Hi there!
I am currently enrolled in a day 1 CPT college (Texas Weslayan University) in Dallas. I am planning to travel outside the country. I have a valid F1 visa till August. Will I have any issues at the border during reentry? Any help will break greatly appreciated! FYI I am currently located in Chicago but plan to reenter via DFW.
Hey! If your F1 visa is still valid and your SEVIS is active, reentry should be okay — but Day 1 CPT students do sometimes get extra questions at the border.
Make sure you carry:
Your I-20 with updated travel signature
CPT authorization clearly listed on the second page
Employment letter (just in case)
Proof you’re enrolled and actively taking classes
Since you’re reentering through DFW and your school is in Texas, that helps — it shows geographic consistency. Just be ready to explain your program and how CPT relates to it.
Anyone tried apply F1 visa with CPT schools?
One of my friend did, I think during her second year of Westcliff MBA. She successfully got her F-1 renewed in her home country
Which year is that! Things are so different now
Hey! Thanks for sharing — I’ve seen a few people in similar situations, so here’s what I’ve learned from their experiences and my own research: Day 1 CPT + international travel = not impossible, but definitely risky, especially at the port of entry. Even though your F1 visa is still valid, CBP officers at the airport can question you hard about your school, your program structure, whether it’s really in-person, and whether your job relates to your field of study. Since Day 1 CPT programs already get extra scrutiny, you’ll want to be super prepared. Here’s what I’d make sure to carry: Updated I-20 with CPT authorization and travel signature Class schedule showing any required in-person sessions Employment letter (including job duties + how it connects to your major) Proof of tuition payment or recent enrollment verification Printout of SEVIS record (some officers do ask) Also — reentering through DFW is probably better than flying through NYC or SFO (less Day 1 CPT grilling compared to those). That said, each officer is different, so it’s still a bit of a gamble. If you’re early in your CPT program or haven’t completed a full academic year in the U.S., the risk goes up a bit more. Personally, unless it’s an emergency, I’d try to push travel to a semester break (like December) or after your first full semester of CPT, just to be safer.
Don’t go in the middle of a semester as it’s obivious to CBP of the school terms on your I20