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 Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 9:55pm On Apr 15, 2024 |
Did you mean to say Tufts University in MA? I have not heard of Truft University before today but maybe it truly exists. If your sister insists it is Trufts, ensure that it is a SEVP-certified school and ensure it is not a fake university. Below is the DHS link to SEVP-certified schools. Trufts is not listed. Maybe she means Tufts which is well=known. https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/school-search There have been instances of fake universities with names similar to well-known ones with the goal of preying on international students. A payment of any amount before a GA offer or I20 issuance is not common. It is not the norm despite what anyone says. Showing financial documents before your I20 is issued is the norm. People on this thread have received I20 forms on this thread and none of them paid anything before they received their I20. If you look back a few pages on this thread, there are folks who have been offered GAs/TAs/RAs and nobody has mentioned paying for information for any of these positions. If you have $300 and want to take a chance, then by all means pay it. Otherwise look for another school. A university that is willing to give you 40% off tuition should not be trying to shake you down for $300. Aishat89: 3 Likes |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 12:23pm On Apr 15, 2024 |
It is likely due to your GPA. A GPA less than 2.5 is equivalent to about a C grade which is considered a very low grade. Some universities view your undergrad GPA as an indicator of your grad school performance. The program probably conditioned your offer so that it does not bring down their graduation percentage. Some masters programs would rather kick out a poor performing student than have that student lower their program completion percentage. If I were you, I would wait on other programs to see if I they would make me an unconditional offer. A conditional offer might be problematic in the eyes of a VO. Ayosharon4321: 3 Likes |
| Travel › Re: USA Visit Visa Part 4 by JohnZak: 11:33pm On Apr 12, 2024 |
The only thing you can do is to call and explain to them and see if they can change it. The MRV receipt is linked to a specific passport number that is why it is not transferable. However, given the long wait times for visa appointment times now, it is not improbable that one buys a receipt with an old passport and shows up for their interview months later with an updated passport number. Continue trying to call them and speak to a representative. Just let them know that you paid with an old passport number and you have an updated passport now and if this will be an issue. This is about the only thing that you can do now. 333k for a visa application is a lot of money. sanyalai: |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 5:14pm On Apr 08, 2024 |
Check out the website of the Pan African Students Association (PANASA) at the University of South Carolina below. There are a bunch of Nigerians that are members. Send an email to the PANASA and let then know what type of information you want and if you would like to be connected to a Nigerian. Be specific in describing what type of information you want. Do not ramble otherwise you won't get any response. PANASA also has a facebook page where you may be able to dm Nigerian student members directly. https://garnetgate.sa.sc.edu/organization/panasa UZAD: |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 6:53pm On Apr 04, 2024 |
Except the need for you to travel to the US on a B1/B2 visa is incredibly pressing, I suggest that you see out your one remaining year on your student visa and then apply for the F1 visa. There is no need risking a denial at this point when, if you get the F1 visa next year, you can literally visit the same places while you are in the US on an F1 that you want to see this year on a B1/B2 visa. More than likely, those places are not going to change before next year. Kenny4smart: 3 Likes |
| Travel › Re: USA Visit Visa Part 4 by JohnZak: 6:32pm On Apr 04, 2024 |
Hi, It sounds like you are going to DR for your interview since you have an interview date already. Even though renewal interviews are pretty straightforward, never take them for granted. You will be renewing based on the new I20 since your OPT expires in 7/13 and you have a new I20 for the upcoming school year. I can’t speak to the success rate in DR because I never renewed there and do not know of anyone that renewed there. I renewed in Canada and Mexico but I frankly feel that because it is a renewal with a valid I20 and as long as there is nothing adverse in your immigration (e.g. falling out of F1 status or another visa category) or U.S. criminal history, your chances of success are very high. Besides Canada and Jamaica, I have friends that have renewed without issues in Jamaica. There are many reports on this thread of seamless F1 renewals in third countries. You likely won’t even be asked about any of the documents that I will list (except current I20) but