An Indian student recently shared a harrowing experience while traveling back to the United States. When he reached Amsterdam from Hydebarad to board his flight to JFK, he was called by the CBP who informed him that he could not travel to the US because his visa did not have any validity. The Hyderabad resident was asked to contact the local US consulate on what he should do next. But the immediate step was clear: that he had to go back to India. The student claimed that he had no idea that his F-1 visa had been revoked as he did not have any DUI or traffic violation or any other law and order incidents.The student said he came to the US in January 2025 on an F1 visa, and after he was denied further travel to the US, he found out that his visa was revoked in July 2025. He said he contacted his university and the university informed him that his I-20 and SEVIS record were both active and in good standing.
What are Form I-20 and SEVIS record?
The Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status) is a document issued by a US school that is authorized to enroll international students. SEVIS stands for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. A SEVIS record is the electronic government record associated with an international student. Schools update this record throughout the student’s stay. It is possible that these two remained intact when the F-1 visa was revoked because the SEVIS record and compliance with F-1 rules determine whether the student is maintaining status inside the US, while the visa is for entering the US.
What to do in such cases?
Apart from finding out the reason why the visa got revoked, the first thing the students in similar situation should do is to apply for a new F-1 visa. But in the visa interview, they may face questions about the previous visa revocation. Students should not hide the fact that their visa were revoked during their stay in the US.
