Travel Outside of the USA

Authorized Vacation Term

  • Vacation requests for any term should be made ahead of the beginning of the term but no later than the drop deadline.
  • Vacation eligibility comes after 3 consecutive terms of full-time enrollment and must be approved by SEVIS adviser.
  • I-20s must be signed for travel before you leave the U.S. for a trip to any other country – this includes Canada and Mexico! See Colby Sheldon to obtain your travel signature.
  • You must fill out a Leave Request Form and turn it into the office with your I-20 one week before you need your I-20 signed for travel (Link to Leave Form is on Forms and Resources page)
  • International Programs will review your request form and contact you to pick up your signed I-20 or notify you that you are not eligible for travel within a week of receiving your completed form.
  • We recommend that you bring your school transcript and/or a copy of your current class schedule with you when you travel so you can prove to immigration officials that you are registered for classes as a student at Lane.
  • If you travel to a country other than your home country, you should call or email their embassy beforehand to see if you need a tourist visa. Plan ahead: it can take up to six months to get a visa in some cases!
  • If you travel to your home country and your visa is expired, you will need to apply for a new visa before returning to the U.S.  Make sure to schedule a visa appointment early. You need to receive a new visa before being eligible to re-enter the U.S.
  • You should NOT travel to a country other than your home country if your visa has expired because you will not be able to reenter the U.S. until your visa is renewed.
  • Every time you leave the United States you will get a new I-94.
  • You may not travel outside the United States and return to the United States during the 15 or 60 day grace period after you finish studying at Lane. 

Leave of Absence (LOA)

  • Leave of Absence occurs when a student is not eligible for a vacation term, and is not enrolled in classes. The student must leave the United States and be out of the country for at least the duration of the term. Must be authorized by a SEVIS adviser. 
  • Leave of Absence (LOA) requests for any term should be made ahead of the beginning of the term but no later than the drop deadline.  Summer term requests must be made no later than the drop deadline for the current enrollment session.
  • No LOA or RCL requests will be authorized after week 8 for Fall, Winter and Spring terms.
  • LOA requests after full time enrollment deadline will be reviewed by a committee  must be accompanied by the following:

    • Current grade or progress report from all instructors

    • Documentation of the emergency of reason for the LOA.  This documentation does not have to be in English

    • Fill out Leave Form, bring in current I-20 for travel signature

    • Bill at Lane must be paid in full.

    • Tuition and insurance refunds for the term will follow Lane policy which means they are generally not allowed

    • Student must leave the U.S. in 5 days

  • If an ESL student has attempted the course twice they must petition to repeat the class a third time before the I-20 can be reactivated