Ans:-[From Rajiv S. Khanna, rskhanna@immigration.com] It is possible, but difficult. There are several factors that go into the likelihood of success. If you already possess F-1 visa from your home country (and it has expired); if the completion of your course is not taking an inordinately long time; if you have not been out of status and if the consular officer is convinced of your good intentions, you MAY get the visa.

Vancouver, Canada
------------------

[An experience from one of our immigration.com user on F-1 Visa renewal.]
Dear Rajiv,
I just got back from my trip to Vancouver B.C. The good news is that I got my F-1 visa renewed. I was not asked too many questions. I went there at about 7 am and they started taking people in at 8 am. My appointment was for 9 am. I got a token number (based on appointment). My interview was conducted at 11:40 am. The consular officer asked me the purpose of my visit and then asked for my transcript. She asked a question about the grading scheme, asked if I was on a scholarship and asked me to pay $100 and return the next day for the visa. Just a few things you need to be careful about ---

1. There is a $20 processing fee and the Vancouver office does not give change.
2. You must try and be there early as the queue does become quite long. I presume that it is the same queue for both immigrant and non-immigrant visas. The two groups are ofcourse interviewed separately but the initial processing of forms is done by the same person.
3. Once you have submitted your application and are made to sit in the waiting room please do not leave the room for any reason whatsoever. There was this one guard who was particularly rude and rough on people who stepped out to go to the rest room. I understand that they are possibly concerned about security.

I had taken the following documents with me

1. Appointment letter
2. Passport, I-20, I-94
3. Letter of intent (financial aid)
4. Letter from the conference organizing committee (I plan to attend a conference in France)
5. Letter from my advisor (describing my research and teaching accomplishments) and explaining why the conference is important for me
6. Letter from my chairman (again evaluating me as a student and also my performance as a TA)
7. Letter of full-time enrollment (from the International Students office)
8. Statement of support from my father (on stamp paper stating that he would be willing to bear my tuition and living expenses in case the need arose)
9. A statement of my father's assets and flat in India.
10. Official transcripts from ISU
11. Pay stubs (TA pay checks)
12. My bank account statement
13. Official degree certificates (BE and MS)
14. Miscellaneous documents (don't know if they are really necessary) photocopies of awards, certificates; TOEFL scores; 1995 tax return; clippings on job openings in India; Letters written by my parents;

I must thank you for talking to me over phone and advising me on the visa issue.
Best Regards,
- Rajesh

Off campus employment is still available in cases of severe economic hardship. You must meet the following conditions to pursue off-campus employment:

       - you are in good academic standing and are studying full-time;        - you can show severe economic hardship (the following may be acceptable):        - loss of financial aid or on-campus employment through no fault of the student;        - major currency fluctuations        - inordinate tuition or living expense increases;        - unexpected financial changes in the students source of support;        - unexpected expenses        - on-campus employment opportunities are unavailable;        - one academic year has been completed;        - the foreign student advisor recommends work authorization

To obtain work authorization, Forms I-538 must be submitted to the foreign student advisor for certification. The student must submit to the local USCIS (INS) office the certified I-538, Form I-20 (student copy), Form I-765, a filing fee for the I-765 (see list of fees in the FAQ), and supporting evidence showing economic hardship.

If approved, the student will receive a one-year employment authorization card permitting up to 20 hours/week of work. Employment authorization may be available under the curricular practical training program if the proposed employment is an integral or important part of the F-1s curriculum. Any employment required for a degree qualifies, but the employment need not be a prerequisite for the degree in order to get CPT if the course credit is available for the employment, CPT is listed in the schools course handbook and a faculty member oversees the course. Where employment is required for an undergraduate degree, 9 months of study must be completed. Where employment is required for a graduate degree, employment may begin right away.

Where employment is not required, 9 months of study must be completed, regardless of whether the student is at the undergraduate or graduate level. To apply, the foreign student adviser will mark on the back of the students copy of the I-20AB whether the authorized work is full or part time. If part time, only 20 hours/week of work are allowed. Full time work is possible and enrollment is not necessary. There is no time limit on this type of employment, though eligibility for post-completion practical training is lost if curricular practical training lasts more than 12 months.

Optional practical training is available either before or after graduation for a total period of up to twelve months.

Pre-graduation and post-graduation training periods are added together to determine if 12 months are exceeded. Part time work is counted as one-half the amount of time of full time work. The training must be in the students educational field.

Pre-graduation practical training is available during the school year if employment is less than 20 hours per week and the student has been enrolled for at least 9 months. Post-graduation practical training is available upon completion of required course work or when the course of study is complete. While engaging in post-graduation practical training, the student may enroll in school on a part time basis.

If a student returns home for five months or more and returns to engage in a new course of studies, the student gets 12 more months of employment authorization. But if a student merely transfers schools, he or she will have to get new employment authorization and will have to split the 12 months between the schools. To obtain practical training, the student must apply to the foreign student adviser to endorse Form I-538. The student then applies directly to the local USCIS (INS) office for an employment authorization document (EAD) by filing Form I765 with fee and Form I-538.