A Student Visa for my Girlfriend.

[herman345 0]

Hello,

I don't want to bore you all with details of my life, so I'll try to make this brief! I lived in China for 2 years, and while I was there I met a girl and we wound up in a serious, committed relationship. I just got back from the country last October. She's 25 (I'm 26 if that matters), but her degree isn't a very good one and she wants to get a degree in the US. She visited my home state, where I'm living now, for 6 weeks. She loved it and has decided she wants to study here (which I'm elated about.) Her English is good enough to get a sufficient score on the IELTS or TOEFL, and she has the money to pay for school here (as do I if she needs it.) I have a few questions, though, if someone would be kind enough to address them.

First, I'm assuming that she should avoid telling anybody that she has a boyfriend here. The thing is, I want her to live with me because it will be MUCH less expensive for her. Is there any way that she can put down my residence as the place she plans to live, or would that make people suspicious?

Also, my family would be more than happy to help in any way they can. Is there any way that they can sponsor her or something like that?

Finally, I know that on a tourism visa, it would be considered fraudulent if we were to get engaged. Is it the same case with a student visa? I ask because it's possible that in the years she spends studying here we could get engaged.

Thank you for any advice that you can give me!

[van1234essa 11]

Hello,

I don't want to bore you all with details of my life, so I'll try to make this brief! I lived in China for 2 years, and while I was there I met a girl and we wound up in a serious, committed relationship. I just got back from the country last October. She's 25 (I'm 26 if that matters), but her degree isn't a very good one and she wants to get a degree in the US. She visited my home state, where I'm living now, for 6 weeks. She loved it and has decided she wants to study here (which I'm elated about.) Her English is good enough to get a sufficient score on the IELTS or TOEFL, and she has the money to pay for school here (as do I if she needs it.) I have a few questions, though, if someone would be kind enough to address them.

First, I'm assuming that she should avoid telling anybody that she has a boyfriend here. The thing is, I want her to live with me because it will be MUCH less expensive for her. Is there any way that she can put down my residence as the place she plans to live, or would that make people suspicious?

Also, my family would be more than happy to help in any way they can. Is there any way that they can sponsor her or something like that?

Finally, I know that on a tourism visa, it would be considered fraudulent if we were to get engaged. Is it the same case with a student visa? I ask because it's possible that in the years she spends studying here we could get engaged.

Thank you for any advice that you can give me!

Who told you it would be fraudulent to get engaged on a tourist visa? That is not the case. You can get engaged and even married on a tourist visa. The only fraudulent thing is to STAY after you entered on a tourist visa and get married. Marriage isn't fraudulent. Only the intention to immigrate before you enter the country.

Same on a student visa. You can get engaged and married. Thousands of people do it.

Now you will hear a lot that lying to uscis (or in this case keeping the boyfriend a secret) is never ever a good idea. It'll come back around and bite you in the butt..

Prepare a strong case and try for the student visa. If she gets denied you gotta decide what the next step will be. There are numerous options.

Good luck!

[RhettVoe 282]

She will be asked about who lives at the address...then, how she knows whoever it is that lives there, etc...the more she tries to avoid answering the questions, the less likely she will get the visa...also, she may well be asked about her previous degree, why she wants to try something else, why she picked a school so close to the address of those ever popular 'friends' and perhaps even more questions about her relationship with you....student visas are often used to circumvent the K1 process, something which most COs know...the signposts will likely be visible....a 'friend' offering a place to stay, or a family offering tuition assistance (which results in the question. ?' why does this family want to help pay for her education?)...trying to get a second degree instead of using the one she has, and finally, an American BF....

She will be asked about who lives at the address...then, how she knows whoever it is that lives there, etc...the more she tries to avoid answering the questions, the less likely she will get the visa...also, she may well be asked about her previous degree, why she wants to try something else, why she picked a school so close to the address of those ever popular 'friends' and perhaps even more questions about her relationship with you....student visas are often used to circumvent the K1 process, something which most COs know...the signposts will likely be visible....a 'friend' offering a place to stay, or a family offering tuition assistance (which results in the question. ?' why does this family want to help pay for her education?)...trying to get a second degree instead of using the one she has, and finally, an American BF....

[herman345 0]

Thanks a lot for the responses, guys. It sounds like the best thing for her to do, then, is to avoid using anything that's connected to me in any way. It sounds like she'll have to think of some pretty water-tight reasons she chose to study in Arizona.

