Need Help ASAP - F1 visa early entry

I have an I-20 for with the date of 18th Jan on it so I assume I cannot enter until the 19th December? I have a flight for the 4th December, will they allow me to come in early. The college I am going to need to see me before 18th December as they close till the 4th Jan 2010.

Can I enter on a Visa Waiver on the 4th with a return flight for the 17th and then come back to the USA on the 19th under F-1 status? If so do I need to return to my home country or can I go to Mexico and come back on F-1?

I have also been over to the USA on the Visa Waiver for 6 months this year looking for schools, will this effect my chance of getting in on one for just a 2 week period?

Magpie wrote:I have an I-20 for with the date of 18th Jan on it so I assume I cannot enter until the 19th December? I have a flight for the 4th December, will they allow me to come in early. The college I am going to need to see me before 18th December as they close till the 4th Jan 2010.

Can I enter on a Visa Waiver on the 4th with a return flight for the 17th and then come back to the USA on the 19th under F-1 status? If so do I need to return to my home country or can I go to Mexico and come back on F-1?

I have also been over to the USA on the Visa Waiver for 6 months this year looking for schools, will this effect my chance of getting in on one for just a 2 week period?

I thought the visa waiver was only valid for 90 days? I'm afraid you need to wait until the start date because you've exhausted your alloted visitor days this year.

I did 3 months at start of year on VWP, and then came back to the UK for 2 months and then back to USA again for another 3 months on VWP. I have to come back every so often as I own a house but it will be rented as of 7thDec so will have nowhere to go and hope to go to USA earlier than my I-20 30day grace. I just need to know if I can go in on VWP with a return flight and then return to USA when I can get in on my F-1?

Cheers