Tourist or Student Visa?

[Liliaz 0]

I'm considering taking an ESL class in America, I found one that is free, it's 3 hours a day for 3 months. Also I have a friend who would allow me to rent a room from her for $300 for the 3 months and she lives close to the school. Would I need a Student Visa for this, or a Tourist visa? Also, if I get accepted, would it be possible to take my child with me? I can leave my child with my parents, but I really don't want to be apart for that long. Any advice would be appreciated.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Liliaz

[az2014 381]

Why do you keep making so many different topics?

No idea what ESL is but what happened to your photography course?

What's so important about this course that you can't do it in Russia?

And you want to take your child with you?

You sound really really desperate to go to the US to see this 'friend' of yours.

Hopefully and probably the CO will see this too.

[Liliaz 0]

Why do you keep making so many different topics?

No idea what ESL is but what happened to your photography course?

What's so important about this course that you can't do it in Russia?

And you want to take your child with you?

You sound really really desperate to go to the US to see this 'friend' of yours.

Hopefully and probably the CO will see this too.

It was a filmography class, but I found out the school no longer wanted to discount the class and I just can't afford the full price. ESL is English as a Second Language. I felt that I would be better off taking this first anyway, because even though I am fluent with written English, it takes me a long time to speak and I have a bad accent. I want to take my child with me because it's 3 months, I don't think anyone would want to be away from their child for 3 months. And no, I don't know of any English classes taught by native speakers in Russia. I'm not desperate to come to the US, but I would like to see my friend again, and I would like to take this class. Hopefully this CO isn't as judgemental as you.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Contact the school and ask if you need a student visa.

[Anh map 2,098]

Doubtful that a short term ESL class would qualify for the student visa, especially a free of charge class.

There are likley hundreds, if not thousands, of native speakers teaching English is Russia. That would be the question a CO would ask: Why do you feel the need to take a 3 month class in the US when you can do it at home?

Edited October 29, 2015 by Anh map

[Boiler 45,952]

From a practical point of view you would learn American English here, not proper English and a large percentage of the population especially in NY have interesting accents.

I had a friend back in London who teaches ESL to those who want to teach others. He also travelled in his younger days using ESL as a way of paying his way.

I am surprised that you can not find someone locally, or a group which might be better.

Leaving you job, taking your child, staying with a friend who is a boy, well I know what I would think.

[jmana 2]

From a practical point of view you would learn American English here, not proper English and a large percentage of the population especially in NY have interesting accents.

I had a friend back in London who teaches ESL to those who want to teach others. He also travelled in his younger days using ESL as a way of paying his way.

I am surprised that you can not find someone locally, or a group which might be better.

Leaving you job, taking your child, staying with a friend who is a boy, well I know what I would think.

It's a girl, not a boy she'd be staying with according to the previous post.

Edited October 29, 2015 by jmana

[Boiler 45,952]

Started off as a aboy?

[aaron2020 11,651]

It's a girl, not a boy she'd be staying with according to the previous post.

You may want to look at the OP's original thread. The "facts" have evolved from a boy to a girl.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/572676-tourist-visa-to-take-a-class/?fromsearch=1

[Liliaz 0]

You may want to look at the OP's original thread. The "facts" have evolved from a boy to a girl.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/572676-tourist-visa-to-take-a-class/?fromsearch=1

Yes, it did change. The film class was in a different city, and so I would be staying with a different friend. Not sure if that makes it more or less likely to get approved, but I guess i'll find out.

[Elf 146]

I'm curious about whether the gender of the friend makes any difference at all, now that same-sex marriage is legal throughout the US and for immigration purposes.

[Liliaz 0]

I'm curious about whether the gender of the friend makes any difference at all, now that same-sex marriage is legal throughout the US and for immigration purposes.

Not sure, it's still fairly taboo here.

[Boiler 45,952]

Not sure, it's still fairly taboo here.

Google DOMA, fine here.

[Liliaz 0]

Google DOMA, fine here.

Yeah I have heard from friends in the US that it's really changed recently. I wonder if staying with a woman would make them even more suspicious, that maybe I'm gay and trying to escape persecution? I would stay in a hotel, but just can not afford that. Do they have short rentals for flats in the US?

[perla&austin 7]

Sorry but you do seem to be trying to get to the U.S anyway possible, I have a foreign languages degree, and I've never left my country, and to quit your job and take your child with you just for a 3 month course (which you could totally take online) or at home with native teachers? nope, sorrry, not buying it!