In Absentia is Princeton registration status conferred by the Graduate School. For more information about the In Absentia status, please refer to the Graduate School website. To determine if you are eligible for In Absentia status, you should discuss your particular situation with your department and the Graduate School. In Absentia is NOT an immigration status.

• Impact of In Absentia to F-1/J-1 status

If you are enrolled In Absentia, you will continue to be in F-1/J-1 student status. If you remain in the U.S. while In Absentia, you must continue to maintain your F-1/J-1 status.

If you are In Absentia status and are outside of the U.S., you need to make sure that you have the appropriate and valid documents before returning to the U.S. If your F-1/J-1 visa has expired, you will need to apply for a new visa in the U.S. Embassy/Consulate abroad. Click on the link for more information on how to apply for a new F-1/J-1 visa.

In order to re-enter the U.S., you will also need to have a travel signature that is no older than 1 year on your I-20/DS-2019. Please visit our Travel Guidance page for instructions on how to obtain a new travel signature.