I believe that it is better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them. You must go with your current I20 and I suggest also going with your old 1-20, hire letter from OPT site (if you have one), letter from your current OPT site confirming your current employment, previous transcripts, and paystubs from your current OPT site. If you have anything other than a traffic citation, I suggest that you go with the final court disposition. My friend had an issue once because of this. Though I was never asked about financial documents when I went for visa renewals, I still went with them. If you have a scholarship, fellowship, or financial statement that explains how you will fund your PhD, I suggest going with them just in case you are asked. I renewed my FI visa twice and got a J1 and a J1 renewal, all in third countries (countries other than Nigeria). In all cases, the interviews lasted less than 60 seconds (no exaggeration). I was just asked for my I20 (F1) or DS2019 (J1) for all but one interview. In this one interview, the consular officer asked me about my study area and the rest was just small talk that was unrelated to my visa application. You might be asked to talk about your upcoming program, but I am sure you have that covered. The renewal interviews were a breeze for me, and I sincerely hope that it is a breeze for you. Because you have a valid visa, they will cancel your current visa with a stamp that says “canceled without prejudice”. It is likely that the issue date of the new visa will be backdated to the issue date on the old visa so that you can enter the U.S. immediately. That is what they did for me. Plan to stay close to the embassy, pre-arrange transportation, and get there early. Don’t forget to enjoy DR while you are there during the days between your visa interview and when your visa comes out. Santo Domingo is a beautiful, old city by the coast with great food and beautiful beaches. However, be safe while you are there because it can get wild at night. If you have other questions, you can post on this thread and I will respond. Enjoy and good luck!! arama2022: |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 3:51pm On Apr 02, 2024 |
Reasons for a post-IW 221g in-person interview include questions about your previous U.S. visits so be ready to discuss your two previous visits and the reason for your stay. They may also want some more financial information from you given that you have a deficit of $26K. Ensure that you have paperwork for the $45K scholarship as well as bank statements and other financial documents that prove that you and/or your dad can foot the deficit comfortably. Consular officers do not always look at these documents but it is better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them. They may or may not ask but be prepared to discuss why you chose the law program and how the degree may benefit your career. Good luck! aposon07: 3 Likes |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 7:04pm On Apr 01, 2024 |
Bosses, This back and forth has been going on for at least three days. Trading deeply personal and condescending insults is not necessary regardless of where you live (Nigeria or U.S) or what you or may not have accomplished. It is frankly very juvenile. Based on the year some of us graduated from college, we are likely to be in our thirties and forties. This is not a good look at all! Nobody needs this and it is derailing the purpose of this thread. We can all agree to disagree about applying for visas in Nigeria or outside Nigeria, proving home ties or not proving home ties, funding vs. no funding etc., without resorting to the type of language that has been exchanged over the past couple of days. 6 Likes |
| Travel › Re: USA Visit Visa Part 4 by JohnZak: 1:53pm On Apr 01, 2024 |
You are asking to get swindled if you are looking to buy a visa appointment. It is not worth it even if you can afford to buy it. Folks who have bought these appointments have had more problems than solutions. Agents have completed their DS160 forms with completely different information. Do not risk messing up your immigration history for nothing. Pay your MRV fees and select a date. You can always check periodically and you may be lucky to get a closer date. 2tallman2: 1 Like |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 3:07pm On Mar 26, 2024 |
Send them a follow-up email. Your DS2019 form can literally be generated in a day. It is all about inputting your details in the SEVIS system and generating the form. It can also be emailed to you or your can ask them to send it by courier to you. crusader6: |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 3:50pm On Mar 22, 2024 |
