Student Visa

[Adele van Schoor 0]

We are South African citizens. My husband is currently working for Mac Motors in Providenciales, Turks&Caicos Islands. Schools here are limited and quite expensive. My son will have to go on to High School which will cost us near to $2000 per month. I have three kids and a teenager who is ready to start college. We want to move to the US in order to give the kids better possibilities at schooling and further education. I want to move there with my kids while my husband stays behind in Providenciales. Is it possible to move to the States and get Student Visas for the children?

[Anh map 2,098]

- Moved from Adjustment of Status from Work, Student, & Tourist Visas to General Immigration Discussion -

[justashooter 430]

We are South African citizens. My husband is currently working for Mac Motors in Providenciales, Turks&Caicos Islands. Schools here are limited and quite expensive. My son will have to go on to High School which will cost us near to $2000 per month. I have three kids and a teenager who is ready to start college. We want to move to the US in order to give the kids better possibilities at schooling and further education. I want to move there with my kids while my husband stays behind in Providenciales. Is it possible to move to the States and get Student Visas for the children?

tough situation. kinda like china, where every child goes to a paid school beginning with preschool, and ending when the family runs out of money. american schools through 12th grade are state and local tax base funded, so all residents of the states and districts pay taxes that cover the cost, as the education is viewed as a general benefit to society.

student visas to USA are not generally entries that allow free schooling, as the families of the students are not contributing to the tax base that covers the cost. most student visa applicants have to demonstrate how they will pay for schooling at full cost regardless of their age, including living expenses. full cost is usually much higher than $2K per student. some foreign students qualify for full scholarship (free tuition), but this is usually through a charity benefit or through academic qualification at the university level.

parents of students are not given immigration benefit to travel with their children.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Don't think that visa thing and moving to the US will work out for you.

That aside, school in the US is as expensive as it gets. Even on the lowest level of college, starting with 2 years of community college ($60 units at $21.oo each), then transferring for the upper units to a State University nearby, a 4-year gig will cost 'ya in the neighborhood of $20K per child, and that's bargain bin, bottom dollars, almost impossible to pull off if commuting is needed.

Stupid question on my part: since you are clearly of Dutch bloodline, aren't you somehow entitled to get into the Netherlands? In the Netherlands, school is as cheap as it gets.