When traveling locally (in and around greater Cambridge/Boston metro area), you do not need to carry all of your original documents on your person. 

Instead, you should:

• Carry paper copies/printouts of your most recently issued:
  • I-94 admission record (NOT the travel history);
  • F-1 Form I-20 or J-1 Form DS-2019.
• Have scans/photos of the following available on a phone or mobile device:
  • Passport biographic page;
  • Visa issued by the U.S. consulate, as a photo or scan on your phone.
  • I-797 Approval notice (if applicable; not all Harvard students and scholars will have this document).

When you travel outside of the greater Cambridge/Boston metro area, you should carry all of your original documents on your person, including your physical passport with visa stamp inside.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers may stop individuals and ask for identification at their discretion. When traveling inside the United States by air, please always carry the same immigration documents you would for international travel, and follow the guidelines set by the TSA: Transportation Security Administration. It is important to check the TSA's website before traveling each time since guidelines and regulations tend to change frequently.

You may also wish to consider applying for a State ID, Liquor ID, or Driver's License.

A note on REAL IDs

Be advised that beginning May 7, 2025, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, or another TSA-acceptable form of identification, for domestic air travel and to enter certain federal facilities. The TSA offers a list of acceptable identification documents on its website.  

Even with a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card, you should still carry all of your original documents on your person, including your physical passport with visa stamp inside if you're traveling outside of the Cambridge/Boston metro area.