Before any trip, check four things
Passport: valid for your return, and better for 6 months after.
Visa stamp: valid on the day you come back. If it expired, you need a new one before you return.
Status papers: current I-20 or DS-2019, or the latest I-797 approval notice for workers.
Travel signature for students and exchange visitors.
Travel signature (F and J)
Your DSO (F-1) or RO (J-1) signs page 2 of the I-20, or the DS-2019, to confirm you are still in good status.
For F-1 students, a signature is usually good for 12 months, and 6 months while on OPT.
J-1 sponsors set their own rules; ask your RO.
F-2 and J-2 family members need a signature on their own document too.
Ask at least 2 weeks before travel. Offices are busy before holidays.
You cannot renew a visa stamp inside the US. You apply at a US embassy or consulate abroad.
Fill in the DS-160 form online.
Pay the visa fee shown on the embassy's website.
Book an appointment. Since 2025, almost everyone must have an in-person interview, and you should apply in your country of nationality or residence. Applying in a third country is harder.
Bring: passport, the photo, status papers, proof of study or work (enrollment letter, recent pay stubs, employer letter), and your I-94 history.
Wait times can be long, and some cases need extra security checks for weeks or months. For some visa types the State Department also asks applicants to set social media profiles to public. Plan your trip with extra time, and do not book a fixed work start date right after your appointment.
Bring the latest I-797 approval, a letter from your employer, and recent pay stubs. After you return, download the new I-94 and check the date.
You do not need a visa. Bring your green card and passport. Long trips have their own rules. See How long can a green card holder stay outside the US?.
Thinking an expired visa stamp is fine for re-entry. It is fine for staying, not for entering.
Traveling during a pending change of status. Leaving can cancel it. Ask an attorney first.
Forgetting the travel signature for children on F-2 or J-2.