Passports & Visas for Studying Abroad
Passport
A passport is “an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the holder” (NAFSA). You cannot travel internationally without a passport. In addition, your passport must be good for at least 6 months after you return from your international destination.
Apply for a passport right away if you are considering doing any international study or travel while at Geneseo. You must apply in person if you are applying for your first passport.
For the most up-to-date and accurate passport requirements, plus everything else passport related (lost or stolen passports, passport corrections), consult the U.S. Department of State passport website.
There are two places in Geneseo where you can apply in person for a U.S. passport:
- The Livingston County Clerk’s Office: located in the Livingston County Government Center, room 201. The Clerk’s Office processes passport applications and fees, but does not take photos; you must have your passport photos taken BEFORE you go to the Clerk’s Office. You can have passport photos taken at the Wal-Mart portrait studio, or at most other major drug stores.
- U.S. Post Office: located on Rt. 20A/South St. right next to the intersection of Main and 20A (in the plaza next to the Bank of Castile). The Post Office processes applications, fees, and takes pictures for a fee of $15.
If you already have your passport, be sure that it is valid for at least 6 months after your intended return from studying abroad. Otherwise, you must renew your passport, this can be done at the Department of State website.
Immediately after being admitted to a program you must apply for a passport if you do not have one already. If you do have a passport, check to see if it is valid for the period you will be abroad plus at least six months beyond the end date of your program. If not, renew it immediately.
If you have questions about how to obtain a U.S. passport, or other travel documents, consult with the Study Abroad Office at Geneseo or the study abroad advisor at your home campus.
Visa
A visa is a conditional authorization granted by a country to a noncitizen to enter and temporarily remain within that country. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs provides country-specific information regarding entry requirements for U.S. citizens traveling abroad.
I am a U.S. citizen traveling abroad. Do I need a visa?
Research this by visiting the U.S. State Departments website for International Travel.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, notify the Study Abroad Office right away, as your procedure for traveling abroad and obtaining the necessary visa may be different than most other students.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of participants to obtain the required visas (if any) for entry to the country in which the Overseas Academic Program is located and for return to the U.S.. These requirements change frequently, and it is the participant's responsibility to keep informed about them.
Make photocopies of your passport and visa and scan and email the copies to yourself. Save them to a cloud-based password-protected server (i.e. Google Drive, Dropbox). In the event that your passport and visa are lost or stolen you will be able to access them via an Internet connection. Similarly, keep the hard photocopies with you throughout your program.