Students must request to arrive no later than two weeks after the start of their program. Arrivals after the census date will not be permitted. To find the census date for the start of the semester, please refer to the following webpage.
This is a mandatory form for students who are planning to arrive after the class start date (after January 20, 2026).
If your arrival in the U.S. is planned after January 20, 2026, please contact your department to request late arrival permission. It is essential to obtain written confirmation from your academic department, confirming your full-time enrollment status for the Spring 2026 semester. Towards the end of this form, you will be required to upload the department's written approval for your late arrival.
Speak to the Department
Review the call-out button at the bottom of this page to find your department's contact. It is up to them whether they will issue a letter or not.
Download the Form
Please download the Late Arrival Approval Letter template for your department and send it to the appropriate contact for your program.
Late Arrival Letter Template - Department Letter
(DOCX, 27.4KB)
Submit Signed Form
If your department agrees to complete/sign your approval letter, you will then submit the completed Late Arrival Letter in the request form below.
Await an Updated I-20
Await a DSO (Designated School Official) in the ISSS Office to email you an updated I-20 that will include late arrival remarks to your SEVIS record.
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New International Student Questions/Answers
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Will I be denied entering the U.S. if I arrive late?
Please be aware that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) may deny entry to F-1 students who arrive after their program start date. Once you secure permission from your professors and obtain approval for late arrival, a Designated School Official (DSO) will add late arrival remarks to your SEVIS record and issue an updated I-20.
There is no guarantee that this letter will allow you to enter the U.S. as it is just a supporting document.
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How late can I arrive to the U.S.?
The latest a student may request to arrive will be 2 weeks after the start of their program.
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Will my I-20 get updated with a new program start date if I am late?
No, the program start date will remain the same as on the Texas State Academic calendar for that term. If you are approved to arrive late by your academic department, our office will leave a remark on your I-20 indicating you are approved to arrive to the institution past the university class start date.
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Do I need to submit a proof of visa appointment for the Late Arrival Request?
No, this proof is not needed for the Late Arrival Request process.
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TXST Faculty & Staff Questions/Answers
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How late can I approve the student to arrive to the university?
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What does the Late Arrival Letter need to look like?
Please utilizing our template for the letter above in Step 2. Once you have completed it, please provide it back to the student so he/she can submit it in the “Request Late Arrival” link above.
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Is there a Standard Operating Procedure's Document?
Yes, you can review the Standard Operating Procedures document for approving a new student's late arrival request by downloading this PDF.
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Find Your Department's Contact
To obtain the contact information for the department related to your chosen major, please refer to the below information that department to request your Late Arrival letter.
- Applied Arts: appliedartsadvising@txstate.edu
- Business: businessadvising@txstate.edu
- Education: eduadvising@txstate.edu
- Fine Arts and Communication: cfacadvising@txstate.edu
- Liberal Arts: laadvising@txstate.edu
- Health Professions: HPAdvising@txstate.edu
- Science and Engineering: ScienceAdvising@txstate.edu
- University Advising Center: uadvising@txstate.edu