Using previous F1 visa that hasn't yet expired

[retro_jet 1]

Oops, sorry for a late reply. Thanks, SusieQQQ and aaron2020!

 

Your points make sense. Being a rather risk-averse person that I am, I'm currently inclined to just take another semester remotely and wait for the visa appointments to open again. Let's see if my risk-averse attitude changes in the future. I'll post more queries if I have any in the next few weeks.

Thanks so much once again 🙂

[Coco8 1,042]

I don't have time to read all the entries, but I don't think you need a new visa.

 

Is the Master part of the same PhD program? If so, you can use the same F1. I did a PhD and I had the same F1 visa, even though the first 2 years were part of a Master program. It seems that for you, it's even the same university, like for me. So no, you don't need another visa.

 

There will be no in person classes Spring 2021 and most likely, even the Fall 2021 will be remote. However, if I had to guess, small meetings would be allowed Fall 2021, because the vaccine should be rolling and restrictions will be less than now; so you will probably want to be in campus by then to meet with your advisors, etc.

 

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by Coco8

[retro_jet 1]

On 11/22/2020 at 8:55 AM, Coco8 said:

I don't have time to read all the entries, but I don't think you need a new visa.

 

Is the Master part of the same PhD program? If so, you can use the same F1. I did a PhD and I had the same F1 visa, even though the first 2 years were part of a Master program. It seems that for you, it's even the same university, like for me. So no, you don't need another visa.

 

There will be no in person classes Spring 2021 and most likely, even the Fall 2021 will be remote. However, if I had to guess, small meetings would be allowed Fall 2021, because the vaccine should be rolling and restrictions will be less than now; so you will probably want to be in campus by then to meet with your advisors, etc.

 

 

Hi Coco8, thanks for the response. Long story short: I got a 5 year multiple entry F1 visa in 2017. Went to Master's the same year. Returned in 2019. Started PhD in Fall 2020. I think you got these. But the master's was a stand-alone program and not the part of the current PhD. The current PhD is in a different university altogether.

[Coco8 1,042]

5 hours ago, retro_jet said:

Hi Coco8, thanks for the response. Long story short: I got a 5 year multiple entry F1 visa in 2017. Went to Master's the same year. Returned in 2019. Started PhD in Fall 2020. I think you got these. But the master's was a stand-alone program and not the part of the current PhD. The current PhD is in a different university altogether.

Oh! Got it. You should be fine with the new I-20. What you are doing is basically transferring as a student to another institution. The visa itself is not tied to a particular institution or program, it says you are a student. The I-20 is what you need to keep updated and is essential to keep your status. 

 

From my experience, the people in charge of visas at universities are very experienced. I've been at several institutions and they always gave me the right information. 

 

 

 

[retro_jet 1]

On 11/27/2020 at 4:25 AM, Coco8 said:

Oh! Got it. You should be fine with the new I-20. What you are doing is basically transferring as a student to another institution. The visa itself is not tied to a particular institution or program, it says you are a student. The I-20 is what you need to keep updated and is essential to keep your status. 

 

From my experience, the people in charge of visas at universities are very experienced. I've been at several institutions and they always gave me the right information. 

 

 

 

I made this thread after I asked one university immigration official. After that, I asked two more. The first officer said, as stated in the original post, that I should be fine if I have a new I-20 and the SEVIS fee paid. The second said that I should technically be allowed in but there have been cases in which students have not been allowed an entry. And, the third officer said that the SEVIS number on the Visa and the I-20 should match, and therefore, asked me against coming with the same Visa.