Frequently Asked Questions

When reentering the U.S. after traveling outside of the country, you must have the following:

• An I-20 with a travel signature (valid for 12 months, or 6 months if on OPT/STEM).
• Passport (valid for 6 months into the future).
• Unexpired F-1 visa (if applicable).
• Undergraduates: Enrollment Verification from the Registrar
• Graduates: 'Good Standing Letter' from your department
• Students on OPT must also have their EAD card and letter from their employer verifying their employment.

Additionally, if you will be renewing your F-1 visa we strongly recommend checking the U.S. Consulate/Embassy's website where you plan to apply for a list of required documents, as requirements tend to differ from country to country.

To obtain a travel signature please complete and submit the "Travel Signature Request" in accessVIS.

For students on OPT, complete the pre/post-completion OPT reporting form and select “travel signature” as the reason.

Depending on your country of citizenship, you may need a visitor's visa to enter Canada in addition to the normal travel requirements for F-1 and J-1 students. 

Check Eligibility or Apply Here.

We advise students to prepare for taking a cruise in the same way that they would for international travel. Continuing students should carry:

• Original I-20/DS-2019 signed for travel within the last 12 months (or within the last 6 months if on OPT or STEM).
• Passport (valid for 6 months into the future).
• Valid F-1/J-1 visa.
  
  
  • Undergraduates: Enrollment Verification from the Registrar.
  • Graduates: 'Good Standing Letter' from your department.

Travel to Canada, Mexico, and neighboring islands (except Cuba) is handled somewhat differently than travel to other countries.

If you are traveling for a period of less than 30 days and your visa is expired, you may be eligible to reenter the U.S. on the basis of an expired visa in your passport under a process called “automatic visa revalidation.” This does not apply to all students.

Click here for more information.

You must apply and be admitted to an official program of study at SBU. As VIS does not handle admissions, please visit the links below for more information.

Prospective undergraduate students 

Prospective graduate students

All F-1 and J-1 students starting a new program at Stony Brook, transferring to SBU from another U.S. institution, or entering the U.S. with an initial I-20/DS-2019 (this includes those returning from leave) must complete the New Student Check-In and Orientation process in accessVIS.  Failure to complete the intake procedures in accessVIS endangers a student’s status in the United States.

• If you are unable to complete any of these requirements for any reason, please contact VIS at vis@stonybrook.edu for further instructions.

If you wish to return to Stony Brook University, we recommend beginning the readmission process at least 3 months prior to the start of the semester.

• If you have been outside of the United States for less than 5 months, you may request to have your SEVIS record reactivated and an updated I-20 with a valid travel signature issued. Please note that the reactivation of your F-1 record is at the discretion of SEVP and not guaranteed.
• If you have been outside of the U.S. for more than 5 months, you are required to request a new I-20 from Visa and Immigration Services and apply for a new F-1 visa prior to your return. 

Detailed instructions on returning from a leave of absence can be found here.

International Student Advisor caseloads are divided alphabetically by first letter of the family name. Current caseload distribution can be found here.

Please visit our homepage to view our advising hours. You may schedule a virtual appointment with an International Student Advisor by clicking here.

There is an automatic process that will push your information to VIS's system once you are admitted. You will  receive an email from VIS within a few days of your admission details being updated with instructions on how to request an I-20.

I-20 requests are reviewed once a student is matriculated. Matriculation depends on communication between multiple offices, and takes time.

If you have been matriculated and submitted your I-20 request, please allow 2-3 business days for processing.

 In order to be matriculated as an undergraduate student, you must pay your tuition deposit.

To be matriculated as a graduate student, you must accept your offer in SOLAR. This is in addition to accepting your offer in Slate. For more information, please reach out to your academic department.

Matriculation can take anywhere from days to weeks. We are unable to expedite matriculation.

We issue I-20s for undergraduate students for a period of 5 years in case you need extra time to complete your degree. If you don't, your I-20 will be shortened in their last semester. The issuance of an I-20 for a period of 5 years doesn't necessarily mean you will need all 5 years to complete your degree. Completion times may vary due to the amount of credits you take each semester, your academic progress, etc.

For students with only a given name and a blank surname on their passport, SEVIS requires us to list their entire name within the “Surname/Primary Name” field. When submitting your I-20 request, you should match what the machine readable section of your passport says.

See SEVIS name standards for more information.

