Visa Information

What is a visa?

A visa is a passport stamp or document that authorizes the passport holder to enter a country for a specific purpose and particular period of time. Every country has different visa policies and arrangements with every other country. Different types of visas are available for different purposes; common types include tourist visas, student visas, or business visas. Different visas last for different durations of time. Visas are issued through the embassy or consulate of the appropriate host country. The process is extensive and can take up to eight weeks (or more) to receive your visa. To avoid early expiration, the consulate will issue your visa no more than 90 days prior to your program's departure.

Do I need a visa?

To determine if your academic year program requires a visa, please check the grid below by locating your program and term. To determine if your summer Faculty-Led program requires a visa, please contact the IP Office.

Visas Required Before Arrival for U.S. Passport Holders*

For programs in which students must obtain visas, all students are required to attend mandatory visa workshops. Click your program above for detailed visa instructions and workshop information.

*Visas may also be required for the Educational Field Trip or International Study Tour. The IP abroad staff will either give you instructions if you need to obtain this visa before arrival or they will assist you in obtaining the visa after arrival at your program.

Helpful Links

• Additional Information on Passports, Visas, and Traveling Abroad

International Students

Students who are NOT traveling on a U.S. passport will be subject to different visa requirements. It is ultimately the student's responsibility to research, apply for, and obtain the necessary visas for the country they are studying in, and all countries they plan to travel to, including the country for the educational field trip. However, the IP Office will provide basic guidance, support, and assistance in the process of obtaining the visa for your program.

As early as possible, students should visit the website of the host country foreign embassy or consulate located in the U.S. to obtain information about visa requirements and application timeframes. The foreign embassy or consulate in the U.S. may instruct the student to apply for the visa at the foreign embassy or consulate in the student's home country instead, or in some cases, may allow the student to submit the visa application in the U.S. but obtain the visa at the consular post abroad.

Some students may encounter difficulty because of their immigration status in the U.S. Therefore, as early as possible, students must also obtain information regarding the validity of their U.S. visa and/or status. If the F-1 visa in the student's passport has expired or will expire before the student plans to return to the U.S. after completion of study abroad, immediate consultation with the Office of International Student Services (OISS) is recommended. Students who are in the U.S. in a nonimmigrant status other than F-1 (such as E-2, H-4, L-2, etc.), or who are in pending immigrant status, should obtain counsel from their immigration attorney to ensure their ability to return to the U.S. after completion of study abroad. In any event, international students must always consult the OISS before departing the U.S.

NOTE: International students participating in any International Program in Switzerland may or may not have to travel to the Swiss Consulate in San Francisco, CA to obtain their visa.

If you need assistance applying for your visa, please contact Stacey Chen at stacey.chen@pepperdine.edu