In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, the Department of Homeland Security has become more stringent in checking the records of F-1 and J-1 students entering the U.S. Now, all port of entry Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers will check each F-1 and J-1 student’s SEVIS record to ensure that they are in ‘Initial’ or ‘Active’ status prior to admitting the student to the United States. The implementation of this policy will require students to spend a significantly longer time at the port of entry when first arriving in the U.S. Be sure to plan your entrance into the U.S. in accordance with these longer delays at entry. As always, make sure that you check with Drexel’s International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) before leaving the U.S. to ensure that your F-1/J-1 student status is ‘Active,’ you have an up-to-date travel authorization on your I-20/DS-2019, and your visa is in order.
ISSS is here to assist you and answer any questions you may have about your travel into, within and out of the U.S. You may contact us at 215-895-2502 (Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.– 6 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. –5 p.m.) or at intlprog@drexel.edu.