F1 visa with a partner (u.s citizen) living in the u.s

[Tomaso11 2]

Hi, im currently in a LDR with a U.S citizen, I have just come back after spending 3 moths there with her on the ESTA visa. I'm looking to now get an F1 visa and study in the U.S at a community collage. I'm just wondering is having my girlfriend in the U.S going to impact my chances of being granted the visa? Im 34 years old, and we have been together for 2 years

[Boiler 45,932]

Not sure how common it is for a Mature Student to want to apply for a US Community College.

 

It would be the totality of your application, if it all makes sense.

[JFH 12,191]

The short answer is “no”. Merely having a girlfriend in the US is not a reason for a student visa to be denied, assuming you satisfy all of the eligibility criteria. 
 

However, one of the main requirements of the student visa application is that you demonstrate your stay will be temporary and that you absolutely intend to return home at the end of your studies. If the application is just to get to spend longer than 90 days with your girlfriend, under the guise of attending community college, they will see through that. What do you plan to study at community college that you can’t study at home? As someone else had said, community college is a very “junior” college and it’s unusual for someone of your age to want to study there.
 

I’m guessing you don’t work since you were recently able to spend an extended period over here. Your ties to home need to be very strong for a student visa. 

Edited February 17, 2021 by JFH

[Tomaso11 2]

7 minutes ago, JFH said:

The short answer is “no”. Merely having a girlfriend in the US is not a reason for a student visa to be denied, assuming you satisfy all of the eligibility criteria. 
 

However, one of the main requirements of the student visa application is that you demonstrate your stay will be temporary and that you absolutely intend to return home at the end of your studies. If the application is just to get to spend longer than 90 days with your girlfriend, under the guise of attending community college, they will see through that. What do you plan to study at community college that you can’t study at home? As someone else had said, community college is a very “junior” college and it’s unusual for someone of your age to want to study there.
 

I’m guessing you don’t work since you were recently able to spend an extended period over here. Your ties to home need to be very strong for a student visa. 

Thanks for your response. I do work, I just have a lenient boss! I had to prove those ties to enter this time around on the visa waiver, I got interviewed for some time then eventually let in. 

 

I'm wanting to study business management to go towards owning my own business as I am a baker. The community collage appeals to me because of its affordability. It doubles as being able to spend time together.

[Tomaso11 2]

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

Not sure how common it is for a Mature Student to want to apply for a US Community College.

 

It would be the totality of your application, if it all makes sense.

Ok so I'd have to prove i didn't have the funds for a university, and prove that I want to study business at the collage?

[Coco8 1,042]

You cannot work. You have to be a full time student.

 

50 minutes ago, Tomaso11 said:

 I do work, I just have a lenient boss!

 

Also, you will have to show that you have funds for tuition and to cover your expenses. Colleges usually provide information on expenses -- it's a number that they calculate based on housing, food, books, etc. 

 

 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

58 minutes ago, Tomaso11 said:

Ok so I'd have to prove i didn't have the funds for a university, and prove that I want to study business at the collage?

Well, you’d have to prove you have the funds to pay for your tuition, room and board to get the visa. If you say you need less funds for room and board because you’ll be living with your girlfriend (if you are), then that will raise questions about the motivation for going and ties back home.

 

Many community colleges are not that cheap for out of state students, and especially for internationals compared to many countries where people have heavily subsidized college fees back home. Which state would you be applying for?
 

By all means try - but be aware that there will probably be a lot of questions raised in interview.  (I also agree that your age and going to CC will raise questions.)

 

 

Edited February 17, 2021 by SusieQQQ

[aaron2020 11,651]

To qualify for an F-1 student visa, you have to 1.  Prove you have a legitimate course of study leading to a degree, 2) intend to go home after you finish your degree, and 3) have the funds for your course of study and living expenses.  Community college tuition and living expenses is about $20,000/year.  Do you have $40,000?  How would a US business degree help you with running a bakery in your country?

If you are using the community college as a pretense to live with your girlfriend, you will get a denial.

If your F1 visa is denied, your ESTA days are over.  You would need to apply for a B2 visitor visa and you might get a denial for that.  

 

 

Edited February 17, 2021 by aaron2020

[Tomaso11 2]

1 hour ago, SusieQQQ said:

Well, you’d have to prove you have the funds to pay for your tuition, room and board to get the visa. If you say you need less funds for room and board because you’ll be living with your girlfriend (if you are), then that will raise questions about the motivation for going and ties back home.

