Traveling Prior to Program Start
It is strongly recommended that you do not make international travel plans prior to your program start date. You are required to submit your physical passport (copies are not accepted) for the duration of the visa process. This means that you could be without your passport for many weeks.
Visa Options
If you decide to travel internationally prior to your program start date, you are responsible for ensuring that you receive your visa in time to participate on your program. Some options to explore include, but are not limited to:
1. Applying on your own instead of participating in batch processing.
This option is only applicable to students on programs where batch processing is available. If batch processing is not available on your program and you have to apply on your own anyway, find out the expected visa processing timeframe from your consulate so that you ensure your travel will not impact your ability to obtain a visa.
2. Applying for a second passport.
This option works best for students who can receive a second passport in time for their individual international travel plans, as they will have to submit their current passport for visa processing. Instructions for applying for a second passport can be found on the US State Department website.
3. Applying at your home jurisdiction consulate instead of your university jurisdiction consulate.
Students have two ways of establishing their consular jurisdiction: their home address and their school address. Check your country specific page for consular jurisdiction information. Each consulate is responsible for establishing their own process, so requirements and timeline can differ.
For all of these options you are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor to discuss your plans. Ultimately the visa process is up to you and you are in charge of making sure you follow all requirements in a timely manner.
1. Applying on your own instead of participating in batch processing.
This option is only applicable to students on programs where batch processing is available. If batch processing is not available on your program and you have to apply on your own anyway, find out the expected visa processing timeframe from your consulate so that you ensure your travel will not impact your ability to obtain a visa.
2. Applying for a second passport.
This option works best for students who can receive a second passport in time for their individual international travel plans, as they will have to submit their current passport for visa processing. Instructions for applying for a second passport can be found on the US State Department website.
3. Applying at your home jurisdiction consulate instead of your university jurisdiction consulate.
Students have two ways of establishing their consular jurisdiction: their home address and their school address. Check your country specific page for consular jurisdiction information. Each consulate is responsible for establishing their own process, so requirements and timeline can differ.
For all of these options you are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor to discuss your plans. Ultimately the visa process is up to you and you are in charge of making sure you follow all requirements in a timely manner.