BYU is a religious university. OP had to mention his affiliation to the Church of the Latter-Day Saints in their interview. You can't apply to a well-known religious school and not mention it. Ironically, that may have been their undoing because the consular officer may have disbelieved his motives. I have nothing against BYU or its honor code but BYU's honor code for students, staff, and faculty is pretty strict for a young student compared to other universities. https://policy.byu.edu/view/church-educational-system-honor-code Most U.S. graduate or undergraduate students do not live like this. A BYU college basketball player was suspended or expelled for violations of the honor code (a behavior that won't even register in other schools). If the OP wants to go to only BYU, they have to work on their responses in a future interview. Their responses seem pretty bland. And probably get a letter vouching for them from their local church of the latter day saints. Otherwise, they can always apply to another non-religious affiliated university. Lawal1555: 1 Like |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 1:44pm On Mar 21, 2024 |
Because your cousin's country of citizenship is different from his country of permanent residence, the U.S. embassy/consulate will consider him a third country national (TCN). Depending on the country, TCNs can routinely apply for visas in the country of permanent residence. However, they will usually be asked about their status in their country of residence at the embassy or their passports will be reviewed for a visa that allows them to be in that country. Obviously, if the applicant does not have a residence permit or any type of document that allows him to remain in that country legally, his application may not be favorably reviewed. Gokoyer1401: |
| Travel › Re: General UK Visa Enquiries - Part 5 by JohnZak: 8:26pm On Mar 20, 2024*. Modified: 1:46pm On Mar 21, 2024 |
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| Travel › Re: General UK Visa Enquiries - Part 5 by JohnZak: 7:12pm On Mar 20, 2024*. Modified: 1:46pm On Mar 21, 2024 |
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| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 7:07pm On Mar 12, 2024 |
First off, visa interviews can go either way regardless of how prepared one might be. Although full or partial funding is definitely advantageous, it does not always guarantee visa approval. Likewise, little or no funding does not always guarantee visa rejection. There is an element of grace or luck (depending on your POV) to these things. The other thing is that the VO may just have been having a bad day. This happens more than we want or like to admit and the VO may just have been looking for a reason to deny your friend. I looked at your previous posts and a few things seem off. This may be why the VO asked the other officers about the details on your friend's I20. In a previous post from Jan, you mentioned your friend was scheduled to resume on March 11. Most schools here have Spring, Fall, and Summer semesters (Summer I and II). Some accelerated programs also have a winter program (late December to January). I may be wrong but I have not heard of a school resuming in mid-march, except those resuming after mid-semester spring break and new students don't start at this point. I am not sure but if your friend was unable to explain why his school was resuming in mid-march when other schools resume in January, this may have been an issue for the VO. Probably explains why she chatted with her colleagues. Resuming in mid-march for a program that originally resumed in Jan would be a red flag. Which school issued your friend's I20? Now, you say your friend is deferring to "second quarter of spring". Again, I may be wrong but I have never heard of deferring to "second quarter of spring". I suggest you get the correct details from your friend because if he can't address these issues to you, I am not sure he will be able to do so when he goes for his interview at a later date and he will likely have the same outcome as before. If the resumption dates for this school are accurate like you said -- "second quarter of spring"-- your friend should preemptively address this with the VO because it is common for new students to resume at the beginning of Fall or Spring semesters and even less so in Summer semester. anchex101: 3 Likes |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 9:39pm On Mar 09, 2024 |
In addition to what others have said, make sure you find out whether your J1 visa will come with or without a two-year home requirement. If it comes with a two-year home requirement, ask your sponsor now (presumably WUSTL) if they are willing to waive this requirement when you apply for a J1 waiver (that is if that is what you want to do later) at the end of your exchange program. crusader6: 1 Like |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 8:44pm On Mar 07, 2024 |
