I-20, therefore I'm not

As I've already explained here, the I-20 is a form issued by the US Department of Justice that confirms one's bona fides as a student. I was issued with one initially when I came to Columbia as an MA student, and given a new one here in the US when I was accepted into the PhD program. It's a very important document - without it, you can't be issued a student visa, or enter the US even if you do have a valid visa. It's perhaps even more important than a visa, since, as I explained a month or two back, it's the validity of your I-20 and not your actual visa that determines how long one may stay in the US as a student.

And what did Muggins here do? He only went and brought the wrong bloody I-20 back, that's all. Oxford and Columbia, old chap, a highly educated individual. My arse. I was scheduled for an appointment at the US Embassy in London on June 21st (I didn't realise this at the time, but that date was exactly 2 years to the day after my visit to the US Embassy in Tokyo), so, like the organised, together and generally awesome person you all know me to be, the day before I was checking to make sure that all my documents were in order and filling out some forms needed for the interview. I went to check the admissions number on the I-20, only to find a very unwelcome MASTER'S in the section marked Program.

Oh, shit.

I'm not normally given to panic. In most of the stressful situations in my life thus far - mercifully few, luckily - I've generally managed to keep my composure. Not this time. The I-20 I had in my hand was completely useless. I was screwed. I couldn't be interviewed for a visa, much less enter the US. I had no idea what I was going to do - could I reschedule in time? How much would it cost me? How far back would I have to move my flight - would I have to stay in the UK for six weeks or - God help me - even more? How could I get the right I-20 sent to me? Could I go into the US on a tourist visa and get the damn thing? Unfortunately, owing to the time difference, I couldn't get any US advice on this as it was 5 a.m. EST - so I was going to have to stew. And as luck would have it, it was a Wednesday, on which day the International Student's and Scholar's Office (ISSO) at Columbia didn't open until 10:30 a.m.

It was a combination of the ISSO and my Dad that managed to calm me down and save my bacon, really. The ISSO were brilliant - they told me that under no circumstances could I enter the US as a tourist if I wanted to remain a student, but that they could FedEx me a replacement I-20 which ought to arrive in 2-3 days, and that that would do the trick. They were even cheaper than paying for FedEx costs off my own bat. Less than 48 hours later (allowing for the time difference) I had my form. When I called the US Embassy to explain, they allowed me to reschedule for the following Monday 25th at no extra cost (beyond that of the phone call, which is an extortionate ￡1.20 per minute).

It was looking like I might get out of this alive after all.