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In the past, F-1 student visa holders could travel to contiguous
territory (Canada or Mexico and adjacent islands in the Caribbean,
except Cuba) on expired visa stamps to renew or extend their
visa dates. If the new visa application was denied and the
student was in contiguous territory less than 30 days, the
student was still allowed to return the United States. This
ability to return to the United States (from contiguous territory
with an expired visa within 30 days) is called automatic revalidation. For more information on Automatic Revalidation visit the U.S. Department of State Web site.
On April 1, 2002, Immigration and Naturalization Services
(now U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) changed two
major rules for automatic revalidation.
1. Citizens from “state sponsors of terrorism”
(currently Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, North Korea
and Cuba) with expired visa stamps must now apply for a
new visa stamp and will not be allowed to return to the
United States without it, even if their stay in contiguous
territory is less than 30 days. New background and security
checks are slowing the visa approval process and any student
planning to extend his/her visa this way should expect to
wait outside the United States for at least one month.
2. All other internationals on trips of less than 30 days
are still able to re-enter the United States with expired
visa stamps from Canada or Mexico, and adjacent islands
in the Caribbean (except Cuba). However, if a student decides
to apply for a new visa and is denied, that student will
not be allowed to re-enter the United States through automatic
revalidation. The student will then have to travel to another
country to receive a new visa stamp before re-entering the
United States.
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