F1 or I94 validity after school transfer?

[priya945]

I need your help.I am joining MPH program in USA. In case I get F1 visa for 3-4 yrs on MPH & transfer to a new school in between, is that a problem case for re-entry?

My specific queries are:

1. Can I re-enter US in between these 3-4 yrs, at least until my old original F1/ I 94 expires , while attending new school?

2. Or after transfer of schools, old I 94/F1 is cancelled and I must apply for a new I-94 and F1? And they'll give me a new duration of stay??


Pls help

thanks in advance

[topcatin]

You can switch between universities after coming to the US. The dental school will do the transfer process and issue you a new i-20. At this point it is not necessary for you to go back and get it stamped for a new F1 with the dental school. So what is there on your new i-20 is what matters.
I would recommend travelling to India either on the i-20 with the MPH program or after you join the dental school and travel on that i-20. You can travel with visa issued for MPH. But remember it is the dates on the I-20 which matters. The validity is on the I-20 saying the program is from Jan 2008-Jan 2012. Remember your f1 visa may show "Jan 2008- Jan 2013" but your I-20 is issued for the duration of the course. So if your course is for 3 years then the validity is from 2008 till 2011. So you can travel in this period.

I am not sure what a MPH program is, but which ever university is offering that you should ask their "international student services" dept and find out even from " ISS" at the dental school. They will have a immigration specialist and they can answer these questions too.

[priya945]

Re:

I hope I have understood right..

So if my original F1 visa is valid until 2013, and I switch schools in 2009 and I get a new I-20 for 2 years, I can travel to India only till 2011, even though F1 would be valid till 2013?So basically, this means everything depends on the dates on I- 20

Then why is there a risk in re entering once F1 visa expires but you take admission in a new school with a new I 20??

I have heard of people staying on in the US after their first F1 expired, they just took admission in a new school & didnt go back till they finish studies in the new school.

Shouldn't they be able to re-enter US with this new valid I 20 even though their F1 visa is expired?

confused:

[topcatin]

Whether you switch or not your i-20 will be good for the duration for the course only. This is applicable even in your current MPH program so not just for transfer.
You said
"So if my original F1 visa is valid until 2013, and I switch schools in 2009 and I get a new I-20 for 2 years, I can travel to India only till 2011, even though F1 would be valid till 2013?So basically, this means everything depends on the dates on I- 20"

Yes you are right. Now lets say you decided to take some extra courses or you had some thesis or project still pending and you couldnt complete your course by 2011, so then the school will give you a new i-20. So in such cases your visa-stamp comes into play. The extra 2 years is given in case you have problems like backlogs or project not completed. I really dont know how one can get an i-20 when the visa has expired.
So even if they got the i-20 and the F1 visa expired, on re-entry I highly doubt whether they will let them in.Am sure of this because they check your visa stamp and then your i-20. Note that when you transfer to the new school, your old visa stamp with the "old school" name still holds good. It can be used for travelling. However check on this with the International Student Services of the University. Do not travel at the end of your course when you are on F1.for example once the last semester starts or after you have graduated.

[priya945]

Thx

Thx topcatin for your replies and help