International Student Services

The visa expiration date should not be confused with the authorized length of your stay in the U.S. The authorized period of your stay is indicated on the Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94 as D/S (duration of status).

Once you are admitted into the US on F-1 or J-1 visa and the form I-94 indicates D/S, you may stay in the country as long as you maintain your visa status and your immigration documents (your passport, the form I-94, and the I-20/DS-2019) are valid. You may stay in the U.S. on an expired visa. You need to renew it only if you travel outside the U.S. and plan to come back to continue your study, or practical training. The exception: You can travel for less than 30 days to Canada, Mexico, or Caribbean Islands with an expired visa without having to renew it. However, this exception does not apply to citizens of certain countries.

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