Current Department of State and Homeland Security guidance states that if your F-1 student visa has not been canceled or has not expired, you may use it to enter the U.S. using a new initial attendance I-20. ISSS recommends that you contact your local U.S. Consulate abroad to further discuss your visa validity.
When contacting your local U.S. Consulate, be prepared to share:
For how long you stayed outside the U.S. on approved Temporary Leave,
That your SEVIS record was terminated, and
That you were issued a new initial attendance I-20 from ISSS to return to campus to resume your academic studies.
Please note that it is ultimately at the discretion of Customs and Border Protection immigration officers to determine your admissibility to the U.S. after reviewing your information and documents. You may be asked questions about your academic and immigration status, and the circumstances around your approved temporary leave and time abroad.
You may review our “Travel and Re-entry” page for the documents to carry with you on your re-entry.