Admission to an AOI means that you have not fully been accepted by your intended  major. Your I-20 will show your major as "General Studies."

When you are fully accepted by the major indicated in your AOI, we will be notified and an updated I-20 will be issued.

Acceptable sources of funding can be found here.

All I-20s are delivered electronically. Upon receipt, you must print and sign your I-20. You do not need to return the signed I-20 to us.

Unfortunately financial aid and scholarships are outside the scope of our office. SBU's Financial Aid office is the best resources for further information. 

For any questions about tuition as it relates to residency, please contact residency@stonybrook.edu.

Once you receive your I-20 and pay your SEVIS fee, you can make an appointment for your visa.

You must obtain a U.S. visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate outside of the U.S.

More information can be found here.

For F-1 Students, the school code can be found under the School Information section on page 1 of the I-20. The section is titled “School Code and Approval Date.” The code begins with “NYC."

For J-1 Students, the program number can be found in section 2 on page 1 of the DS-2019. The program number is P-1-04840.

Please allow 5-7 business days for processing of all requests submitted in accessVIS.

 If a significant amount of time (over 7 business days) has passed, please email vis@stonybrook.edu with your name, Stony Brook ID# and provide the name of the request and date submitted.

You will be notified via email once your request is approved. If anything is missing, your advisor will contact you by phone or email.

You can opt to have your documents delivered electronically or you can pick them up in our office. Once you have been notified that your request was approved, your document(s) will be available for you to pick up at the VIS office in 2-3 business days.

If you are unable to collect your document, you may authorize a friend or family member to collect the documents on your behalf. To do so, please complete the Authorize Friend to Collect Documents eForm in accessVIS.

Note: VIS will not release any personal documents without written authorization.

Students interested in working on-campus who do not already have an employment offer should visit Career Center’s Handshake website to apply for a position. Once you have been offered a position on-campus, your employer will need to issue you an offer letter with specific information pertaining to your position. If the department does not have this on file, they may email vis@stonybrook.edu directly for a template.

Once you receive an offer letter, you should fill out the "SSN Authorization Request" on accessVIS. You will receive an email when the process is complete and when you may pick up your letter. After receiving the SSN Authorization Letter from the VIS office, you can then go to the Social Security office with the SSN Authorization Letter, I-20, I-94, passport, and offer of employment letter to apply for a Social Security number (SSN). 

The primary purpose of CPT is to achieve a specific academic objective that is directly related to your major area of study, and is an integral part of established curriculum. You must enroll in an internship course for the semester in which you apply for CPT.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is employment authorization that allows students in F-1 status to gain practical work experience and training in a field directly related to their major area of study before or after completion of the program.

See below for a detailed comparison between CPT and OPT.

CPT vs OPT

See below for our scheduled OPT/CPT Group Advising sessions:

Post-Completion OPT

CPT and Pre-Completion OPT

Visit our Tax Return page for more information on submitting your tax return.

Please note, the VIS office is not equipped to answer tax related questions. Due to the complexity of income tax laws, it is advisable to have questions answered by the IRS or a reliable tax consultant.

If you are an employer and are interested in hiring international students, you can reach out to us at vis@stonybrook.edu for assistance.

If your immigration status has recently changed, please email vis@stonybrook.edu and include any citizenship-related documentation you may have. We will update your record accordingly.

You can review Harris Beach attorney Brendan J. Venter's presentation on immigration options after graduation here.

You can also learn more about your options here.

Immigration scams are an unfortunate occurrence that come in many forms. Scammers may even have very specific, detailed information about you and your immigration situation. Don't be a victim! Please visit USCIS to learn more about common immigration scams.

DO NOT give payment or personal information over the phone to anyone who claims to be a USCIS official, ICE official, or member of law enforcement. If you have any questions about your status, contact your VIS advisor.

Should international students and scholars wish to participate in a protest or demonstration, it is not prohibited under U.S. immigration regulations or other laws. International students and scholars should take the opportunity to familiarize themselves with local laws and standards concerning the ability to protest. It is important that the activities remain peaceful and respectful. Should the activities appear to become threatening in nature, disruptive or some form of violence appears to be starting, it is advisable to leave the area. If law enforcement officials are called, it is important to follow their instructions.

It is important that international students and scholars understand that arrests, criminal charges, criminal proceedings, and convictions can impact student and scholar interactions with immigration officials and future immigration benefits.