Exiting US on ESTA and re-entering US immediately on old F-1 with new I-20 [closed]

I entered the US in 2018 with a valid I-20 and valid F-1 (exp 2023) but gave up my program and left during Covid in the middle of 2020.

I came back to the US in the middle of 2021 this year on an ESTA visa waiver from Australia to visit some friends, and now decided to want to resume studying in the US on my old F-1. I applied and have been granted a new I-20 from my US school.

I plan to leave the US before my ESTA expires (after ~85 days of staying) and re-entering the US essentially immediately on my F-1 with valid I-20.

My question is will I be able to do this, or will the long stay of my ESTA raise concerns with immigration in conjunction with my immediate planned re-entry on a new visa?

And do I have to travel all the way back to my home country (Australia) in order to come back in on a different visa, or could I travel to a closer country like Canada and reset that way?

esta f1-visas

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Exiting US on ESTA and re-entering US immediately on old F-1 with new I-20 [closed] - From below of aged retro golden clock placed atop information booth of historic Grand Central Terminal with arched windows

Exiting US on ESTA and re-entering US immediately on old F-1 with new I-20 [closed] - Bow Bridge crossing calm lake in autumn park

Exiting US on ESTA and re-entering US immediately on old F-1 with new I-20 [closed] - Interior of old Grand Central Terminal building with arched windows and ornamental ceiling over classic balconies

Can I leave and reenter the US on ESTA?

Minimum waiting period between two trips to the USA with an ESTA. Travellers are not allowed to leave the United States for a short while and then come back solely to refresh the 90-day validity period. Even so, there is no official minimum required waiting period between two trips to the USA with an ESTA.

Can I enter the US multiple times with ESTA?

There is no limit on the number of times you may enter the U.S. under either ESTA of a visa. However, if reentering the U.S. using ESTA soon after staying for nearly 90 days, you can expect to be questioned in detail by the immigration officer about the purpose of your visit.

How long do you have to leave the US before returning on an ESTA?

Therefore, the length of time of your total stay, including the short trip, must be 90 days or less.

How soon can I enter US with F-1 visa?

New Students \u2013 Student (F and M) visas for new students can be issued up to 120 days in advance of the start date for a course of study. However, you will not be allowed to enter the United States on your student visa more than 30 days before the start date.

What Do I Do if My F-1 status is Terminated?

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Images: E M, William Fortunato, Marta Wave, Charlotte May