All education abroad students are responsible for ensuring that they have the required and necessary travel documents in order and in hand prior to their program. The Global Experiences Office does not provide a service for passports or visas, but can recommend companies that do provide visa services for students who are traveling abroad. It is up to you to find out what you need based on your travel plans and your citizenship, and to take the necessary steps to ensure that you have the required documents before, during, and after your international experience. Not having your travel documents in order can jeopardize your eligibility to travel, and is not sufficient grounds for a refund of any fees paid or owed to UNL or the Global Experiences Office, so please read the following information carefully!
Make Photocopies of Travel Documents!
The Global Experiences Office recommends that you make two copies of your visa, passport, and other important documents. Keep one copy for yourself, and give another copy to a family member or friend in the U.S. It is important to have these on file in case you lose the originals! You might also consider scanning these documents so that you have an electronic copy on file.
A passport
is a document issued by your national government proving your identity and nationality. Almost all international travel requires that you have and carry a passport. When traveling outside the US, some countries require the passport to be valid for six months upon entry. When applying for a visa, many consulates will require that you have at least two blank visa pages to process your visa. Your passport will be sent with your visa application, so please note that you cannot travel abroad during the visa processing period. UNL faculty, staff and students can apply for a U.S. Passport at the Passport Acceptance Office located in the Business Service Complex at 1700 Y Street. Please visit passport.unl.edu for information.
UNL Education Abroad students click here!
Applying for a Passport
Apply for or Renew Your Passport
If you do not have a passport OR do not have a passport valid for at least six months after your return to the U.S., you need to apply for one as soon as possible. The processing time is typically 6-8 weeks. If you are short on time, you may request to have your application be expedited for an extra fee. You can apply for and renew your passport at the UNL Passport Office in the Business Services Complex located at 17th and Y St.
Obtaining Passport Photos
You can obtain passport photos at the UNL Passport Office. You will need passport photos if you are applying for or renewing a passport, or applying for a visa. You may NOT use a photocopy or scan of your current passport picture page as substitution for official passport photos. The UNL Passport Office charges $15.00 for a set of two passport photos.
Visas
A visa is an official document placed within your passport by a foreign government, allowing you to legally travel to, from, and within that particular country or region for a specific period of time and for a specific purpose. Countries typically break visas down into types that reflect the purpose of your visit—tourism, study, business, and work, among other varied classifications. You may be denied entry into, or be deported from, a country for which you have not obtained a required visa.
How to obtain a visa
Securing a visa is an individual responsibility. Although it can be a lengthy and complicated process, it generally requires no expertise other than patience and an ability to read carefully and pay attention to required details. It also requires time—to determine which visa type is appropriate, to complete the application, and for visa processing by the government of the country to which you’re hoping to travel. Always plan for processing time when securing a visa that can take from a few days up to ten weeks.
For country-specific visa information, please direct your inquiries to to the CIBT widget above (or another visa service provider of your choice), or the consulate of the country to which you plan to travel. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is not legally in a position to offer advice on obtaining a visa. You can find the most up-to-date visa information by contacting the consulate or embassy of the country to which you hope to travel.
US Citizens can find current visa requirements and health and safety travel information on the US State Department website.
Visa processing options
Visa applications can be complex and typically contain many details that must be followed or risk application denial. Most travel professionals recommend using a third-party visa service that will work directly with the consulate of the country to which you are traveling.
Visa processing services are fee-based, but they also serve as the experts in their field. Since consulates have jurisdiction to change visa requirements on a regular basis, and they do make changes quite regularly and unexpectedly, using a visa service can give you some peace of mind that your application will be handled efficiently and correctly. Visa service agencies serve as the intermediary between you and the consulate and will provide feedback or request additional materials as needed so that your application will be complete upon submission.
UNL Procurement maintains an account through the visa processing service CIBT. UNL faculty, staff, and students will recieve a discount on CIBT service fees by using our online account linked above. In addition, UNL faculty, staff, and students will have access to customized customer support and real-time order tracking through our customized portal.
Other visa processing agencies include Travel Document Systems (TDS) and Travisa.
Non-US citizens
Students and scholars with citizenship from countries outside the US should understand that visa requirements often vary based on the citizenship of the traveler. You will need to contact your destination country's embassy/consulate for information about what is required to obtain a visa and/or travel to that country.
If you are an international student or scholar at UNL and you have questions about your visa, please contact UNL's International Student and Scholar Office for assistance.
UNL students
All UNL undergraduate and graduate student travelers must register with UNL’s Education Abroad Office and enroll in UNL's HTH Worldwide insurance. According to the Chancellor's Policy Memorandum 2013-10: "It will be assumed that any education abroad activity not registered with the UNL Education Abroad Office is not sponsored by the University and thus its participants are not eligible for scholarships, travel reimbursement, or academic credit."
Getting a Visa
If a visa is required before your departure, you will apply through the nearest host country consulate within the U.S. and should refer to the consular office's website for more information on visa fees and processes. A visa is an official document issued by the government of the host country that grants entry for your stay. Visa regulations vary widely from country to country, and may take anywhere from four weeks to two months to issue, depending on the location. In general, study abroad programs lasting less than 90 days require only a valid passport and do not require a separate study visa. However, there are exceptions to this. It is your responsibility to verify the visa requirements of your host country and, if necessary, to obtain your student visa. You should start this process EARLY and may wish to begin by inquiring with your program director or visiting the consulate web site of your host country.
Generally, you must send your passport to the consulate with jurisdiction over your home state in order to obtain your visa, so international travel during the months before your program departure date is not recommended. If you have traveled frequently, please also check to make sure that you have enough blank visa pages left in your passport prior to sending your passport to the consulate.
Step 1: Determine whether or not you need a visa to study abroad. The U.S. Department of State Travel website can help: http://travel.state.gov
Step 2: Research what the visa application requires. Some applications require: bank statements demonstrating sufficient funds to study abroad, a police background check, official acceptance letters from a host institution, and more. Use the consulate webpage for the most up-to-date information.
Step 3: Determine whether or not you will be required to visit the consulate in person, or if you would prefer to have a visa agency do so on your behalf. Suggested agencies are listed below.
Step 4: Make an appointment with a coordinator to look over your completed visa application materials. Be sure to bring all required documents with you.
If you are unable to travel to the consulate in order to complete the visa process, there are fee-based services available to take care of the process for you. Some of the companies our office frequently uses are:
Travel Document Systems: http://www.traveldocs.com/
CIBT: http://cibtvisas.com
TraVisa (a good option for Spanish visas, located in Chicago): http://www.travisa.com/
If you need to travel in person to your consulate, CIBT has provided a great resource on their website regarding consulate closures. Check it out here.
Request a Visa Letter
If your visa application requires a letter from your home institution please email globalexperiences@unl.edu. Be sure to include your name, NU ID, the program you are doing, the start and end dates of the program, and your expected graduation date, along with any specifice requirements for the letter. A staff member will complete your letter request within two business days or be in touch if additional information is needed.