Question regarding Transfer of F1 visa.

T

thokoo

Registered Users (C)
Hello Gurus

One of my very young/nice & poor friend (who has completed his 12th grade only) received his student visa (F1) for a 3 month short course. Which will start in March of 07. As per visa he can come to U.S. only 30 days before the class date. I have few questions regarding this and will really really appreciate if you please respond based on your experience/knowledge to help this poor guy:

01. What is the best course of action so he can legally stay after his 3 months course?
02. Do you think taking admission to another school will help extending his stay here?
03. What if he takes admission to any community college? (because of less fee).
04. What will be required/steps to extend his stay, if he is accepted to take admission in a community college/regular college for under grad study?
05. Any recommendation to a cheapest college/course etc.?
06. Any idea how much it will cost to continue studies to keep his stay legal.(If boarding/food is not a problem)
07. Does he need to apply to USCIS for extension of stay or change of Visa.
08. His visa is stamped only for single entry, does he need to stamp another visa for the other school?
09. How the transfer of student status works?
10. Any other option to stay legally in U.S so he can work here to support his family back home?
11. Any kind of other advise to new students while staying/studying here.

I know I have asked a lot of questions, but replying to them will be highly appreciated. I am sure that reply to these question will help a lot of other students and new comers.

Thanks in advance.
TK
 
01. What is the best course of action so he can legally stay after his 3 months course?

He needs to start now if he wants to get into a school for summer semester. He may need to pass TOEFL, SAT, etc.

02. Do you think taking admission to another school will help extending his stay here?

Yes

03. What if he takes admission to any community college? (because of less fee).

That's fine, as long as that community college is accredited and is allowed to issue I-20 forms for F-1 students.

04. What will be required/steps to extend his stay, if he is accepted to take admission in a community college/regular college for under grad study?

He will need to get a new I-20 and start going to school in the first available semester within 5 months of the previous program's completion (expiration date on his first I-20).

07. Does he need to apply to USCIS for extension of stay or change of Visa.

No, if he gets a new I-20 and thereby continues his F-1 status

08. His visa is stamped only for single entry, does he need to stamp another visa for the other school?

No, just a new I-20 form

09. How the transfer of student status works?

He will get accepted into a new school, then request that the old school release his SEVIS record to the new school, the new school will give him a new I-20 form and record him in SEVIS as their own student

10. Any other option to stay legally in U.S so he can work here to support his family back home?

he cannot work on a student visa, except for 20 hours a week on campus only. Anything else is illegal. After the first academic year he can apply for CPT (for an internship), but he still needs to be enrolled full-time. He simply can't make that much money to pay for school and to support his family back home.

He can marry a US citizen and get a GC.
 
Thanks for the detailed response.

Thank you very much LUCY for the detailed reply and writing down all the possible options.
Is there anyone wants to add anything here so all new comer students can benefit from this thread.
 
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