UK citizen traveling back into US

I'm a UK citizen studying in NY, my student visa runs out in September. I was thinking to go to Canada (for example) and apply for a tourist visa back into the US. Does anyone know how long I would have to be out of the US to apply? How long does the application take and so on?

Best Answer

If you want to return as a visitor to the US after Aug 15th and for just a month, there's two things you can do:

1- File an I-539 form to change to a B1/B2 status^*

2- Go across the border to Canada and re-enter the US under the VWP which you're entitled to as a UK citizen

^{* Note that you're still out of status even if you have timely applied for a change. Since you have to mail the application, that could be slower than the second option}