F1 renewal

[akshriv]

Hi,

I have an student visa that expired in July 2008. I am planning to go to India (my home country) in a few weeks. I will have to renew my visa. I have two questions:

1. Spring semester in my school starts on Jan 20th. But due to personal reasons it would suit me better to travel after Jan 25th. I don't have to take any courses, so my dept/school won't mind giving me a letter saying it is alright for me to travel within the semester. Hence, the port of entry officer should not mind. But is this going to be an issue for visa stamping?

2. I could not find any site listing a (safe) list of documents that I should carry for the visa renewal. I did find the usual document list for F1 on immihelp.com. But are there any other documents that I should carry? FYI, I am a PhD student with I-20 expiring in Dec 2009 and I will need to go to Mumbai consulate for visa stamping.

Thank you,
Abhishek

[txh1b]

1. Only first time F1 entry has restrictions on when they can enter like 30 days before semester starts and x days after classes begin.

2. No special documents other than the ones that proved ties to home country, any bank balance, scholarship/aid letters, I-20, professor recommendation asking for the visa issuance could help.