Voluntary Deportation with No Paperwork F1 Student Visa

Hi,

I was on F1 student visa going to school in Houston, TX from 2000 to 2005. In May 05, the immigration people called me (sent me a letter to show up at a building in houston, tx.) During our meeting, they told me that as I hadn't paid University fees for the past 2 semesters, so either I should come up with the fees or I should leave the country within 1 month (before the new Fall 05 semester starts) by myself or they will deport me. They kept my passport with them. I couldn't come up with the fees and went back to them. I told them that as I could not come up with the fees, so I am going back to my home country. I had bought my ticket already and showed it to them. They gave back my passport and ticket and I left the United States very same day. They referred to my departure as voluntary deport. Note that my visa was expired Nov 04, but as I was going to school fulltime, so I was considered on-status.

Now, after reading a lot of articles in this forum, I got to know that there is supposed to be some kind of paperwork involved. But I never did any kind of paperwork. I remember I was also arrested once because I didn't pay my traffic ticket and I was put into jail for a few hours. Then I was bailed out and then I was given a date to appear in the court 3 months later. The police officer felt bad for me and he ensured me that this kind of offense does not show up in public records. However, before the date could come, I was already out of the United States.

It has been 2 years that this happened and my company, here in Pakistan, wants to apply for my Business B1 visa. I wonder if I will be subjected to a ban of 3 years, 5 years, or will I be never allowed to go back in the United States? What paperwork will I be needing to show during my interview? I think if they ask me when did I leave the US, I can show them the US departure stamp on my passport to show them that I did leave before the new semester started. Will that be a good proof?

Did they give you any indication of how long they deemed your overstay to have been? I don't want to assume that they are using a two year period if that's not the case. You may be able to find out whether you remain subject to a period of exclusion through Customs and Border Protection.

Hi Aaron,

Thanks for replying back. There was never a question of overstay. All we discussed in our meeting was the fees. It was clear even to the extent that if I had come up with my fees within the granted period (i.e. 1 month) then they would return my passport and I would continue to go back to school like normal. The officer literally told me that he has called me there because the school wants to pressurize me to pay the fees.

But what confuses me is that when I told them that since I couldn't collect the money within the time frame so I will go back. I showed them my ticket and they said that well, they cannot do much about it.

I told them that I will pay the fees and come back and finish my 4 courses left to graduate, but they said that "I am not sure if they will let you do that." They also told me that me leaving the country is considered "voluntary deport" .... but if it was in the first place, then I just traveled like I used to travel in my vacations... there was no deport paper ever to this date given to me!