Your balance is very high to be solely dependent on an educational loan. I assume that you are taking a private loan, right? If so, these loans can’t be forgiven (like Biden’s loan forgiveness program) and you are beholden to creditor. My advice to you is to think carefully about the loan that you are about to take on. 63k in loans for one year is a LOT, especially if you are not going to medical school or if you are not guaranteed a very high-paying job after graduation. Carefully examine the terms of your loan i.e., is it a fixed or variable interest rate, when do you have to start repaying, are you repaying interest while on school or deferring interest. If it is a variable rate, you will be surprised that your interest rate will jump anytime the Federal reserve increases interest rates but will hardly fall even when they cut interest rates. It might look appealing now because they will tell you that you have anything from 15-30 years to pay it off, but I can assure you that when you pay it off, you would have paid almost twice as much (i.e. 120k) and that is even assuming you do not miss any payments or they do not tack on late payment fees. This also has an impact on your credit scores and a lot of other things down the line. I will recount my experience. I came here on a student visa. I had a GA but I wanted to do USMLE exams to start medical residency after graduate school. USMLE exams are pretty expensive and I did not have a ton of money so I took a loan of 10k with my aunt as a cosigner to cover the four exam steps, exam books, pay for online mock exams, travel for the clinical skills exams, travel for residency interviews etc. I felt confident taking this loan because I would be relatively comfortable after completing medical residency because doctors earn decent money here. Although I deferred my payment for five years, I ended up paying almost 17k and this was without missing a payment and eventually paying the loan off (not waiting for 15 years before paying it off) because of the annoying interest rate hikes that would change my monthly payment. I deferred because I was still pursuing my PhD and medical residents don’t make a lot of money, at least when I was in residency. Even at 17k, I would consider myself lucky because if I had waited for the total life of the loan, I would have ended up paying a lot more. Private loans are the worst. They do not have the same protections as FAFSA. I know Nigeria is difficult and many want to leave but my sincere opinion – 1) defer and try and get a GA/RA/TA that will allow you qualify for in-state tuition and look for scholarships or fellowships or, 2) apply to another school that will offer you better tuition rates. Otherwise, be prepared to explain to the Consular Officer how you will pay the loan back while also convincing him that you do not have immigration intent and will return to Nigeria after your degree. Even if you are lucky to get the visa, be prepared to pay back almost double the loan amount. Good luck! I just joined this group and I have some questions o. I got admission for a Master’s in Technology management @ Arizona state University. Tho I didn't get funding, I applied for a loan and got $68k approved for my 1st year. On my I-20 total cost of attendance for a 1yr is $63k, which was covered by my loan. I am at the stage of applying for visa, my problem is will I be issued a visa if I provide the loan offer of $68k to cover my first year. Whats the process of applying for a US F1 visa, cos I've not traveled out of Nigeria before. Apart from visa fee Sevics fee What other fee will I be paying. What are the document that I will be needing aside from my education document. Note: I'm married and have 2 kids, my family will stay back cos no fund to apply for them at the moment. Looking forward to your comments 😀[/quote] 1 Like |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 3:21pm On Feb 20, 2024 |
I do not think the OP qualifies for Advance Parole. He is in the US and is neither a DACA recipient nor has he filed for AOS, making the foundation for his application for AP questionable. I agree with you that the OP has to really consider what he will do if his visa is denied before he travels to renew his visa. fearlessfang: 2 Likes |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 2:20pm On Feb 20, 2024 |
JohnZak:
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| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 2:17pm On Feb 20, 2024 |
Hi, I am sorry about the untimely passing of your mum. Because your reason behind your renewal is personal and important, I can only list the pros and cons of renewing while on OPT. Technically, you are still in F1 visa even while on OPT so you can renew. You should go with your passport, updated I20, EAD card, OPT job offer letter showing dates of hire and end dates, and paystubs or evidence of financial support if you are not being paid. Someone here (chigozieduru) renewed without issues a few months ago. See their post below. You may want to reach out to them. [img] [/img] Some folks on reddit have also renewed without issues: https://www.reddit.com/r/f1visa/comments/10zyq5p/f1_visa_renewal_while_on_stem_opt/ Personally, I think that it is a toss-up. On one hand, I can see a situation where the VO feels that the student has obtained their degree and has already done one year of OPT and may therefore be disinclined to renew the visa because an F1 comes with non-immigrant intent. There have also been issues of lengthy administrative processing for additional review when students have tried renewing on OPT. On the other hand, the VO may also approve your visa as the cases above have shown. If you do decide to renew, make sure you have your approved OPT STEM extension with the other documents. I also suggest speaking with your DSO before you make any decisions. I lost my dad while I was a student too so I genuinely understand how you must feel. Good luck and I wish you all the best. charliejose: 2 Likes
