F1 Visa - Extension?

[Florianr 0]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this community, so I might as well introduce myself. I am Florian, a high school student, and would like to attend Pierce college in L.A. county.

I have been looking into several types of visas for a while now, and have come to the conclusion that it's probably the most intelligent move to go for an F1 student visa. Now, after all this research I know F1 visas are issued to students who only want to study in the US - and they also have to convince USCIS that they intend to leave the United States after completion of their studies.

All good. However, aside from marriage-based green cards, are there any ways to extend your F1 visa until you are eligible to apply for a green card? Can you switch to a different type of visa after you're done studying? I would like to stay in the US after college. If you guys could provide some information about whether or not, and if yes, how it is feasible, I'd be very grateful. I would have no problem leaving the US for a short period of time, I just don't want to give up everything just to come back a year or two later and have to start from scratch.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Cheers

Florian

[kzielu 1,149]

How do you want to apply for a green card and what exactly do you mean by staying until you are eligible ? What exactly eligibility are you referring to ?

Staying for extended period of time does not make you eligible to apply for GC and they way do that is either based on marriage (or family in general), diversity visa lottery or based on employer willing to sponsor you.

[Florianr 0]

Thank you for your reply.

"How do you want to apply for a green card and what exactly do you mean by staying until you are eligible ? What exactly eligibility are you referring to?"

I am still somewhat of a newbie to this, so please don't judge me I don't know too much about immigration requirements and possibilities. I would apply for a green card through marriage-based sponsorship or employer sponsorship (which I don't know the exact requirements of - anyone?). The thing is that it is probably going to be hard to find an employer within the short period of time between completion of my courses and the expiry of my visa, right?

I knew that staying for an extended period didn't make you eligible to apply. The odds of winning in the diversity program are probably against me as well. Hm.

[kzielu 1,149]

Not judging, just realize you are one of the few billions wanting to immigrate to US. For employer sponsorship - go read about it, odds may be lower than winning lotery in this economy and is costly for employer. There is no easy way to do it...

[canadian_wife 1,822]

After your F-1 and your studies are finished, you can apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) which allows you to extend your F-1 as long as you are working in a job directly related to your major. Now, ideally that company when your OPT is finished will sponsor you for an employment visa. But if that is not the case then you can try to use that experince you gained to look for another job or you must go home

Good luck

[Soapz 14]

Florian, if you attend a junior college like Pierce - you can stay for 2 years to get your Associates degree and then transfer to a university if you have the money to finance your studies for that period of time. Although I don't know why you would pick Pierce - it has a bad reputation there are definitely better schools out there. Also, if there is no personal reason to go to California, I would try and pick a state with a school that is not as expensive for your overall living expenses. (And in case partying is a reason - if you fall below a GPA of 2.0 - they will remove you. Also, you can't fail a class or you will not meet the required full-time status and once again, they will make you leave.)

If you are looking for a good school, try the Princeton review or google the schools. The reviews do help a bit. I checked the Pierce website and if I look at the fees - this will cost you around $20000 per semester and another 650 for medical insurance per semester.

I would not under any circumstances pay 80.000 US-dollars for a mediocre education and that's about all you will get there.

As far as OPT goes: standard time is 12 months with a one time extension for another 17 months. Also, you will need to pick a major that requires practical training or the college will not sign off on the OPT. During your freshman and sophomore years there is usually no OPT, most schools sign off when you're a graduate.

So, if you choose Pierce you will have to pay $80.000, have no other source of income, and you will have to show an affidavit of support that your parents have this money in an account for you and you can use it for school.

[jaycali 415]

Hey everyone,I'm new to this community, so I might as well introduce myself. I am Florian, a high school student, and would like to attend Pierce college in L.A. county. I have been looking into several types of visas for a while now, and have come to the conclusion that it's probably the most intelligent move to go for an F1 student visa. Now, after all this research I know F1 visas are issued to students who only want to study in the US - and they also have to convince USCIS that they intend to leave the United States after completion of their studies.All good. However, aside from marriage-based green cards, are there any ways to extend your F1 visa until you are eligible to apply for a green card? Can you switch to a different type of visa after you're done studying? I would like to stay in the US after college. If you guys could provide some information about whether or not, and if yes, how it is feasible, I'd be very grateful. I would have no problem leaving the US for a short period of time, I just don't want to give up everything just to come back a year or two later and have to start from scratch.Thanks in advance for your time.CheersFlorian

Hi Florian,

I actually went to Pierce for summer school before and really enjoyed it. It's a nice campus and a I loved the professors I had.

You're right in that you need an F-1 student visa to attend. Pierce is a community college, meaning you can go there for 2 years and get an associate's degree, then you have to transfer to a university of you want your bachelor's degree. After completing a bachelor, you will be eligible to work for one year in your field of study, this is called OPT. If your major is in a field relating to maths or sciences you may stay up to 17 months on OPT.

There is no way to "stay long enough to get a Green Card". This was a common misconception I found among a lot of international students at my school. "If I live in the US for 5 years I can get citizenship" etc. It doesn't work that way.

The most common way that F-1 visa holders get a green card is through OPT, which can lead to an H-1b visa. If you have a job on OPT, and that employer is willing to sponsor you for an H-1b visa, you may be eligible to stay in your job. If you are a highly skilled worker, and your employer is struggling to hire Americans or LPRs for the position that you have, you ay also be eligible for a Green Card through employment.

You mention marriage based as another way you'd like to get a Green Card. This is dependent on you actually getting married while you're on an F-1 visa. That could happen, and it's not uncommon for a student who spends 4 - 5 years in the US to find a gf and eventually get married (story of my life).. But you can't rely on it happening, and you absolutely cannot fake it.

I'd shoot for getting a bacherlor's degree, and then eventually go on OPT and aim for an H-1b.

Edited February 5, 2012 by jhsm85