From student visa to Green Card?

[MyAmericanDream 0]

Hi everyone!

We are a family of 3 and it has always been my dream to live and have my son study in the US but we all know moving there is not as easy as ABC even if you have the money to support your family there. That is why I joined DVL-2016 to try my luck, and since I'm not sure if I'm going to win I figure we need a back up plan. I stumbled in one article stating some possiblity of changing student visa to resident visa but I'm not sure if that's correct. So if you please kindly enlighten me.

I just want to ask a few questions:

1. How to apply student visa fro 4 year old child?

2. If its possible to change student visa to resident visa someday?

(We wanted our 4 year old son to study in US and hopefully finish college there.)

3. If ever, what type of visa can we apply to accompany him if he ever study there?

(Since he's only 4 he will definitely need someone to look after him.)

4. How long can we accompany him?

5. Is there any other option?

(I have a cousin living in California and my husband's Grandmother is a US resident too but I believe we are not qualified in family petition as we are not immediate family member.)

Thank you in advance!

[MGill 2]

Academic (F-1) Visa

A student wishing to attend a university or other academic institution in the United States, including primary and secondary schools, or a language training program requires an F-1 visa. Section 214(l) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), prohibits the issuance of F-1 visas to students who are going to the United States to attend public elementary schools (grades K through 8, approximately ages 5 to 14) and publicly funded adult education programs such as foreign language classes. Students applying for F-1 visas to attend public secondary schools (grades 9 through 12, approximately ages 14 to 18) are limited to a maximum of 12 months of public high school in F-1 status and must show proof that payment has been made for the full, unsubsidized cost of the education before a visa can be processed. Students attending private elementary and secondary schools are not affected by this ruling.

______

Based on this your child isn't eligible for to go to a public school, though you did mention that you have the money to support yourself. So your child would be eligible for private school

Edited December 3, 2014 by MGill

[MyAmericanDream 0]

Academic (F-1) Visa

A student wishing to attend a university or other academic institution in the United States, including primary and secondary schools, or a language training program requires an F-1 visa. Section 214(l) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), prohibits the issuance of F-1 visas to students who are going to the United States to attend public elementary schools (grades K through 8, approximately ages 5 to 14) and publicly funded adult education programs such as foreign language classes. Students applying for F-1 visas to attend public secondary schools (grades 9 through 12, approximately ages 14 to 18) are limited to a maximum of 12 months of public high school in F-1 status and must show proof that payment has been made for the full, unsubsidized cost of the education before a visa can be processed. Students attending private elementary and secondary schools are not affected by this ruling.

______

Based on this your child isn't eligible for to go to a public school, though you did mention that you have the money to support yourself. So your child would be eligible for private school

I see, Thank you so much!

[Caryh 5,206]

1 you need a private school to accept him first

2 no you cannot directly convert a student visa to a permanent resident

3 & 4 you can apply for a tourist visa and visit him based on the time period allowed by the CBP when you enter. 6 months at a time would likely be the maximum if you're lucky. You would need to line up someone to look after him who is in the USA, like your cousin or husband's grandmother.

5 not really, except the diversity visa if you're lucky

Edited December 3, 2014 by Caryh

[Merrytooth 5,748]

You really want to send a 4 year old child overseas?

How about family bonding during the child's development / growing period?

[Boiler 45,532]

The school I went had Boarder's.

4 sounds a bit young. Maybe 7 might be better.

Anyway first you need to select a school.

[MyAmericanDream 0]

1 you need a private school to accept him first

2 no you cannot directly convert a student visa to a permanent resident

3 & 4 you can apply for a tourist visa and visit him based on the time period allowed by the CBP when you enter. 6 months at a time would likely be the maximum if you're lucky. You would need to line up someone to look after him who is in the USA, like your cousin or husband's grandmother.

5 not really, except the diversity visa if you're lucky

Thank you! by the way I'm from Philippines too!

[MyAmericanDream 0]

You really want to send a 4 year old child overseas?

How about family bonding during the child's development / growing period?

We have no plans to send him alone there or have our relatives look after him. That is why I'm asking if we or how long can we accompany him there. We would rather abandon that US Studying dream if we cannot be together.

Edited December 4, 2014 by MyAmericanDream

[MyAmericanDream 0]

The school I went had Boarder's.

4 sounds a bit young. Maybe 7 might be better.

Anyway first you need to select a school.

Thank you Boiler! I guess I have to wait until he's 7

[jan22 3,056]

You can not use your very young child studying in the US to get a visa to live in the US with him.

[Caryh 5,206]

Thank you! by the way I'm from Philippines too!

My wife is actually the one from the Philippines.

Many fail at getting a tourist visa from the Philippines. You need to show strong ties to your own country. Sending your young child to the USA as student, and then applying for a tourist visa I would think would appear to show intent to not leave the USA. Heck your whole post kind of screams intent to live permanently in the USA as a family. You might be better served trying to get a tourist visa before you even start looking towards getting a student visa for your child.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Thank you Boiler! I guess I have to wait until he's 7

You are aware that boarding school costs at least $40,000 a year, probably more for children that age, so like $50,000 a year? There are probably only a handful of schools that accept boarders that young. Youngest age at most boarding schools is like 11/12 years old.

[Boiler 45,532]

You are aware that boarding school costs at least $40,000 a year, probably more for children that age, so like $50,000 a year? There are probably only a handful of schools that accept boarders that young. Youngest age at most boarding schools is like 11/12 years old.

I assume that money is not an issue, seems that they have no need to work.

Surprised that you have to be of that age to board. Never had need to look into US practice. Perhaps UK may be a better bet.

[MyAmericanDream 0]

Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge and honest opinion on this matter.

At least now I have a better understanding about the process of immigrating to US.

I guess my only chance to live there with my family is by winning a Diversity Visa (hopefully) .

[Boiler 45,532]

PI is not elegible for DV.