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Information about Commuter student/ F3 Visa

By Student12345678 in Student & Exchange Visitor Visas

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Student12345678 Newbie

Student12345678   0

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Hello,

I am an Indian citizen with Permanent Residence in Canada. I used to live in Detroit, MI with my husband. We are on TN and TD visas respectively. I am also a part time student at the University of Michigan, Dearborn. I am currently taking Bachelor/ Undergrad level courses to become eligible to apply for my Master's Program in Computer Science. I will be done with these pre-requisite courses this Summer term, and I already got accepted to the University of Michigan Dearborn for Fall 2019 under the TD Visa. Before the TN and TD visas, we were on E2 visas, but had to change them due to a change in my husband's employment. But almost immediately after I was issued the TD Visa, I secured a job in Windsor, Ontario, so I moved to Windsor. After that, I crossed the land border by the bridge a few times to Michigan, to meet friends, go on trips, and also to write exams at the University (I am an online student so I attend my classes online and take tests in the University). But when I recently crossed the border with my husband, I was asked to go for a secondary inspection, and was told that TD Visas are only for spouses of TN Visa holders that live in the United States, and if I wish to continue my part time education after this term in the US, I must apply for a commuter student visa. 

This was the first time I had ever heard of it. I have hardly found any information on it so far. Some websites say that it's the commuter student visa for Canadian and Mexican residents, but some say that it is the commuter student visa for Canadian and Mexican nationals/ citizens only. Does anyone here have any light to shed on this matter at all? Does this visa have to go through the same process as the F-1 visa? I really wanted to start my course this Fall term, but it looks like I have to go through a whole visa interview process with I-20 if that's the case here.

Any information anyone can provide here will be of great help!

Thank you!!!

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jan22 Experienced

jan22   3,043

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The F3 is for Mexican and Canadian nationals only, so you won't qualify for that.  It is the only student visa that pemits part-time studies.   Looks like you also won't qualify for an F-1 student visa, since that requires that you be a full-time student.  You may have to choose between working in Canada or studying in the US, as there really isn't a visa that would allow you to do both at the same time.

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Student12345678 Newbie

Student12345678   0

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On 7/22/2019 at 11:17 PM, jan22 said:

The F3 is for Mexican and Canadian nationals only, so you won't qualify for that.  It is the only student visa that pemits part-time studies.   Looks like you also won't qualify for an F-1 student visa, since that requires that you be a full-time student.  You may have to choose between working in Canada or studying in the US, as there really isn't a visa that would allow you to do both at the same time.

Thanks for your reply! What if my course is completely online? Will the situation change then?

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jan22 Experienced

jan22   3,043

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1 hour ago, Student12345678 said:

 

Thanks for your reply! What if my course is completely online? Will the situation change then?

Actually, that's worse.  To qualify for a student visa, you have to be a full-time student and only one course of the full-time load can be an online course.  

 

If you do not need to enter the US at any point during the courses (even for exams), you, of course, do not need a student visa at all.  But, the minute you are required to do any portion of the course in the US, you will need the student visa.

Edited by jan22
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Student12345678 Newbie

Student12345678   0

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11 hours ago, jan22 said:

Actually, that's worse.  To qualify for a student visa, you have to be a full-time student and only one course of the full-time load can be an online course.  

 

If you do not need to enter the US at any point during the courses (even for exams), you, of course, do not need a student visa at all.  But, the minute you are required to do any portion of the course in the US, you will need the student visa.

I am a little confused. Would I need a student visa in the first place if my entire program is offered online?

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geowrian Grand Master

geowrian   22,337

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1 hour ago, Student12345678 said:

I am a little confused. Would I need a student visa in the first place if my entire program is offered online?

As long as you don't need to enter the US, no visa is needed.

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

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SusieQQQ Grand Master

SusieQQQ   11,586

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1 minute ago, Student12345678 said:

What if I want to enter the US for pleasure purposes? Can I apply for a Visitor's visa when I am enrolled in a completely online program in the US?

Sure. They will have your history of course and will take that into account when deciding to grant a visa,

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jan22 Experienced

jan22   3,043

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On 7/25/2019 at 12:03 PM, Student12345678 said:

What if I want to enter the US for pleasure purposes? Can I apply for a Visitor's visa when I am enrolled in a completely online program in the US?

You can apply -- but will have a hard time convincing the visa officer that you will be doing nothing for your courses while in the US and/or that you don't intend to stay in the US.

Edited by jan22
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Student12345678 Newbie

Student12345678   0

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12 hours ago, jan22 said:

You can apply -- but will have a hard time convincing the visa officer that you will be doing nothing for your courses while in the US and/or that you don't intend to stay in the US.

True. We do visit Detroit quite often for shopping, dinners, meeting friends, etc., since it's such a short drive away to the border. But if I have a full time job and a home in Canada that I obviously have to return to after my day trips - won't that make any difference?

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jan22 Experienced

jan22   3,043

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25 minutes ago, Student12345678 said:

True. We do visit Detroit quite often for shopping, dinners, meeting friends, etc., since it's such a short drive away to the border. But if I have a full time job and a home in Canada that I obviously have to return to after my day trips - won't that make any difference?

You will only get the answer to this by applying, sorry.

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