A person came to our office seeking help with her F-1 (student visa) reinstatement. She had been out of school for seven (7) months. Typically, the student should apply for reinstatement within five months of falling out of status. After that period of time, the likelihood of a reinstatement is very slim. Nevertheless, after carefully reviewing the client's situation, we were convinced that she was out of status through no fault of her own. After several attempts to contact her former school, we were able to secure proof that our client fell out of status as a direct result of exceptional circumstances beyond her control. Specifically, we successfully argued that the school did not properly inform her of the complex vacation rules that F-1 students need to follow. Despite the odds against her – due to the late filing – her case was approved after two (2) months.