Spring break is March 22-30, 2025. This is a time that many students use to rest and refresh before the final weeks of the spring semester. International Student Services (ISS) would like to provide you with information to be prepared and remain safe whether you are staying in Madison, traveling around the U.S., or have plans to travel outside the U.S. We encourage you to plan ahead so that you can enjoy spring break and return ready to finish the spring semester.
Staying in Madison
ISS will remain open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during spring break. If you are looking for a space to relax, read, play games, or get ahead on your studies, come to the International Community Center! We will continue to offer hybrid drop-in advising throughout the week. You can also enjoy activities through RecWell and Outdoor UW!
Always carry a printout of your most recent I-94 arrival/departure record. For any travel outside of Madison, you should carry the following documents with you and always have copies saved electronically on your device:
- Valid passport (original)
- F-1 or J-1 visa stamp in your passport (original)
- Most recent I-20 or DS-2019 (printed and signed by you)
- Most recent I-94 arrival/departure record (printed)
- If you have F-2 or J-2 dependents, they should carry their own original documents and copies of the F-1/J-1 documents listed above.
- You must have a valid travel signature on your Form I-20 (for F-1 Students) or Form DS-2019 (for J-1 Students). If you have F-2 or J-2 dependents, they also require a valid travel signature to re-enter the U.S.
- Ensure your immigration documents are valid.
- Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months into the future.
- Your F-1 / J-1 visa stamp must be valid at the time you enter the U.S.
- If your current F-1/J-1 visa is expired, you must apply for a new visa before you enter the U.S. You should carefully consider whether the one-week spring break is enough time to apply for a new visa. Visa appointment wait times and the possibility of visa processing delays may prevent you from returning to campus to finish the semester.
- If you are traveling to Canada, Mexico, or the adjacent Caribbean islands with an expired F-1/J-1 visa, you may be eligible for automatic visa revalidation.
- Your Form I-20 / DS-2019 program end date should match the term you expect to complete your degree program. If you need more time to complete, you can submit a Program Extension request in your Terra Dotta portal.
Your F-1/J-1 student immigration status requires you to be physically present and attending classes for the duration of the semester. If you do not return for the remainder of the spring semester, you should review the ISS Leave of Absence page and submit an Out of Country notification. If you have any questions about your immigration documents or student immigration status, please send your assigned ISS advisor an Information Request in Terra Dotta.
Potential travel ban
On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14161 directing the U.S. Secretary of State and others to submit a report “identifying countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries” by March 21, 2025.
While there have been media reports speculating which countries might be subject to a future travel ban, the U.S. government has not issued any active travel bans as of March 18, 2025.
What you can do:
- Remain aware of these circumstances by watching reputable media and U.S. government sources for updates.
- Consider whether any travel outside of the U.S. during spring break could prevent your return to UW–Madison for the remainder of the spring semester.
This is developing information. ISS will email F-1 and J-1 passport holders of any affected countries should travel restrictions go into effect and update the Resources on Immigration Issues webpage.
We wish you a safe and restful spring break!