EMBASSY OF THE STATE OF KUWAIT

CULTURAL DIVISION

3500 International Drive, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008 Telephone: (202) 364-2100 Fax: (202) 363-8394/ (202) 362-4379

Important Notice For Students Departing the U.S.

Students leaving the U.S. must be sure to have all immigration documents in order before departure.

· Check with your International Programs Office prior to departing the U.S. to review your documents and BCIS status.

· You must have a valid I-20 for return to the U.S.

· If you are subject to BCIS registration, be sure to leave from a designated port of departure and report to the BCIS at the airport before departing the U.S. (Follow link to the BCIS site for the ports of departure and the specific location of the immigration officer at the airport – http://www.ice.gov/graphics/specialregistration/index.htm Then click on the “Walkaway Materials” option on the right hand corner, and scroll down to see the list of Ports of Departure). Students who do not register before departing may not be allowed to re-enter the U.S.

· If you are transferring schools, be sure to have your transfer documents completed prior to your departure from the U.S. You must complete your transfer arrangements with your old school and obtain the new I-20 from the new school. Check with the new school to be sure that they have entered all required information into the SEVIS system. You must do this before leaving the U.S. If you have followed these steps and the date of the visa stamped in your passport has not expired, you do not need to obtain a new visa from the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait.

· Before returning to the U.S., check that all travel documents are in order: valid passport, I-20, transcript (show only if asked), letter of sponsorship, etc.

DO NOT WAIT FOR THE LAST MINUTE. YOU MUST ALLOW THE UNIVERSITIES SUFFICIENT TIME TO PROCESS ANY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS BEFORE LEAVING THE U.S.

Merza H.M. Hasan, Ph.D.

Cultural Counselor/Director

April 16, 2004