If you have worked in cheque having work permit from your school, it is not a problem. You are allowed to work off-campus, 20 hours a week while in F1 and 40 hours a week while you are in Summer vacation. If you go to Nepal, and come back in F1, all your problem with irs/ins would automatically solved. Or INS will forgive you and count your days from your earliest entry in US. I am not sure how someone can work on Credit-Card. Under section 245(k) you are protected if you work without INS authorization for less than six months. 180 days rule gets applied here. I think someone mentioned 9 months which is not true. I request you guys not to thow dirt on each other. If you are not sure about the rules, please stay off topic to address the current situation. This will help you as well in long run. Thanks guys.