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bviana

Summer Break after changing schools - F-1 Visa

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Filed: F-1 Visa Country: Brazil
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I entered the US with a F-1 visa on September of 2019 and I originally came for a graduate program. Classes started last Fall and the school had a quarter system. After completing the first quarter there, I decided to transfer to an undergraduate program at a new school, which has a semester based system. I got my I-20 transferred between the two schools and started at the new school in January of 2020.

I just found out that there's not going to be enough classes available for me to enroll full time next semester (summer) and my advisor said it's ok for me to take the summer semester off and go back to school next fall. The problem is this school doesn't have a lot of experience with international students, which makes me feel a little insecure about his advising.

 

I know I'm allowed to take an annual vacation after completing an academic year, but does the quarter term I completed at the previous school count towards this time? And can I stay in the US during the break or do I have to go back to my home country until fall? 

 

Also, to make it a little more complicated, I have tickets booked to visit my home country for 2 weeks in May. I bought them before I knew I was not going to be taking classes over the summer. Do you think I'll have issues re-entering the US?

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Peru
Timeline
13 hours ago, bviana said:

I entered the US with a F-1 visa on September of 2019 and I originally came for a graduate program. Classes started last Fall and the school had a quarter system. After completing the first quarter there, I decided to transfer to an undergraduate program at a new school, which has a semester based system. I got my I-20 transferred between the two schools and started at the new school in January of 2020.

I just found out that there's not going to be enough classes available for me to enroll full time next semester (summer) and my advisor said it's ok for me to take the summer semester off and go back to school next fall. The problem is this school doesn't have a lot of experience with international students, which makes me feel a little insecure about his advising.

 

I know I'm allowed to take an annual vacation after completing an academic year, but does the quarter term I completed at the previous school count towards this time? And can I stay in the US during the break or do I have to go back to my home country until fall? 

 

Also, to make it a little more complicated, I have tickets booked to visit my home country for 2 weeks in May. I bought them before I knew I was not going to be taking classes over the summer. Do you think I'll have issues re-entering the US?

I doubt you'll have any issues, the full-time requirement is only for fall and spring, you are allowed to take summers off or even take just 1 class or 2 during the summer. I did and had 0 issues. I always went home for the whole summer and once even took an online class while at home. Except for 1 year, where I did spend the summer here. (Which yes you can do)

 

(This is all for undergrad; i have no experience with grad)

Edited by HSsweethearts4E

AOS thru marriage from F-1 (student) visa in Tampa, FL - 83 DAYS (No RFE, No Expedite)

Spoiler

2019-03-18 - AOS package sent; concurrent filing (I-130, I-485, I-765, I-131) (FedEx; choose regular rate! Still arrives super fast and is WAY cheaper!)

2019-03-21 - AOS package received (Day 1)

2019-03-30 - All NOA1s arrived (dated March 25) (Day 10)

2019-04-05 - Biometrics notice arrived (dated March 29) (Day 16)

2019-04-16 - Biometrics appointment (Day 27)

2019-04-17 - Online status updated to "Case is Ready to be Scheduled for an Interview" (Day 28)

2019-04-23 - Online status updated to "Interview Was Scheduled" (Day 34)

2019-05-30 - AOS Interview (Day 71) → https://tinyurl.com/yxug6acr

2019-06-04 - Online status updated to "Case Was Approved"; EAD and AP status updated to "Case Closed" (Day 76)

2019-06-11 - GC in hand (Day 83) ~ done for now!

 

ROC during COVID-19 pandemic, Nebraska Service Center <_< - 514 DAYS

Spoiler

2021-03-10 - ROC package sent

2021-03-15 - ROC package received (Day 1)

2021-04-09 - NOA1 arrived (dated April 06) (Day 26)

2021-04-30 - Online status updated to "Fingerprints Were Taken" (used AOS fingerprints); no biometrics fee refund (Day 47)

2021-11-01 - 24-month extension letter received (Day 232)

2022-08-08 - Combo interview (I-751 and N-400) (Day 512) → https://tinyurl.com/2aejcx4e

2022-08-10 - Approval notice in the mail; no 10-year green card for me since N-400 also approved (Day 514)

 

N-400 during COVID-19 pandemic in Philly, PA - 169 DAYS (No RFE)

Spoiler

2022-03-11 - Online submission

2022-03-11 - NOA1 and biometrics reuse notice uploaded to myUSCIS account (Day 1)

2022-06-30 - Interview scheduled (Day 112)

2022-08-08 - Combo interview (I-751 and N-400) (Day 151) → https://tinyurl.com/2aejcx4e

2022-08-10 - Oath ceremony scheduled (Day 153)

2022-08-26 - Oath ceremony (Day 169) ~ DONE FOREVER!

 

BE  K I N D → https://tinyurl.com/tev3sgl  

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Filed: F-1 Visa Country: Brazil
Timeline
53 minutes ago, HSsweethearts4E said:

I doubt you'll have any issues, the full-time requirement is only for fall and spring, you are allowed to take summers off or even take just 1 class or 2 during the summer. I did and had 0 issues. I always went home for the whole summer and once even took an online class while at home. Except for 1 year, where I did spend the summer here. (Which yes you can do)

 

(This is all for undergrad; i have no experience with grad)

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

 

I think I'm mostly worried about the fact that I completed only 1 quarter term at the previous school and now I'm completing the first semester at the new school and I don't know if this is gonna be enough to consider that I completed the full academic year required by the government before I have the right of taking the annual vacation...

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