 

Many community colleges are not that cheap for out of state students, and especially for internationals compared to many countries where people have heavily subsidized college fees back home. Which state would you be applying for?
 

By all means try - but be aware that there will probably be a lot of questions raised in interview.  (I also agree that your age and going to CC will raise questions.)

 

 

Thanks for your input! Im applying in California. I have heard of a few people managing to do it, but not recently...

[Tomaso11 2]

1 hour ago, aaron2020 said:

To qualify for an F-1 student visa, you have to 1.  Prove you have a legitimate course of study leading to a degree, 2) intend to go home after you finish your degree, and 3) have the funds for your course of study and living expenses.  Community college tuition and living expenses is about $20,000/year.  Do you have $40,000?  How would a US business degree help you with running a bakery in your country?

If you are using the community college as a pretense to live with your girlfriend, you will get a denial.

If your F1 visa is denied, your ESTA days are over.  You would need to apply for a B2 visitor visa and you might get a denial for that.  

 

 

Thanks for responding. I would be able to stay elsewhere other than the collage which would cut costs. As for the degree can I say that its for the experience of studying abroad, and spending more time with my girlfriend.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

3 minutes ago, Tomaso11 said:

Thanks for your input! Im applying in California. I have heard of a few people managing to do it, but not recently...

Out of state community college tuition/mandatory fees in California average around $7000-8000.  Is that really cheaper than university back home, which is your justification? As pointed out above, you’d need to show more upfront to get the visa. As an example Glendale CC has mandatory tuition and other fees of just under $7600 and an annual cost of attendance of $23k. You’d need to show proof of this upfront to get the visa. 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

5 minutes ago, Tomaso11 said:

Thanks for responding. I would be able to stay elsewhere other than the collage which would cut costs. As for the degree can I say that its for the experience of studying abroad, and spending more time with my girlfriend.

It’s community college, not a 4 year college. Almost all of them only have commuter students, hardly anyone lives at the college (there are a couple that do have dorms). For the Glendale example above the cost of attendance is based on “Living expenses are estimates and are based on shared living arrangements to include rent, meals, utilities, personal expenses and local transportation costs”.  So the cost they give is very realistic, and more importantly it’s what the consular officer at the embassy will use as a guideline. 

[aaron2020 11,651]

40 minutes ago, Tomaso11 said:

Thanks for responding. I would be able to stay elsewhere other than the collage which would cut costs. As for the degree can I say that its for the experience of studying abroad, and spending more time with my girlfriend.

There is a minimum amount that is required for tuition and living expenses.  You being able to show you can stay with your girlfriend to cut cost is not going to help.  Staying with your girlfriend would work against you.  The experience of studying abroad is not going to help.  You need to show how the US education will help you with your career back home.  Spending more time with your girlfriend is absolutely not what an F1 is for and would work against issuing an F1.  

Honestly answer this.  If your girlfriend was not in the picture, how would a US community college degree in business help your career back home?  If you can't give a reasonable answer to this, then you have zero chances of getting an F1. 

[Coco8 1,042]

3 hours ago, Tomaso11 said:

 can I say that its for the experience of studying abroad, and spending more time with my girlfriend.

(1) How long are you planning to study? Doing one semester without actually getting any time of degree... I doubt that's going to be accepted.

(2) No, a student visa is to study, not to spend time with your girlfriend.

 

You are just looking for an excuse to spend more time with your girlfriend. This student visa seems like an excuse. In college you actually have to be a full-time student and pass your classes; otherwise, you are going to get kicked out of college. You also have no clear reason for going to college and having a visa denial is not a good idea when you can visit the US under the waiver program.

 

[Tomaso11 2]

2 hours ago, aaron2020 said:

There is a minimum amount that is required for tuition and living expenses.  You being able to show you can stay with your girlfriend to cut cost is not going to help.  Staying with your girlfriend would work against you.  The experience of studying abroad is not going to help.  You need to show how the US education will help you with your career back home.  Spending more time with your girlfriend is absolutely not what an F1 is for and would work against issuing an F1.  

Honestly answer this.  If your girlfriend was not in the picture, how would a US community college degree in business help your career back home?  If you can't give a reasonable answer to this, then you have zero chances of getting an F1. 

Yeah all good points. Its going to be hard to prove that. If I went for a different course such as a culinary arts or something that was more relative to a baker then it may be more pheasable?