**urgent** How do I travel to the states earlier than my student visa allows?

[capricornwalls 0]

Hi,

I'm a Canadian student who is applying for an F1 visa currently and am pretty much enrolled at a college in the States. I'm concerned about my ability to come earlier than my F1 student visa allows; I know it's 30 days prior to when the classes begin. Now, what are my options if I wanted to come about 75 days prior to the actual start date? Could I come in as a tourist and tell the border patrol I'm intending on traveling and getting settled for a month (which I am), and then travel to Vancouver for a week, where after I would re-enter the US with a verified F1 student visa? Would that work? And if I need to apply for a tourist visa, how long would it take? How do I apply for one?

Thanks SOO MUCH!!!

[Partita 17]

Technically, you could enter on a tourist visa and do your business, but you would have to go back to your country and re-enter at a time when your student visa allows you. Keep in mind that it is not the best option, and you could have problems when entering on a tourist visa 75 days prior the first day of school with a valid F-1 in your passport. You would have to explain why you are visiting to the IO at the POE.

Good luck

[Boiler 43,692]

Canadians do not need Tourist Visa's.

[Lisa Anderson 0]

Hi,

I'm a Canadian student who is applying for an F1 visa currently and am pretty much enrolled at a college in the States. I'm concerned about my ability to come earlier than my F1 student visa allows; I know it's 30 days prior to when the classes begin. Now, what are my options if I wanted to come about 75 days prior to the actual start date? Could I come in as a tourist and tell the border patrol I'm intending on traveling and getting settled for a month (which I am), and then travel to Vancouver for a week, where after I would re-enter the US with a verified F1 student visa? Would that work? And if I need to apply for a tourist visa, how long would it take? How do I apply for one?

Thanks SOO MUCH!!!

Are you Canadian? Then you don’t need to get a visa and can simply enter the country as a tourist. However, if you are not a Canadian citizen, you need to apply for a B-2 visitor visa at a U.S. Consulate in Canada. If Canada is not your home country or where you are a legal resident, it may be more difficult to get the tourist visa in Canada rather than in your home country.

[capricornwalls 0]

So, with that being said, I should be able to cross the border saying I am going on a month long tourist venture then reentering at a later date with my student visa initiated with no problems most likely? Or can I tell the border I am just going shopping for the day perhaps? And if not needing an additional visa is the case, why does it mention that you're not allowed to enter the US more than thirty days prior to when school starts?

Thanks!

[Partita 17]

So, with that being said, I should be able to cross the border saying I am going on a month long tourist venture then reentering at a later date with my student visa initiated with no problems most likely? Or can I tell the border I am just going shopping for the day perhaps? And if not needing an additional visa is the case, why does it mention that you're not allowed to enter the US more than thirty days prior to when school starts?

Thanks!

You will still have to re-enter with F-1 in order to get a stamp in your I-20. You won't be able to start your school on a tourist visa- if this is what you're asking.

I think the 30 day rule is about this visa being for educational purposes - not tourist.

[capricornwalls 0]

I understand I will have to reenter, but I'm asking about when I do will I have any problems? If they ask where I have been for the past month, and I say in USA (more than thirty days prior to my classes start), they won't mind because I would of been on a tourist visa?

[capricornwalls 0]

Hey guys,

So, what is the safest way I can cross the border with all this being said? Because I will only have a one-way to my US destination when crossing the Canadian US Michigan border. Is it likely that I won't be allowed in?

[canadian_wife 1,794]

I was given a hard time trying to enter 2 days before the 30 day window started. The F-1 visa is for studies, they don't want people using it for other reasons (marriage, tourist, etc) so that is why there is a 30 day limit.

Have you called the CBP to which you are crossing to ask about this?

good luck