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| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 5:09pm On Feb 15, 2024 |
Be ready to speak about yourself – educational background, research background, previous internships and work experiences that may tie into your PhD program interest. Talk about previous conference presentations, published papers, previous awards, or papers that garnered media attention (if any of these apply to you). Be ready to talk about how you selected this program, your research interest(s) and how a prospective doctoral training enables you fulfill your research interest and career goals. Clearly articulate your research interest and state how your research interest ties to the work of current faculty. I do not know if you identified a graduate advisor/mentor during your application but if you did, ensure that you state that your work is aligned with that graduate advisor’s work. If you did not, look through the faculty page and state that how your prospective research work will benefit from the similar work done by specific faculty. Also, be prepared to talk about career goals after your PhD - academia or something else. You may be asked about behavioral questions -- things like your strengths, weaknesses, how you handle workplace dispute, and how you work with difficult co-workers. When you respond, respond with examples of previous experiences. Avoid just listing your strengths or weakness, include examples of situations where your strengths were demonstrated. Think about potential weakness and try and turn that into a strength. There are examples of this online. Even if you may not have worked with a difficult coworker, you can let them know how you would handle this if you are ever in a situation like this. If you know the panel members who will be interviewing you, you can google them to have an idea of their research areas. If it is not too late, try emailing current students who work with them to get an idea of who they are and you can even state this during the interview. This will demonstrate some genuine interest in the program. Finally, remember to talk slowly, breathe, smile, and demonstrate enthusiasm about the program and how it fits with your career goals. I do not know if you have any idea of the city where the university is located, but you can state that your interest in the city is another factor behind your interest in the program. Have about 3-4 questions prepared for the panelists. You will likely have an opportunity to ask them questions. Think deeply about the questions and make sure that they are relevant – things like program funding for assistantships, program funding for conference presentations, graduate mentorship, opportunities to publish first-authored papers etc. Don’t forget to send each of them a thank you email after the interview thanking them for their time, how the interview has solidified your interest in their program, and that you are looking forward to starting the doctoral program in Fall 24. If you are in Nigeria, it goes without saying to ensure that you have uninterrupted power and internet supply during your interview. Good luck with your interview!! tellbiodun: 10 Likes 4 Shares |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 4:27pm On Feb 13, 2024 |
Hey! I don't really understand NL's email system so I'd rather not use it. I suggest that you post your question here and I will try to answer if I can. Posting your question on the thread will also enable others who may be knowledgeable or have a more recent experience to chime in. Others in a similar situation to yours will also benefit. a Anavamii: |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 3:20pm On Feb 08, 2024 |
Given this reason (change from Winter to Fall semester), you must get an updated I20 that has the new start date. You can't go with the old I20. The time gap between a Winter 24 start date and a Fall 24 start date is too long for it not to raise eyebrows at your interview. Ask the school to email you a new I20 if you think you won't get the snail mail I20 before your interview. An electronic copy of your updated I20 will suffice at your interview. SMBH: |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 7:52pm On Feb 07, 2024*. Modified: 8:17pm On Feb 07, 2024 |
