Passport & Visa

Passport and Visa: You must hold a valid passport and you may need a visa to enter and live in your host country.

The Education Abroad Office does not assist in obtaining passports or visas. Passports take 2-6 weeks to obtain. Some visas take as long as 3 months. You must have your passport before you can apply for a visa and it should be valid within 6 months of the end date of your program. Passport applications are available online.

If you do not already have a passport, apply now. Passport photos are available through appointment at commonvision: UMBC Design & Print Center, Commons 309 for $5.00.

If you are not a citizen of the United States (including Permanent Residents), please contact your home country’s consulate if you need to renew your passport prior to departure. If you need to obtain a visa for your host country, your visa requirements may differ than those for US citizens. If you are studying at UMBC on an F-1 student visa, you must check with the Center for Global Engagement to obtain the appropriate travel signatures.

Visa requirements vary by country, citizenship, and length of study. Check the embassy website of the country you will be visiting or your program for more specific visa information.