Visa Appointments

Dear international students,

I hope that you are well!

I wanted to provide an update and some reminders following the announcement this week that the U.S. State Department has lifted the visa appointment pause. This is good news, but there are new conditions that apply, mainly involving a review of social media activity as part of the visa process.

Many of you are already in the U.S., so the announcement this week may not pertain to you directly, but it is important that you are aware of these developments.

If you are in F-1 or J-1 status, remember that you can stay in the U.S. even if your visa expires as long as you keep your I-20 (F-1) and DS-2019 (J-1) records active.

If you do leave the U.S. over the summer, you will need a valid passport, an unexpired F-1 or J-1 visa, and your I-20 or DS-2019 with current travel endorsements to reenter.

If your F-1 or J-1 visa has expired, you will need to schedule a visa appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate and obtain an updated visa in your passport before you can reenter the U.S. If you are in this situation, please fill out this form and let us know the date of your appointment.

If you are in a visa status other than F-1 or J-1, please reach out to International Student Services (iss@andrews.edu) if you have questions about international travel.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us at iss@andrews.edu with any questions or concerns. Have a great summer!

Prayers and best wishes,

Christian Stuart
Associate Dean, International Education