My F-1 (with I-20 and SEVIS) will be terminated soon. Can I ask ESTA?
I withdrew from the previous school that I attended for a semester in 2019. My F-1 (5 years), I-20 (2 years), and SEVIS will be terminated soon.
At the same time, can my F-1 be transferred to another school in the U.S.; or will I have to ask for a new F-1 for the new school? It will be Fall 2020.
In the meanwhile, I would like to apply for an ESTA in order to travel to the U.S. temporarily. (not as a student)
Is this OK?
My citizenship and passport is South Korean.
I am in Canada; and I searched about VWP. It was confusing because it says, if someone departs from Canada to the U.S., there needs no visa. But I guess it is only for Canadian citizens.
Best Answer
The confusion you have might be connected with the different modes of transportation.
Indeed while travelling to the US by land from Canada does not require you to get an ESTA, it does not absolve you from having to get a visa or instead be eligible for the VWP. Remember ESTA and VWP are not the same thing, the difference is explained in other answers pretty well.
If you fly to the US, you would still need to get an ESTA. Some exceptions may apply, you can check at the CBP website. As you correctly assumed, this requirement does not apply to Canadian citizens.
I have no idea how this is connected with your status in the US, though. This may be explained in the question linked to in the comment by Michael Hampton.
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What happens if your F-1 status is terminated?
When an F-1/M-1 SEVIS record is terminated, the following happens: Student loses all on- and/or off-campus employment authorization. Student cannot re-enter the United States on the terminated SEVIS record. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents may investigate to confirm the departure of the student.Can I stay in the US with an expired F-1 visa?
What if my F-1 student visa has expired? You can stay in the United States on an expired F-1 visa as long as you maintain your student status. However, if you are returning home or traveling to a country where automatic revalidation does not apply, you must have a valid visa to return to the United States.Can I stay in US if my i20 expired?
Staying in the United States is legal as long as you have a valid Form I-20 even if your visa expires during your stay in the United States. It is not illegal to stay.How long can you stay in the US after your F-1 visa expires?
So, as long as you are otherwise maintaining your F-1 status (for instance, you haven't dropped out of school or taken a job), you are allowed to remain in the United States until the end of your 60-day grace period. This allows students flexibility in pursuing their studies.What Do I Do if My F-1 status is Terminated?
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