Immigration Documents

Your passport is your own government's permit for you to leave and re-enter your home country.

You should ensure that your passport is valid 6 months into the future at all times. 

To renew from within the United States, contact your local embassy.

Your passport contains:

• Identifying photo

• Passport number

• Full legal name

• Date of birth

• An issuance and expiration date, during which time it is valid

• Visas permits that you may have been granted

• Port of entry stamps from countries you have entered

The visa is a color sticker pasted into your passport by the US consul abroad. It shows the classification status you will have when you're admitted to the US.

If your visa has expired and you're planning to travel outside the US, you'll need to renew your visa. F-1 visas can't be renewed from within the US.

Your visa will contain:

• Identifying information to match the information on your passport photo ID page (name, birthdate, passport number, etc.)

• The type or class (F-1) in which you plan to enter the US

• The number of times you are permitted to request entry to the US (multiple or single)

• An expiration date

• The institution you will attend (should say Simmons University unless you're a transfer student)

• Notification of whether or not you will be subject to other immigration regulations (e.g., two-year home residency requirement)

The I-94 arrival/departure record confirms that you have been admitted to the US. It's now an electronic document and is no longer issued in paper form (except in special circumstances).

You can download, save, and print a copy of your I-94 on the CBP website. Whenever you enter the US, you should save a copy of your I-94 for your records and verify that all information is accurate. If there are errors, let us know so we can help get them corrected.

Your Certificate of Eligibility—Form I-20 for F-1 students or DS-2019 for J-1 students— is a multi-purpose government form produced in SEVIS, that is used in connection with many F-1 or J-1 procedures and benefits. This section will familiarize you with certain aspects of this important form.

It's required as a part of the visa application process, and you will use it along with your visa to enter the US.

Keep your I-20 or DS-2019 up to date, and let your ISSS advisor know about any changes.

When you travel outside the US, get a travel signature from ISSS that will be no more than 1 year old when you return to the US. If you need an updated travel signature, make sure you fill out the travel signature request e-form in ISSS Link prior to visiting the ISSS office.

Your I-20 or DS-2019 contains:

a. Your SEVIS ID number

b. The name of your school (or site of activity)

c. Your degree level or exchange visitor category

d. Your program of study

e. The program start and estimated completion date

f. Any practical training authorizations or endorsements

g. Travel signatures

h. Other important information used by the consular official and port of entry official

This document is issued by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program when you pay your SEVIS fee.

You will be asked to present this receipt at both your visa application interview and for admission through the port of entry.

When you receive the receipt, be sure to check that your personal information matches the information on your other documents.

Your receipt contains:

• Non-immigrant visa status (F-1)

• Date of birth

• Gender

• School code 

• SEVIS identification number