Dowzer said:
If I could arrive on both a work and student visa, it'll help to ensure things run smoothly...I'm sure we'll be financially secure while I'm going to college, but it's just always good to be reassured. Most colleges that I've looked up only require a year or two of full time school..After being in school, I would become an apprentice and work. I would be an apprentice for 2-4 years. During these years I would only be in school for exams until I obtain a contract to legally start my own business. (This is how most apprenticeship's work, that I have researched)
I know a student visa can't be permanent...I'm worried that after I'm finished with school, if I'll be required to leave the country or not. Until we can find more info about this ourselves...I'm really wondering if I can go with a student visa first and then apply for a work visa? I'm hoping that I'll just be able to change citizenship after I'm finished with school. If that's still not possible, that's why I wonder about the work visa.
Any help would be great help...
Darkdante, you know that's ~actually~ one way I can get my citizenship. I kid you not.
Disclaimer: I'm not an immigration expert. A lot of my experience took place before or immediately after 9/11 and the subsequent reorganization of the (now former) INS, so regulations may have changed. If you can consult an immigration lawyer, I would highly highly recommend you do so. If you are looking at going to school here, call up the colleges and speak to the person in charge of their international students to get some idea of what the requirements and restrictions are.
Getting a work permit or becoming a citizen in the US through legal channels is a lot more difficult than most people realize. I can't emphasize enough how much help our lawyer was; if you can afford this or work out some payment plan or whatever, it's worth it ten times over.
You can only hold one type of visa at any given time. Depending on regulations, the transition from one type to another may involve leaving the country and coming back, but it's been a while so I forget all the ins and outs. I first came to the US when I was 13; my dad was going to school for his MBA (the restrictions on dependents of students are worse than those on students). I later came back to go to college on my own student visa.
If you can wing it, I'd definitely say go for H-1B. Unless things have changed though, there are a fairly limited number of these, they can be difficult to obtain, and you may be tied to your original employer.
For an F-1 visa, you can only work part-time, on-campus for most of the time; you need to get approval for any other employment. In order to get the visa in the first place, you have to show that you have enough money to pay for some period of schooling (I forget how long exactly). Since you have to pay international student fees, this can add up to quite a bit (my tuition and fees was two or three times what an in-state student would pay, nevermind that I had lived in the same place since Jr. High; because I was a dependent of someone on a student visa, I was not allowed to be a resident). Also, since you have shown while applying that you can pay for X period of schooling, it is assumed that that will be what you will live off of (not work)--for example, my dad lost his job pretty early on as I was here for school, but school officials would not allow me to work because we'd already shown that we could afford school, though because of the change in circumstances there were other priorities for our savings now. You also have to carry a full course load with a minimum grade average, I forget the specifics.
As to what happens after school: you get some number of months that you can stay and work for. After that, I believe you must exit the country.
Another thing to keep in mind: some of the 9/11 guys had come to the US on student visas. So things have gotten more strict for students. I would imagine that
how strict depends on the state you're in (specially if it's a border state), the type of school you're looking at (big, small, traditional college, technical college, whatever), and you--your past and any criminal convictions, etc., and probably your ethnicity.
There is an immigration "lottery" each year that (I believe) anyone can apply for. Winning this is no guarantee of getting residency, but rather it lets you interview and start the process with INS, and if they don't find you objectionable, you can become a resident and work in the country ("green card"). This is not something to count on, but it doesn't hurt to try; my sister actually got this, but until then, I had never actually met anyone who won the fabled lottery.
If you do get married, you have to document that your marriage is real and not just a ploy to get in the country. Take lots of pictures. Show that both your families are involved and approve, if possible. Put your bills, housing, and bank accounts on both your names and keep a paper trail. File your taxes jointly, etc. I'm not sure what the time is from getting married to getting a work permit, but after X time, you go in and speak to an immigration official. Our interview was brief and not stressful, but: 1) this was before 9/11; 2) my husband and I both are pasty white nerd people; 3) we had tons, and I mean TONS of documentation; and 4) we had an immigration lawyer who ensured that all the prep work and forms had been filled out correctly, and who came to the interview with us with his own stacks of documentation. If this goes well, you can now work and are considered a "conditional permanent resident." You can have the conditional status removed some number of months or years after; this is to ensure that people don't just fake a marriage, get their permit, and split up. After you become an actual resident, it's again some number of years until you can apply for citizenship; however, as a resident, you are free to look for work or go to school or whatever. You do however have to notify the INS every time you move, and you need to keep your passport etc. from your original country up to date. You also need to notify immigration and get permission
in advance if you plan on leaving the country to visit family or go on vacation, etc.; failing to do so may forfeit your status.
If you guys have some more questions I'd be happy to talk to you in game or on AIM; same for my husband. His character in game is Lucetta.
If I run into some problems I won't hesitate to grab your contacts from your above post. I really think the only questions I have left can be answered by immigrations or a lawyer...If you don't mind telling me what happened after your student visa up, your personal experience could help me understand what will happen when I finish school as well... I'm not sure if you stayed to work there, but that's what I'd like to do.