It depends on the interval between the previous start date and the new start date. A few days is not a problem, however, anything longer (such as a semester difference) may result in unnecessary questioning at your interview because the school's updated start date in the SEVIS system will appear to the Consular Officer and this date will not comport with the date on the old I20. The record of the change will also show in the SEVIS system that the CO has access to. What is the reason for the change in the start date? Programs are unlikely to abruptly change their start date without a valid reason. Typically, date changes are initiated by the student. I requested a change in date of a few days when I initially gained admission because of my NYSC passing out parade. My case was slightly different though because at this time I had already obtained my visa. I was concerned with CBP at the POE because I would have entered the US after the program start date on my old I20. You can circumvent this delay by asking your school to send the updated I20 to you electronically. This is way faster than asking them to mail it to you. They will gladly email it you at no cost. SMBH: 2 Likes |
| Travel › Re: USA Visit Visa Part 4 by JohnZak: 2:49pm On Jan 23, 2024 |
It seems that you are applying for C1/D visa which is for transit/crew members. This is the type of visa for airline crew and cruise ship crew members. I suspect that you got a job as a crew member, possibly on a cruise ship. These kind of visas are common especially for Europeans, Aussies, NZlanders, and some Asians during the peak summer cruise season. Unlike HIB, O1, and L1 work visas, crew member visas specific for cruise ship jobs are for short-term contract appointments and you usually have more applicants for these jobs than available job openings. The Embassy probably felt that a visa application for this kind of short-term work was not compelling enough to merit an emergency appointment. I am not sure what else can be done after an emergency application has been denied. You may want to try calling them as a last resort but I am not even sure that this will help. You may also check the visa appointment calendar intermittently and see if you can get a date in early 2025 and reapply for a crew member start date in June 2025 Pharaoh001: |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 10:42am On Jan 20, 2024 |
I normally don’t engage in back-and-forth conversations like this because it is generally not productive but I will make an exception just once in this case. The post that you incorrectly attribute to @prinxly and that you seem to largely agree with is my post from above which prinxly reposted (which btw, I have no issues with the repost) that is why I am responding The problem is that you usually start off making absolute statements (which are usually false) and when you are in a jam, you try to wriggle yourself out by creating exceptions. In your response to MizAlero you tell her to “Go and renew your visa in Nigeria because that’s the rules of the visa, go back to the issuing country.” There is no rule like this. A rule is absolute i.e., all violations come with consequences. The renewal applicant can go back to Nigeria if they want but this is not a rule. As many people have stated including welf99, NEULASA etc, you can renew your F1 visa in Canada or Mexico without issues. No VO will deny your F1 renewal solely because you are a third country national (TCN) in Canada or Mexico just like no VO in Nigeria will approve your F1 renewal solely because you are renewing in Nigeria. VOs know TCNs come for renewals all the time. I renewed once in Ottawa and the person who checked me in affixed a small sticker with the words “TCN” on my passport. I did not have the same TCN sticker experience in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto or Tijuana. VOs know TCNs come all the time for renewals - F1, J1, L1, O1, and H1b renewals all the time. This is not a secret. Nobody mentioned an F1 renewal is automatic in Canada or Mexico. In my original post, I clearly state that “Although the chances of a renewal are high and the Consular Officers appear nice (definitely way nicer than in Nigeria), this is still an interview so be prepared.” Visa approvals are never automatic. Even as a naturalized American citizen, I never assume visa applications are automatically approved because of my American passport. Finally, whatever will cause your F1 renewal to be denied in Canada or Mexico will also cause your renewal application to be denied in Nigeria so I am not sure what your point is. The Consular Consolidated Database that the VO in Canada or Mexico has access to is the same database that the VO in Nigeria can access. I reiterate, No VO will deny your F1 renewal solely because you are a third country national (TCN) in Canada or Mexico just like no VO in Nigeria will approve your F1 renewal solely because you are renewing in Nigeria. SleepingTablets: 3 Likes |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 9:43pm On Jan 19, 2024 |
FYI SleepingTablets/NewBoy Khashoggi/ArinzeAminu etc Honiejenny is not pleased with you (see below). Honiejenny: 2 Likes |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 9:22pm On Jan 19, 2024 |
