One small mistake—that’s all it takes to ruin your American dream. And that’s exactly what happened with an F-1 student who had to self-deport out of the US for an honest human error.
A student on an F-1 visa had their SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record terminated because of unauthorized work, which they thought was allowed at the time. A simple misunderstanding that has now sent them packing their bags to go back home.
However, their F-1 visa will remain valid as they are leaving on their own accord before any legal proceedings. So now the question is, if they get a new I-20—an official document issued by a US school as proof of admission—and repay the SEVIS fee, can they just re-enter?
It’s not that simple. The university has already rejected their reinstatement request. That means, in the eyes of the system, they can be seen as they are no longer in status. Even if the visa stamp looks fine, US immigration officers see the SEVIS termination, which might raise a red flag.
Many F-1 visa holders fall into this trap, especially those who might not be aware of every rule for international students. Sadly, the brutal US system has zero room for error.
This should be a wake-up call for every Indian student in the US to know the country’s rules you are migrating to, and always check with an immigrant lawyer whenever there’s doubt.