Now you will hear a lot that lying to uscis (or in this case keeping the boyfriend a secret) is never ever a good idea. It'll come back around and bite you in the butt..

Yeah, I am a bit worried about that as well, but if I understand correctly, telling them that she has a boyfriend here is pretty much guaranteed to get her turned down, right? Her and I were wondering what would happen if she was just completely open and honest. She has no intention of overstaying her visa, and she really does want a degree from a US institution. I have a feeling it wouldn't turn out well, though.

I thought I read the part about not being able to get engaged while on a tourist visa on a US government website. It sounds like I was mistaken, though.

[van1234essa 11]

Thanks a lot for the responses, guys. It sounds like the best thing for her to do, then, is to avoid using anything that's connected to me in any way. It sounds like she'll have to think of some pretty water-tight reasons she chose to study in Arizona.

Yeah, I am a bit worried about that as well, but if I understand correctly, telling them that she has a boyfriend here is pretty much guaranteed to get her turned down, right? Her and I were wondering what would happen if she was just completely open and honest. She has no intention of overstaying her visa, and she really does want a degree from a US institution. I have a feeling it wouldn't turn out well, though.

I thought I read the part about not being able to get engaged while on a tourist visa on a US government website. It sounds like I was mistaken, though.

I'm not gonna lie to you, the fact she has an American bf will make it harder for her to get a student visa. Is it impossible? You won't know until you try. But I can guarantee you that, even if she will leave out anything that could bring you up, she still will be asked if there's a significant other in the picture. And that's where honesty is a must. If you guys do not think about marriage yet, not engagement, you will have to convince the immigration officer that that's the case. And she will have to prove that she plans on going back to china once her visa is expired. Which will be almost impossible, as you already indicated engagement is very possible.

I say, try the student visa, if you fail, think about how bad you guys wanna be together. Yes, it stinks that the government only gives you limited options (marriage, engagement) to be with her, but as you said, you think about getting engaged, so you might have to go through the same process than all of us that wanted to be with their loved ones.

Edited February 15, 2014 by van1234essa

[herman345 0]

I'm not gonna lie to you, the fact she has an American bf will make it harder for her to get a student visa. Is it impossible? You won't know until you try. But I can guarantee you that, even if she will leave out anything that could bring you up, she still will be asked if there's a significant other in the picture. And that's where honesty is a must. If you guys do not think about marriage yet, not engagement, you will have to convince the immigration officer that that's the case. And she will have to prove that she plans on going back to china once her visa is expired. Which will be almost impossible, as you already indicated engagement is very possible.

I say, try the student visa, if you fail, think about how bad you guys wanna be together. Yes, it stinks that the government only gives you limited options (marriage, engagement) to be with her, but as you said, you think about getting engaged, so you might have to go through the same process than all of us that wanted to be with their loved ones.

I really appreciate your honesty here. Yes, it is very frustrating. She's a smart, hard-working person who genuinely wants a better education than what she got, we're just not ready to be married yet. I guess all she can do is what you suggested: Try her best to convince the visa officer that studying here isn't just a convenient way for us to be together.

Thanks a lot for the information!

[Boiler 45,517]

What sort of course is she looking at?

[canadian_wife 1,822]

What is her degree in and what course is she looking for?

Be honest, like RhettVoe said, if she is even living with you, the American BF topic will come up.

She'll need to present strong ties as to why she must return to China, can she do that? Is that even her intentions with you already in the US?

good luck

[Messybrownhair 251]

Another option for you to think about- this is what I did.

We filed k1 (Fiancee visa) and I arrived here February 2011, got married April 2011. I started grad school August 2011 (applied to 3 schools the year before, but already told them I would not be needing the student visa because I would be arriving through a k1 visa). She can always talk to the international student liason of the schools she is interested in, its more than just taking the TOEFL, you need transcripts that are validated, letters of recommendation etc. Plus she would need to be accepted too!

I have since graduated and am now a licensed speech and language pathologist.

Goodluck!

[Messybrownhair 251]

K1 is taking about a year or so to process, plus you have 90 days to get married.. plenty of time to condition yourself to marriage. I think this will be your safest route, as others have stated, a student visa might be tricky due to your circumstances. Incidentally, my husband and I met in China as well! Shanghai to be exact, we were both foreign language students at Fudan University