The staff at the Harvard International Office is profoundly saddened by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria this week.  You and your families are in our thoughts.  We hope everyone is safe.
 
If you need to make an emergency trip home because of this terrible event, contact your HIO advisor.  Complete details regarding travel outside the U.S. are available on the HIO website here, and you should review them carefully before finalizing plans to depart.
 
If you must travel urgently please remember to travel with a valid signature on your DS-2019 or I-20; the signature is valid for one year from the date it was last signed. You can find this date on page two of the I-20, or page one of the DS2019 if you are in J-1 status.  You must also have a valid F-1 or J-1 visa and a passport with validity up to six months into the future for re-admission to the US in the future. 
 
If we can be of any assistance to you regarding travel or any other visa/immigration related issues, please contact your HIO Advisor.
 
Please also be aware that the New England Turkish Student Association (NETSA) and the Turkish Embassy in the U.S. are coordinating donation efforts to support humanitarian relief efforts in the region.  NETSA is collecting donations to the Turkish Philanthropy Funds, which is a registered foundation that operates on the field and directly transfer funds across the search and rescue teams equally.  If you are interested and able to donate, you can use the page that NETSA has set up for donations to the Turkish Philanthropy Funds. 
 
You can also look at donating through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IRFC).
(You can look at all donation options at: https://www.ifrc.org/donate)