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Passport
International students are required to have a passport before they apply for an I-20. I-20s cannot be created without a passport. A current and valid passport is required during their stay in the U.S. International students should apply for a renewal of their passport six months before it is set to expire. They should contact their embassy in the U.S. to figure out how they should renew their passport.
If a student’s passport has been lost or stolen, they should report it to the police within 10 days. 
Visa
An F-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that is issued to international students who are attending an accredited college or university. International students apply for a visa before entering the country. Canadians are the only exception; they can enter the U.S. without a visa.
International students that are applying for an F-1 student visa will need to present the following:
- I-20 Certificate of Eligibility Form
- Letter of admission
- Financial support documents
- Passport valid for minimum of six months at time of entry
- Form DS-160 “Nonimmigrant Visa Application”
- Two passport style photos
- Receipt for payment of SEVIS Fee
Students can stay in the U.S. on an expired visa while their I-20 is still valid.
I-94
The I-94 is a record of all entries into the U.S. It shows the terms of admission, legal status, and expected departure date. Students who enter the U.S. through an air or sea port of entry will be issued an electronic form while students that enter through a land port of entry will be issued a paper I-94 which is usually stapled inside the passport.
