My wife has a cousin that was going to a University here in the US last school year. He returned home last summer and applied for a new F-1 visa in July, but his application was put into administrative processing for over two months due to the lack of documents available at the original visa interview in July. As a result of not having a visa in time he had to take a leave of absence for the fall semester. He did obtain the new F-1 visa back in September and was notified by his designated school official (DSO) to notify her 30 days before he attempts to re-enter the US for the spring semester.
He notified her last week that he wants to return to the US during the first week of January. He was notified that his SEVIS number has been cancelled, due to the leave of absence for the Fall 2012 semester, and the DSO was going to notify the SEVIS Help Desk to have the SEVIS number reactivated. However, the DSO notified him that it takes several weeks to have a SEVIS number reactivated.
So, he proceed to ask her regarding the need for a new I-20 since his absence from the US has been more then 5 months (he left in the middle of May 2012). The DSO replied that as long as the signature on the I-20 is less then a year old (signed in early July) then it is OK.
My questions are if a SEVIS number gets cancelled as a result of being outside of the US for more then 5 months is it possible to reactivate the SEVIS number or should a new SEVIS number be issued? If a new SEVIS number is issued then is it true at a new visa (even though the current one is valid) would need to be obtained? Lastly, does a new I-20 need to be issued if a person is outside of the US for more then 5 months, and the old SEVIS number can still be used, or is the DSO correct in saying it is OK to use the old one since the signature is less then a year old?
He notified her last week that he wants to return to the US during the first week of January. He was notified that his SEVIS number has been cancelled, due to the leave of absence for the Fall 2012 semester, and the DSO was going to notify the SEVIS Help Desk to have the SEVIS number reactivated. However, the DSO notified him that it takes several weeks to have a SEVIS number reactivated.
So, he proceed to ask her regarding the need for a new I-20 since his absence from the US has been more then 5 months (he left in the middle of May 2012). The DSO replied that as long as the signature on the I-20 is less then a year old (signed in early July) then it is OK.
My questions are if a SEVIS number gets cancelled as a result of being outside of the US for more then 5 months is it possible to reactivate the SEVIS number or should a new SEVIS number be issued? If a new SEVIS number is issued then is it true at a new visa (even though the current one is valid) would need to be obtained? Lastly, does a new I-20 need to be issued if a person is outside of the US for more then 5 months, and the old SEVIS number can still be used, or is the DSO correct in saying it is OK to use the old one since the signature is less then a year old?