International Students & Scholars
32 Sayre Drive, Coxe Hall
Bethlehem, PA 18015(610) 758-4859 Fax (610) 758-5156

Protocol for International Students & Visitors
Seeking to enter the United States to attend or visit Lehigh University
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States to attend a program at Lehigh
University generally must first obtain a U.S. visa. Certain international travelers coming to Lehigh may
be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa stamped in their passport. However, having avisa in your passport or not needing a visa stamped in your travel document does not guarantee
admission to the United States. Customs and Border Protection agents at ports of entry ultimately
decide whether a foreign national may be admitted to the United States. For this reason and given therecent times of uncertainty in immigration that many foreign nationals are experiencing, Lehigh
University has developed the protocol below to assist International students at Lehigh and visitors in
responding to potential problems with Customs and Border Officers upon entry into the UnitedStates.
A. If you are an International Student on a visa (F-1, J-1) and you are stopped at the border by Customs
and Border Protection:
1. During normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm Eastern Time): Ask theImmigration Officer to call or allow you to call the Office of International Students & Scholars(OISS) at 610-752-4859. An OISS staff member will work with you to resolve the situation, butcannot guaranty that entry into the U.S. will be achieved immediately.
2. After normal business hours or during an official University holiday when the University is closed:
Ask the Immigration Officer to call or allow you to call Lehigh University Police Department(LUPD) at 610-758-4200. LUPD will put you in touch with the OISS staff member on call.
B. If you are an International Scholar or visitor on a J-1 visa and you are stopped at the border byCustoms and Border Protection:
1. During normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm Eastern Time): Ask theImmigration Officer to call or allow you to call the Office of International Students & Scholars(OISS) at 610-752-4859. An OISS staff member will work with you to resolve the situation, butcannot guaranty that entry into the U.S. will be achieved immediately.
2. After normal business hours or during an official University holiday when the University is closed:
Ask the Immigration Officer to call or allow you to call Lehigh University Police Department

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(LUPD) at 610-758-4200. LUPD will put you in touch with the OISS staff member on call.
3. Be ready to provide OISS and LUPD with the name and title of the person in your hostdepartment who can provide additional information about your invitation.
C. If you are an international visitor from a visa waiver country such as England and you are stopped
at the border by Customs and Border Protection:
1. During normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm Eastern Time): Ask theImmigration Officer to call or allow you to call the Office of International Students & Scholars(OISS) at 610-752-4859. An OISS staff member will work with you to resolve the situation, butcannot guaranty that entry into the U.S. will be achieved immediately.
2. After normal business hours or during an official University holiday when the University is closed:
Ask the Immigration Officer to call or allow you to call Lehigh University Police Department(LUPD) at 610-758-4200. LUPD will put you in touch with the OISS staff member on call.
3. Be ready to provide OISS and to LUPD with the name and title of the person in your hostdepartment who can provide additional information about your invitation.
4. Here is the list of waiver countries: http://www.esta.us/visa_waiver_countries.html
D. If you lost your immigration documents or State issued identification, you are visited by animmigration agent or you are arrested by police:
1. During normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm Eastern Time): please call theOffice of International Students & Scholars (OISS) at 610-752-4859.
2. After normal business hours or during an official University holiday when the University is closed:
please call Lehigh University Police Department (LUPD) at 610-758-4200. LUPD will put you intouch with the OISS staff member on call.

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Some additional items to consider:•••

Never travel to the United States without emergency contact information from Lehigh University
If you are already in the United States, always travel domestically with your immigration
documents
If you are in the Lehigh Valley area, always have photocopies of your immigration documents2