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phdguy06
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Issue Regarding Multiple I-20s 15 May 2006, 04:39
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Hi All,
This forum is amazing. So many info .... Anyways I am a PhD candidate from India and think that my query will also be answered. I have also got multiple I-20s (2) and have also got my visa against the favourable one. I have also got my ticket; I am flying next month. Now my point is that what shall I do with the other I-20 and how shall I inform the other university ? I have got 3 options:

1) Inform the other Univ now, giving some reason and if they say then return the I-20. But I am worried that whether they can create any problem for me regarding entering to US and/or joining my chosen Univ. Can they do any such harm ?

2) Go to the chosen univ, start the classes and then inform the other univ (the classes in my chosen univ will start 1.5 months prior to the other univ). But in that case will they be more angry (since I am informing them very late and making it difficult for them to take any other student in place of me) and try to make more harm. I have heard stories like, the other univ informs the actual univ where a student has actually joined and succeds in getting him out from there. I don't know whether it is true or not but I have heard.

3) Or I shall just keep mum and join my chosen univ. When the other univ tries to contact me I also keep mum. But in that case also can they do any harm to my academic career (like inform some governing body who in turn informs my chosen univ etc.) ?

I know that I might be acting a bit paranoid but yes I "am" worried, even after getting my visa and ticket (you can say I have heard a lot of "stories"). So please suggest me what shall I do with the other I-20 and the corresponding univ. If at all I inform them about not joining, shall I do it now or after setting my foot in the chosen Univ.

Waiting for your suggestions, friends.

Thanks
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cabro57
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Issue Regarding Multiple I-20s 21 May 2006, 09:09
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Did you accept more than one offer, or did multiple schools send you I-20s without knowing if you'd accept their offer? I really don't know if it'll "hurt your academic career" in any way to just ignore school #2, but if you've accepted 2 offers, it'd be stupid not to inform them that you won't be going there.

If you have an I-20 and pay the 100$ SEVIS fee, there's no reason why some other cancelled I-20 from some other school would cause you any problem. I'm pretty sure that to the Department of Homeland Security, your I-20 isn't "active" until you've paid the SEVIS fee; you're not supposed to be able to cross the border if you haven't paid that fee.

Good luck!
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rahulraao
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Issue Regarding Multiple I-20s 25 May 2006, 21:59
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Well this is my take on your concern - Be as professional as you can - which means, inform the university that you have decided to accept another university - American universities recognize the fact you will obviously choose what is best for you - and believe me - these people have too much on their plates already to be plotting on an attack on your prospective career. But do realize that if you inform the university early that you wont be joining them, you will help someone else who is on the waiting list and who is probably eager to attend that univrersity.

Bottom line - inform them as early as possible - call them personally to let them know - and stop worrying about the possible detrimental effect it might have on your prospective academic career! Hope thishelps! Cheers.
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phdguy06
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Issue Regarding Multiple I-20s 25 May 2006, 22:19
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Hi,
I have informed them by mail. Didn't get any reply. Waited for a couple of days; still no reply. What shall I do now ? Just send the I-20 back to the Univ. I don't want any problem in the port of entry regarding possesing multiple I-20s (which happened to ppl).

Thnx
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cabro57
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Issue Regarding Multiple I-20s 28 May 2006, 06:17
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Send an e-mail to the program coordinator (or admissions officer or whatever his/her title is) and specifically ask for a confirmation that the I-20 has been cancelled. If you state your concerns clearly, there's no reason why you wouldn't get a quick reply. No school would want to have I-20s floating around for people who aren't coming either, so it's in their best interest to keep everything in order. However, I reiterate: if you pay the SEVIS fee and correctly specify the I-20 for which you're paying the fee, I can't see why you'd have any problem getting the visa thing right.
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