• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov)

1. Valid visa and passport:
   You must have a valid passport at least for 6 months into the future to travel internationally. If your passport is expiring, you will have to renew it before your travel or next time you travel to your home country. If your visa has expired or is expiring soon, you must apply for and obtain a new visa to re-enter the U.S.
   
   
2. If you have a pending change of status application filed with USCIS, leaving the U.S. before you receive the approval will cause the application to be cancelled. Your application will be deemed to be abandoned.
   
   
3. Be sure to have the UAF Police Department’s number (+1-907-474-7721) with you when you travel and especially when returning to the U.S. If you have an immigration emergency after ISSS business hours, and need to reach us, call the UAF Police Department, explain your situation, and you will be connected either with Joanna Cruzan or Reija Shnoro.
   
   
4. Check out the following U.S. Customs and Border Protection informational websites for useful information:

• • Know Before You Go, to learn about the rules for bringing items into the U.S. from abroad. 
    
    
  • Bringing Food into the U.S. to know what type of food can be brought back.
    
    
  • Prohibited and Restricted Items lists products the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will prevent from entering the U.S. 
    
    
  • General List of Approved Food and Plant Products, Import and Export Information,and Traveler Alerts and Advisories by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
    
    
  • Information about Money and Other Monetary Instrumentsinto or out of the U.S. and the required reporting for currency when entering.

5. Check the international travel guidelines of the UAF's Office of Research Integrity.
   
   
6. If you are traveling over the holiday season you may wish to review 5 Holiday Tips from the Transportation Security Administration before leaving.

1. Make sure your immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019) has a current travel authorization signature. The signature must be dated within 6 months of your anticipated re-entry into the U.S. If not, you need a new travel signature. Please stop by the ISSS office during our business hours with your current immigration documentation.
   
   
2. Make sure you have a valid passport and visa.
   
   
3. Before your return to the U.S., register for the next semester and carry a copy of your course registration.
   
   
4. If you receive any UAF funding (research/teaching assistantship, athletic award) make sure to carry a copy of your funding documents with you.
   
   
5. If you are not receiving UAF funding, have a copy of your personal financial documents to show that you can afford to continue to attend at UAF.

Note: If you are an F-1 student on post-completion OPT or STEM OPT, please contact ISSS before you make your final decision to travel internationally.

J-1 Exchange Visitor Status:

1. Make sure your immigration document DS-2019 has a current travel authorization signature. The signature must be dated within 6 months of your anticipated re-entry into the U.S. If not, you need a new travel signature. Please stop by the ISSS office during our business hours with your current immigration documentation.
   
   
2. Make sure you have a valid passport and visa.
   
   
3. Copy of your current UAF contract letter (if applicable).
   
   
4. Take a brief memo from your department or supervisor stating that you are on official leave and are expected back on (date); or that you are attending a conference on behalf of the department and expected back on (date).

H-1B and O-1A Status:

1. Make sure you have a valid passport and visa.
   
   
2. Copy of your current UAF contract letter.
   
   
3. Obtain the original immigration form I-797 Approval Notice from International Student and Scholar Services. This must be returned to ISSS after your return to UAF.
   
   
4. Your copy of the application packet if you do not have a valid visa in your passport.

E-3 Status:

1. Make sure you have a valid passport and visa.
   
   
2. Remember to take your copy of the LCA and your current UAF contract letter.

TN Status:

1. Make sure you have a valid passport.
   
   
2. Remember to take your copy of your current UAF contract letter and the Form I-797 if the status was gained by petition to USCIS. Check with ISSS before traveling due to special documents that may be needed.

1. Digital I-94 Arrival record via https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/.
2. Your passport identification page if you obtained a new passport.
3. Passport page showing the arrival stamp.
4. The visa page if you obtained a new visa.