Originally Tourist Visa, Now Turned To Work Visa

[stark1 0]

Hey guys, Please help me out with a dilemma, if possible. I'm an Italian citizen and will be graduating from my university next month. My original plan was to spend the summer in NYC with my boyfriend. I originally applied for an internship, thinking that if accepted, I'd go through with their visa, but I received their rejection notice a few weeks ago. In light of that, I've decided to go through with the visa waiver program (pay the US 14 euros for application), since an actual tourist visa is not required for Italian citizens for stays up to 90 days. Plane tickets have already been purchased for mid June through mid September. However, luck has it that the internship emailed and called today confirming that they've accepted me into the program, despite the previous news. Dates are not set in stone yet, but they mentioned that it'll start mid July through October. They will provide a work or internship visa for me, but my question is, since my most recent plan was to go without a visa and plane tickets were already bought, what are my best options?

Best case scenario: I can forgo the visa waiver program which clearly states that I cannot change my visa status during my stay as a tourist. I'll have the work visa in-hand instead when entering the US in June and will tell the entrance guard that my internship starts in a month and that I'm just here early as a visitor.

If that's not acceptable, another possibility is for me to leave for NYC mid June as planned, then somehow re-enter the country (via Canada) to "activate" the work visa in July when it starts?

The most unfavorable scenario is if I have to fly back to Italy, then fly again back to NYC when the date of the visa and internship program starts. Is this necessary or is re-entering the country through, say, Canada OK?

Thanks in advance!

Edited May 9, 2013 by stark1

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Can't you change your flight to when the internship is over?

good luck

[stark1 0]

That is a possibility, but I want to avoid doing that if possible. Going a month later will effect the plans we already have set, and I want to avoid paying hundreds more for a new ticket. Thanks for the post, though.