Updated Travel and Scam Guidance

Domestic and local travel

When traveling within the U.S., carry your immigration documents with you, especially when flying as a government-issued ID is required for air travel. When traveling locally, such as to and from campus, OIE recommends students and scholars carry digital copies or photocopies of their passport ID page, I-94 and visa document (I-20, DS-2019, approval notice, etc.) as the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA264(e)) requires people to have possession of their “evidence of registration document”, which is typically the I-94. Most people can access their I-94 from the Customs and Border Protection website but we recommend having a copy printed/stored and readily accessible. US Citizenship and Immigration Services advised Permanent Residents to carry their green card at all times.

International Travel

As of late January, we are not aware of specific policy changes that would impact international student’s or scholar’s ability to travel. However, recent Executive Orders, including one that calls for enhanced screening and vetting, may cause visa processing to take more time, and changes may occur quickly and without much, if any, prior notice.

F-1 and J-1 students are required to attend classes in person at the school they are authorized to attend (noted on the I-20 or DS-2019). Therefore, student international travel during the semester should be carefully considered, given the potential for delays in returning to the U.S. if a visa is needed. We recommend students on OPT discuss their travel plans with their employers.

While J and H scholars are not required to attend classes, we would also recommend carefully considering travel if there are teaching or research obligations on campus during the term, especially if a new visa is necessary, 

When you plan to travel outside the U.S., please carefully review your travel documents. If the visa in your passport has expired, keep in mind appointment wait times and the processing time needed to apply for and obtain a new visa before re-entering the U.S.

We recommend monitoring trusted resources such as the Office of International Education (OIE), U.S. Department of State (DOS), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) websites for updates on travel advisories, restrictions and changes to U.S. entry requirements. OIE will provide updates as we become aware of changes that may impact our community, but some changes may occur rapidly and without much, if any, notice.

We encourage you to review the travel tips and guidance posted on the OIE website. You are always welcome to schedule an appointment with an OIE advisor should you have more specific questions about your status or travel concerns.

Scam Alert

OIE has been advised that scammers are impersonating the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) now that tax season has begun.  As with other U.S. government agencies, the IRS will never ask for personal or financial information by unsolicited text, email or through social media. Official U.S. government website addresses end in .gov, so be careful when clicking links on websites.

There are other scams as well, including fake delivery phishing scams, SSN scams, pyramid schemes or scams aimed at stealing your money. Do not conduct business over the phone with callers you do not know.

• If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from a government office (either the U.S. government or your own country’s government) who asks you for gift cards, checks or cash, or who asks you to transfer your funds elsewhere to “protect” your money—hang up and report the call to University Police or your local police office if you are not in Pittsburgh. The calls may seem legitimate as scammers can “spoof” telephone numbers. Remember, real U.S. government officials—immigration, tax, police—will never call you and ask you to provide them with gift cards or wire transfer funds.
• Do not provide personal information (Social Security, bank or credit card information, etc.) to anyone you do not know on the phone or online, particularly if they have contacted you.
• Learn more by reviewing: Avoiding Scams Information for Recent Refugees and Immigrants and USCIS Common Scams.
• If you are ever in doubt as to whether or not something is a scam, do not hesitate to contact University Police at 412-268-2323, OIE at 412-760-0109 or local police if you are not located in Pittsburgh.