If I apply for a new visa and it gets rejected can I use my previous visa before it expires? 7 Answers as of February 01, 2012

If the visa is not cancelled you may use it to re-enter. If traveling as a student though you will need the I-20 endorsed by the school and if you are not maintaining student status this could be a problem. The F-1 economic hardship designation requires you to complete one academic year and then get the school to OK this for a work authorization card. I do not advise travel if not maintaining status.

Typically the old visa is cancelled at the time of your new application. It is more difficult to get the visa showing economic hardship as the financial ability is a primary requirement of the F-1 visa.

To go home and apply for a new visa, runs the risk that the Consul will cancel the existing one. Talk to the Foreign Student Advisor at the school and see if they can arrange to keep you in school with part-time work authorization, etc. to keep your F1 student ststus intact.

Yes you can always come back if you are registered with the school and your F-1 status has not expired; it is usually tied to the length of your course of study assuming your passport is valid for that long a period. If you are turned down for a new visa, they may cancel the remainder of the current one since that visa is for a very specific purpose. The economic hardship can be an issue, however since you are going to have to show that you have funds available to be able to pay your tuition and live in the US, upon making that showing, the hardship should not be of any importance at all. That is to say that you will not get a new visa without convincing the Consul that you can live and study in the US with the money you now have.

Yes. An application for the same class of visa, in your case application of another F-1, will void the previous unexpired visa. Unfortunately if you claim economic hardship, it does mean less chance of getting the visa. If you can find another family member, or even close friend, to be your sponsor, present that information to your school and they should remove the hardship from your I-20.

You should be very careful traveling internationally. If the US consulate denies your visa, they may also cancel/revoke your current one. Normally that would only be if something arises which renders you ineligible for your current status. However some consulates are fairly draconian and as they have wide discretionary powers, can use that against you.

It is critical that you show sufficient financial support or the F-1 will be denied. However, there is an exception to not being able to work if you can show unforseen hardship.