Exchange program issue?

H

Hannah7

Registered Users (C)
I'm currently studying abroad in Europe where I commenced my studies years ago. Now I have been selected for exchange program for U.S. university along with other students.

They all are applying for F-1, but I have got green card. Logically, if one goes for an exchange program, one should be EU resident in order to be considered international student in USA, right?

Do you think that I could participate there with my green card? What is your opinion?

Otherwise I wouldn't like idea to give up my GC and apply for F-1 just because to be considered "as international".
 
Hannah7 said:
I'm currently studying abroad in Europe where I commenced my studies years ago. Now I have been selected for exchange program for U.S. university along with other students.

They all are applying for F-1, but I have got green card. Logically, if one goes for an exchange program, one should be EU resident in order to be considered international student in USA, right?

Do you think that I could participate there with my green card? What is your opinion?

Otherwise I wouldn't like idea to give up my GC and apply for F-1 just because to be considered "as international".
Click to expand...

Finally, Just accept the offer and no one care what status or visa you will be on. Fill all required paper work for the program but the visa part. On or before the start day show up in the program and finalize the paper work with the international office with your GC, congratulations! I do not think that you have to be without GC to be accepted waiting for other's experience and inputs
 
I'm not sure if he'd qualify for an exchange program, since as a Permanent Resident he's not a foreign student, but that's up to the university to decide.
 
Thank you both!

I am already accepted and all I have to do know is to file 2 forms.

1. Application - contains basic information about me and my previous studies
2. Financial support - that I have enough money for study and living at campus

Than I will receive oficial acceptation information to my European address - probably including I-20 which is necessary for clasical study visa.

I hope they don't care what happens then. I simply won't visit embassy and travel using my GC ... that could be my plan.

I inquired them by email, but they don't respond.
 
When you enter the school to register for classes, they will require proof of immigration status for everybody in the exchange program (and probably everybody in the whole school who enrolls), as they are required by law for all F-1 and J-1 students. Once they realize that you are neither F-1 nor J-1 nor on any other temporary visa, they'll probably cancel your enrollment or require you to enroll as a regular US resident student. I also wouldn't be surprised if they reported you as a fraud to the government, because many of these exchange programs are sponsored by government-related organizations like USAID.

Why not just sign up like a regular US student?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
THe best thing to do is calling USCIS and the US school to figure out if using GC for exhange visitor program is acceptable, but my guess is, considering the concept and purpose of exchange student program, they probably must be non immigrants who are supposed to go back to the home country.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ok guys. I am waiting for the response from the university. I cannot apply for the university myself, because I am going through my home (EU) university under their bilateral agreement.

The program is important for me so keep fingers crossed , because I don't wanna give up my GC for this :-(

But if I imagine ... there are many people who have U.S. passport and German, Czech or Italian passport. They are living in Germany for example, so than they're also not eligible for these exchange programs even if they was only born in America but never lived?
 
Hannah7 said:
But if I imagine ... there are many people who have U.S. passport and German, Czech or Italian passport. They are living in Germany for example, so than they're also not eligible for these exchange programs even if they was only born in America but never lived?
Click to expand...

They are eligible, because they do not reside in America. You, on the other hand, do by definition because of your Green Card.

If you wish to surrender the GC, then you will become eligible.
 
Hannah7 said:
But if I imagine ... there are many people who have U.S. passport and German, Czech or Italian passport. They are living in Germany for example, so than they're also not eligible for these exchange programs even if they was only born in America but never lived?
Click to expand...
US citizens can attend any school they want and study what they want (assuming they're qualified) without any such program facilitating the enrollment and visas, so I would expect such programs to automatically disqualify US citizens from using the program to attend schools in America. If a US citizen living in Germany wants to attend school in the US, they can sign up just like a regular American student.

However, there is a scenario where it may be acceptable for US citizens and green card holders:

There are exchange programs that allow courses from a university in country A to be credited toward a degree at a university in country B. So the US citizen or resident may be a student of a university in Germany (for example), and the program allows them to study for a year at a given American university, and the American courses would then get credited to the German degree. Then the student finishes studies in Germany and gets a degree from the German university. In such a situation, the US citizen or permanent resident cannot achieve the same goal by simply enrolling in a US university as a regular American student, because doing it outside of an exchange program would usually result in the coursework not being credited towards the non-US degree.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Interesting issue because at my university in the Netherlands, there are many exchange students who are Dutch as well as some other nationality, and the university just asks for proof that they can remain in the country in the form of a passport, or they help you apply for a residence permit. There are exchanges not only between schools in different countries, but also between schools within the same country, even the US. So, it really shouldn't be an issue how she gets permission to stay in the country for her programme. Well, one would hope.
 
I remember when I was on F1 visa before green card, that only CBP was curious about my visa. Once the school issues an I-20, I am in the SEVIS so that USCIS will bar me from entry upon arrival?

I hope I can handle this situation somehow, otherwise I wouldn't know what to do.
 
cafeconleche said:
Interesting issue because at my university in the Netherlands, there are many exchange students who are Dutch as well as some other nationality, and the university just asks for proof that they can remain in the country in the form of a passport, or they help you apply for a residence permit. There are exchanges not only between schools in different countries, but also between schools within the same country, even the US. So, it really shouldn't be an issue how she gets permission to stay in the country for her programme. Well, one would hope.
Click to expand...
It depends on the nature of the program and who is sponsoring it. If it's an isolated cultural program that isn't part of a swapping of courses between different universities, like one where the student goes to America for a year to learn the culture and will study cultural or language-related classes that aren't going to be credited towards a non-US degree, and it's sponsored by one of those government-related international organizations like USAID, they probably are not going to want US citizens or permanent residents using the program to go to a US university. But if it is a course-swapping program like the one I mentioned above, that is more of a deal between the universities and it shouldn't be a problem as long as the US citizen or resident is originally enrolled in the non-US university.
 
Hannah7 said:
I remember when I was on F1 visa before green card, that only CBP was curious about my visa. Once the school issues an I-20, I am in the SEVIS so that USCIS will bar me from entry upon arrival?

I hope I can handle this situation somehow, otherwise I wouldn't know what to do.
Click to expand...
You just need to find out whether permanent residents are eligible, and don't try to hide your PR status from the universities because it obviously will be found out sooner or later. You don't want to be halfway through the semester and they kick you out after you've paid your money. Neither do you want an I-20 to be issued for you.
 
Jackolantern: thank you!

One student from U.S. university goes to EU university while the EU student goes to America. That's the nature of this exchange program. These 2 schools have an agreement that tuition will be for free.

American student pays accomodation and food for the foreign student. And European student does the same in Europe.

I still have no response, so I can only hope.
 
Guys I'm so so happy! I got finally message from the university, that there'll be no problem in my case.

I'm sorry for bothering :)
 
Hannah7 said:
Guys I'm so so happy! I got finally message from the university, that there'll be no problem in my case.

I'm sorry for bothering :)
Click to expand...

I told you in the first reply, no one care, the international office needs you to be in legal status even if the requirement of the program for is for international or for whatever. I know one in similar exchange program and no one of us know that he was GC till he got the citizenship.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top