Entering the US 30 days before the I20 start date

[hope4fall2012]

Hey everyone,

I'm visiting the school I'm attending for a week from July 9-15 and then attending a workshop from Jul 16-20 and then coming back to school during August (I plan to do some personal traveling during the last part of July).

Normally, the visit and the workshop would be done on a tourist visa. But I don't want to do that because it won't leave me enough time to come back to my home country and apply for a graduate student visa. What I'm doing instead is getting the school to give me an earlier start date of Aug 1. Officially, you can enter the US 30 days before the date on your I20. I'm planning to use this provision to visit the university and attend the workshop.

Do you see any problems with this plan? Will I be asked any uncomfortable questions at Immigration or required to show some additional funds?

PS: I'm from India.

[Christa]

Did the school even agree to do this?

[fuzzylogician]

You are allowed to enter the US on the student visa up to 30 days before the start date of your program. If your program agrees to change the start date to something that works for you, that should work. Don't get into trouble, however - don't try to activate your F1 status before you can, or you could be flagged by immigration.

[Yoshite]

I will enter the US 2 months before the class starts. Here's what I plan to do: I will enter the US by using tourist VISA which I already have (I will be honest to the immigration about my intention - to look for an apartment and visit friends) And I will go out to Canada (again to travel) then enter the US with F1 VISA when in the 30-day window period. I learned this from my friend who did it last year and it went really well so I thought I'd share it with you

[hope4fall2012]

Did the school even agree to do this?

Yup, the school is funding me for an extra month and giving me an early start date.. Cuts down on my holiday time but there was nothing else I could do..

Don't get into trouble, however - don't try to activate your F1 status before you can, or you could be flagged by immigration.

The 'valid from' date on the Visa will be 30 days before the start date of the program start date right? I should keep in mind that I don't enter the US before the 'valid from' date mentioned in the Visa, isn't it?

And I will go out to Canada (again to travel) then enter the US with F1 VISA when in the 30-day window period.

I don't think I really understood what you're trying to do. In an case, I do have to come back to my home country to apply for my student's visa. And I will not have sufficient time to do so after the workshop.

Thank you for all your replies!!!

Edited April 23, 2012 by hope4fall2012