Pre-Departure and Returning students FAQs

All students will receive pre-departure information. Those going on faculty led programming, will also have meetings prior to the group departure with the faculty to better familiarize itself with the location. 

The US Department of State’s travel page (travel.state.gov) and study abroad pages (travel.state.gov) are great locations for diving deeper into the topics of country specific information. Hamline also has a study away health and safety page for more general information.

For all things passport-related, the US State Department (travel.state.gov) has a web page with forms, and details on local places to apply for a passport.

If you have never had a passport, you will need to apply for one. You can complete the form and take it to a passport office or authorized USPS location. If you had a child passport and are now over 18, you will need to apply for a new passport. 

If you need to renew a passport, you can do so via the mail. 

If you need the passport by a specific date, there are expedited services available in most cases. This will cost more money for processing. Minneapolis also has a passport agency office (travel.state.gov) that can print same-day passports, again at an additional cost.

Some programs due to their length (semester or year) or location may need extra paperwork. Entry and exit visas depend on the agreements and rules between your home country (country of citizenship) and that country.

Generally with a US passport, students are allowed to do short term programs under a “tourist” classification for most of Europe, South and Central America, and some part of Asia. Some countries will ask you to register before you go, but not charge anything for a permit/visa. While other countries like China require a purchased visa to enter, no matter the time you stay there. 

Students are responsible for obtaining any entry/exit visas for their program. The GEC can offer basic support, but cannot give official advice on how to complete paperwork as rules often change annually. Your program or host institution will provide you with paperwork to begin the process should you need one. 

For more information on visa requirements, The US State Department (travel.state.gov) has a travel website with information on immunizations, health and safety issues, as well as visa requirements.

International students going abroad again should consult with their home consulate to learn more about travel restrictions. Also, check with the GEC to ensure your entry back in the US isn’t impacted by your travel.

If your program requires a visa there will be paperwork that the officials of the program will provide you (letter of invitation, living address in the country, etc.). Please read all emails from your program officials carefully.

Some visas require you to travel to the nearest consulate to submit your passport and paperwork. Others let you do this via mail services or offer e-visa options. It depends on the country and their rules. The US Department of State’s international travel page (travel.state.gov) will help with locating your consulate and their website for contact information. 

In some cases you can pay a company to process the visa application and documents on your behalf. These will cost you money on top of any visa fees required, but can save you some time and hassle. Some companies are:

• Swift Passport (swiftpassportservices.com)

• G3 Visas (g3visas.com)

• TraVisa (travisa.com)

• VisaHQ (visahq.com)

Normally, you can’t apply for a visa until you are 90 days away from your program’s start date, but every country has its own rules. Be sure to do the research or ask your program’s advisor for more details.

Do not put off processing your visa documents—expediting visa applications can cost extra money.

Some countries allow students and other visitors to apply for visas online or send documents to a consulate. Check the nearest consulate’s website for directions on HOW to submit your paperwork. Please note that you may have to appear in person to drop off and/or pick up your passport with the visa. 

If you do not have the proper entry permission, you can get turned away at the airport before departing the US or upon arrival at your destination. You risk not being refunded for your program costs because of failure to receive the proper visa permissions. 

Do not overstay your visa. You could risk being detained at the border or not being allowed back into a country ever again. This is a serious matter and can result in fines or even jail time in other countries.

After your program has ended, and your final grades have been recorded, the program SHOULD send official transcripts to the GEC. This can take some time. On average it takes around three to six weeks for your host institution/program to mail them. Once the GEC receives them, they are sent directly to the registrar for processing. 

If you are still waiting and it has been past six weeks since the end of your program, please connect with the program advisor and the GEC.

Most study away and study abroad credits will appear towards the top of your Hamline transcript. While they might look like block credits, they should have the designation as major/minor coursework equivalents and/or Hamline letters if you have gotten them approved. 

Check with your faculty advisor for the major/minor coursework items and the Registrar for the Hamline Letters (if you have petitioned for a specific letter). The GEC can also help if you need us to assist. 

Faculty-led programs are the exception to this, as faculty have applied for letters and had courses approved prior to the program. If you see a discrepancy, please contact the Registrar and the GEC.