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Passports, Documents, and Visas

Copies Lost Passport Gender Identity, Passports, and Visas Passports Visas Visa Links

Students should make copies of all important documents which might include:

first page of your passport
the page with the visa for your host country;
the numbers of your credit, ATM cards, and bank accounts
any insurance card numbers
prescriptions

REMEMBERKeep one set in a separate location while traveling independently (e.g. in backpack or luggage)
Keep a copy on your phone--but not only on your phone as it might be lost at the same time as your passport.
Leave a scanned copy with a family member.

Lost Passports

If you lose your passport, immediately contact the State Department. Instructions are found at: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/lost-stolen.html The scanned copy will make it much faster to get a replacement.

Gender Identity, Passports, and Visas

The State Department of the United States requires that the sex listed on your passport match that of your visa application. The government of your host country will also require this. If you plan to legally change your sex before you leave the country, please think about the time required to get through the entire process of courthouse, state, new passport and obtaining a visa. This may not be the right time to do it. OR, consider applying for a spring semester placement instead of a fall placement and start now with all of the paperwork.

Passports

If you do not have a passport, you should apply for one immediately. It takes 4-6 weeks to process your application. A US citizen can apply at the nearest Passport Agency of the US Department of State or most post offices. The U.S. Department of State maintains a website at http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html that provides instructions on how to obtain a passport, and a printable application can be foundhere. Students can also call the government hotline at The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) 1-877-487-2778 for this information. Passports are mailed to the applicant 2 to 4 weeks after the application is received and are valid for ten years.You will need to present the following documents:

Application Form
1 Passport-sized photo (can be taken at the CIE 2 for $10, AAA, Rite Aid, and the Huntingdon Post Office)
Birth Certificate (Must be original copy with raised seal and parent(s) names. They will not take photocopies.)
Photo ID (Driver's License, State ID, Military ID, etc.)
Photocopy of ID
$110 Application Fee (check made out to Department of State)
$25 (Check made out to the processing agency)

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your return from abroad.
You must have at least two blank pages.
Did you get it before you turned 16? Check the expiration date as juvenile passports are only good for five years.
For more information, please visit the State Department Website travel.state.gov

Visas

A visa is official permission, granted by the authorities of a country where you will study or visit, which allows you to enter and remain in that country for period of time. Some countries require you to obtain a visa either in the U.S. or at a consulate abroad. Costs and entrance requirements vary, but expect to pay between $75 and $200. Find out now what visas, if any, you will need, for places where you will either live or visit. Visas can take up to 10 weeks to process, and some countries/consulates may require you to appear in person to obtain the visa. You cannot apply for a visa until you have been admitted to a study abroad program and have received the required documents from the overseas university and/or program.

You must have a valid passport in order to apply for a visa. Note that many countries require that your passport be valid at least six months past your intended stay in that country. In other words, if you intend to study abroad in the spring semester (January-May), your passport should be valid at least through November of that year.

Important Points to Consider when Applying for your Visa

Visa application requirements and processes can vary greatly from country to country, and even from Consulate to Consulate. The process can be time-consuming and complicated and we provide the following tips to help you know what to (possibly) expect as you begin the process.

When applying for a visa, you are dealing with the government of a foreign country. They can make and change their policies and procedures at any time.
We are not agents of foreign countries, so our ability to help you fill out visa applications is extremely limited. It is always best to get answers directly from a Consulate employee.
Read very carefully the application and instructions before contacting a Consulate. This will enable you to ask appropriate and informed questions.
If you download visa application materials from a website, call the Consulate to be sure that it is the most recent version (unless the website states that it is).
Consulates generally have very limited open hours both for answering the telephone and for public appearances.
When you speak with someone in a Consulate write a detailed record of the conversation: date, time, full name of person with whom you spoke, and their comments or answers or recommendations.
Never assume that because your friend got a visa in one week, that you will, too.
You may have to appear at a Consulate in person to submit your visa application materials. If this is a requirement, there is most likely no way to get around it. If the NY Consulate of Spain, for example, requires you to apply there, you must be prepared to drive, fly, or take a bus or train to NYC. We cannot ask them to eliminate this requirement for you.
Some countries require transit visas for people to change planes at their airports -- particularly the Schengen countries in Europe. For more information, see: http://www.schengenvisa.cc/.
Don't assume anything. If, for example, the visa application asks for your address while in [country], and you won't have that information until you arrive overseas, ask the consulate what to write in that space. Some may accept "TBA", some may accept the program address, some may not accept it without the actual address. We cannot guess how or what to answer for any question; neither should you.
Again, requirements vary, but in general, you can expect to provide the following when applying for a student visa: demographic information about yourself and your parents, including dates and places of birth; your passport; your round-trip plane ticket to your study abroad country; certification of health and/or certain immunizations; letter of acceptance to your study abroad program and/or host institution; letter verifying that you are currently enrolled in a degree program in good standing; detailed financial support information, notarized, e.g., bank statements (family and self), financial aid sources, etc.; proof of health insurance coverage abroad.
Don't be surprised if this is not all that is required! This is why it is absolutely essential that you determine your specific requirements very early on in the study abroad application process.
Most of all, be patient and be prepared. The visa application process is normally the most daunting and time-consuming part of the study abroad process. Keep in mind the end result!

If you hold a passport from a country other than the United States (even if you are a lawful permanent resident of the US), the process for obtaining your visa may be more complicated or time consuming. Send a message to an International Education Advisor to ask if this will be a problem for you. You may need a visa for a country where a US citizen will not.