Currently, international travel is unpredictable and often incredibly challenging.
Unless your travel is essential, we strongly advise against international travel at this time for the following reasons:
- Normal consular processing activities have not resumed;
- Appointments are unavailable or abruptly cancelled without warning;
- International entry/travel restrictions are constantly changing;
- The inability to return to the U.S. can cause significant disruption to your employer, including but not limited to tax implications
If you plan to proceed with your international travel, please make sure to discuss your travel plans and the possibility of remote work along with the potential tax implications with your supervisor and HR in case your trip is extended longer than intended.
You will need the following documents for your visa appointment:
- Valid passport (with at least 6 months left);
- Copy of your H-1B or O-1 visa petition filing;
- Original H-1B/O-1 Approval Notice on Form I-797;
- Three (3) most recent paystubs;
- Employment Verification Letter (please reach out to HR);
- DS-160 confirmation page with barcode
And lastly, in addition to the documents you will need for visa stamping, upon returning to the U.S., you will need to present proof of vaccination and a negative viral test taken no more than 72 hours before your return flight.
- Proof of full vaccination will be required prior to your departure to the U.S.
- The accepted COVID-19 vaccines will include the vaccines that are approved by CDC: Pfizer-BioNtech; Moderna; Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Covishield, BIBP/Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
- Non-immigrants should present to the airlines their vaccination proof in paper form or digital record issued by an official source and should include the traveler’s name and date of birth, as well as the vaccine product and date(s) of administration for all doses the traveler received.
Please make sure you also review the guidelines provided by your airline. Please note that these travel requirements may be subject to change so we encourage you to review the State department and CDC website prior to travel.
As a reminder, upon your entry to the US, please forward our office a copy of your I-94 record. You can access your I-94 record here by entering your name, date of birth, and passport information.
If an emergency arises and you will need to travel outside of the United States, please notify your supervisor, your HR liaison, OIPS at oips@gmu.edu, and the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance: https://oria.gmu.edu/topics/export-control/international-travel/ in advance of your travel, if possible.
Last updated 1/28/2022