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F-1 Visa Denied, then Approved and then denied again!!
Hello,
I am in a bit of a tricky situation. So I am currently enrolled student at a large, public university in the US. My GPA is quite decent, however in one of the semesters I just enrolled as a guest student due to some personal issues. But since I was not enrolled as a full time student, my F-1 visa became out of status (but was not expired). So I came back to my home country and applied for new F-1 visa. But I was denied (under section 214-b). I am pretty sure that since I applied a bit late that's why I was denied. So I took online classes that semester and applied again after 4 months. This is where it gets interesting.
This time as well, I was a bit late in applying (not as late as the last time though) and the consular officer took a look at my transcripts and asked me why I applied late. I honestly answered him that since my grandfather had recently passed away so due to family issues I was unable to apply earlier. The officer told me that he will need to do a background check for me and he kept my passport. After a couple of days, I again received a rejection email (under section 214-b) and was told to pick up my passport within 2 weeks. Since I was out of town, I was planning to pick up the passport after a week or so. Then, after couple more days I received another email saying that my visa was approved! I was really surprised but since i was still out of town so I didn't reply back. I again received another email after 2 more days, that again said my visa was approved!!
So the following day I went to collect my passport but the passport collection center was closed due to a US federal holiday. The very next day I got a call from a US embassy representative and they informed me that my visa was ready to be picked up. I asked them when was the new visa issued. They replied back there is already an unexpired F-1 visa already stamped on my passport (referring to my previously unexpired, but out-of-status visa). I explained to them that the previous visa was out-of-status. But since they already emailed me that my visa was approved so I asked them whether the status of the previous visa was changed to in-status so that I could use it to travel back to the US. They couldn't answer me right then, but called me back after a while and told me that my previous visa could NOT be used for travelling. The next day, when I went to pick up my passport, I found that they put a seal on my passport that said "CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE".
So now when I am applying for a new visa, there is a question on DS-160 form that asks whether my visa has been ever cancelled or revoked. I know that my previous visa was cancelled without prejudice but it was already out of status! According to my understanding, after I honestly told them that my previous visa was out of status, they might have realized their mistake and put a cancellation stamp on my visa.
So I am not sure exactly what to write in the box below the question that asks whether "my visa has ever been cancelled or revoked". Should I simply write "CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE" or should I explain it a bit further in the DS-160 form??? I have been taking online classes ever since they rejected me. I also got a chance to working in a research with a professor and got an invitation letter from him. But I am still not sure whether I will be issued a visa or not.
Any help or advice would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!!
P.S. i was out of status for LESS than 6 months.
I am in a bit of a tricky situation. So I am currently enrolled student at a large, public university in the US. My GPA is quite decent, however in one of the semesters I just enrolled as a guest student due to some personal issues. But since I was not enrolled as a full time student, my F-1 visa became out of status (but was not expired). So I came back to my home country and applied for new F-1 visa. But I was denied (under section 214-b). I am pretty sure that since I applied a bit late that's why I was denied. So I took online classes that semester and applied again after 4 months. This is where it gets interesting.
This time as well, I was a bit late in applying (not as late as the last time though) and the consular officer took a look at my transcripts and asked me why I applied late. I honestly answered him that since my grandfather had recently passed away so due to family issues I was unable to apply earlier. The officer told me that he will need to do a background check for me and he kept my passport. After a couple of days, I again received a rejection email (under section 214-b) and was told to pick up my passport within 2 weeks. Since I was out of town, I was planning to pick up the passport after a week or so. Then, after couple more days I received another email saying that my visa was approved! I was really surprised but since i was still out of town so I didn't reply back. I again received another email after 2 more days, that again said my visa was approved!!
So the following day I went to collect my passport but the passport collection center was closed due to a US federal holiday. The very next day I got a call from a US embassy representative and they informed me that my visa was ready to be picked up. I asked them when was the new visa issued. They replied back there is already an unexpired F-1 visa already stamped on my passport (referring to my previously unexpired, but out-of-status visa). I explained to them that the previous visa was out-of-status. But since they already emailed me that my visa was approved so I asked them whether the status of the previous visa was changed to in-status so that I could use it to travel back to the US. They couldn't answer me right then, but called me back after a while and told me that my previous visa could NOT be used for travelling. The next day, when I went to pick up my passport, I found that they put a seal on my passport that said "CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE".
So now when I am applying for a new visa, there is a question on DS-160 form that asks whether my visa has been ever cancelled or revoked. I know that my previous visa was cancelled without prejudice but it was already out of status! According to my understanding, after I honestly told them that my previous visa was out of status, they might have realized their mistake and put a cancellation stamp on my visa.
So I am not sure exactly what to write in the box below the question that asks whether "my visa has ever been cancelled or revoked". Should I simply write "CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE" or should I explain it a bit further in the DS-160 form??? I have been taking online classes ever since they rejected me. I also got a chance to working in a research with a professor and got an invitation letter from him. But I am still not sure whether I will be issued a visa or not.
Any help or advice would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!!
P.S. i was out of status for LESS than 6 months.
