and GA work (if applicable) if arriving late, (you may need an additional letter from an employing department if different from your academic department)
• A statement about your enrollment attesting that you are enrolled full-time (or can enroll full-time), are not taking online course work or only taking one online course within your full-time credit requirements, and your physical presence is required on campus to pursue a degree in your program.

This letter will need to be:

• on department letterhead
• dated
• signed by an official with authority to do so within the academic department/employer.

You will need to carry this letter with you if attempting entry into the U.S. at your own risk after the program start date. Your academic department and/or your department in which you are employed will let you know if late arrival is possible.

If it is not possible, you will need to request a deferral of the I-20/DS-2019 from ISSS by e-mailing isss-students@mail.wvu.edu and a deferral of your admission from your academic department/international admissions.

You definitively cannot arrive after 30 days from your current program start date despite any academic department permissions per U.S. regulation and must defer if this is the case.

If this route is pursued, please be advised that visa issuance for late arrival will be up to the DOS and that entry into the U.S. is at the discretion of Customs and Border Protection. It is still possible to be denied a visa and/or be turned away at the U.S. border.

We still recommend deferral of the I-20/DS-2019 and admission date as late entry can be a difficult process at the embassy and at the border - leading to further issues.