Dear SleepingTablets/NewBoy Khashoggi/ArinzeAminu etc Foreign students go to Canada, Mexico, Jamaica etc all the time to renew without issues. I have done this before many times without any hiccups. Obviously if a student has been out of status for a period of time or has any criminal records (even misdemeanors), there may be problems but absent any of these, renewing in a neighboring third country is pretty straightforward. My friend came to renew in Nigeria because he had a DUI and figured he might have issues if he went to Canada. His visa was delayed because they wanted the police report and final court disposition but he eventually came back after missing a semester. If this does not apply to you, you will likely not have any issues renewing as a third country national on Canada or Mexico. Because Canadians don't need a visa to visit the US, almost all the people that I have seen when I renewed were all students or Canadian PR holders seeking visas. I renewed multiple F1 and J1 visas in Canada and Mexico. I never renewed in Nigeria. Khashoggi/SleepingTablets -- you need to stop misinforming people. MizAlero, if you have the money and time to renew in Nigeria, you can do that. However, know that you can also do renew in Canada or Mexico, especially if you have no adverse immigration or criminal record. Somebody asked me this question before, so I copied and pasted my previous response. See below: I renewed while I was a student a few years ago so some things may have changed. However, if you plan on renewing in Canada and you have a Nigerian passport (or a passport that requires a Canadian visa for travel), you must start by getting a Canadian visitor visa. This is an easy process. At the time I did it, I completed the form online, paid the Canadian visa fee, and submitted some documents including my bank statement, passport photos, purpose of my visit (i.e. renew my student visa), and a copy of the appointment letter from the US embassy. I was a student on the three occasions that I applied and had between $2500–$3500 in my account. They reviewed my documents and asked me to send my passport along with a return envelope to the Canadian VAC in NY. I believe the location of the VAC depends on your state. The Canadian visa lasts for the entire duration of your passport validity so you can always go to Canada again for a vacation if you want. The website below has information on how to apply for a US visa in Canada. Make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on apply https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ca/niv Select the consulate where you want to apply it. I was pressed for time whenever I applied so I just applied to the consulate with the earliest availability – twice in Ottawa, once in Toronto, and once in Halifax. Someone said that Halifax discontinued student visa application but confirm this when you apply. Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver definitely do though. I found the visa process to be smooth and easy, unlike my experience in Nigeria. The Consular Officers are more polite, light-hearted, and willing to even joke with you and ask you about your course and career trajectory study. However, it is still an interview so be prepared. I went with my form I20, academic transcripts, bank statements, pay stubs for GA/RA, scholarship letters showing funding, enrollment verification letter obtained from my university, student ID, letter from my program director, and driver’s license. Despite all the documents that I went with, they only asked for my form I20 on all the occasions and the interviews were brief. In my opinion, most U.S. residents get their visas renewed, however be prepared. Typically, the rejections I observed were from non-Canadians in Canada who wanted to visit the US. Except things have changed, they will mail your passport to you at an address that you provide when you applied. You also have the option to ask DHL to hold your passport for pickup. I always used the latter option because it was more convenient for me. The entire process takes about 3–4 days whether in Canada or Mexico. I would fly in on Sunday evening, visit the embassy on Monday morning and would get an email from the Consulate on Tuesday afternoon that passport is ready for pickup. DHL would then tell me to come pick it up on Wednesday or Thursday. I would then fly back to the US on Thursday evening. It also goes without saying that if you have ever been arrested or convicted, make sure to go with the final Court disposition. Some people say if you have ever had a ticket, go with proof that you paid it. I believe you can get these records at the Court. I renewed once in Mexico. I did not require a visa to Mexico because folks on certain visas (F1, J1, H1, LI etc) could go to Mexico with an unexpired US visa. If you want to go the Mexico route, make sure you go before your visa expires, not after. The process is like Canada. I had my interview at US consulate in Tijuana. I was in San Diego at the time so it was convenient for me. The website below has information on how to apply for a US visa in Mexico. Make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on apply https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-mx/niv Although the chances of a renewal are high and the Consular Officers appear nice (definitely way nicer than in Nigeria), this is still an interview so be prepared. If your visa is unfortunately not approved, you can’t’ come back to the US. Finally, I would suggest Canada as an option because of language and safety concerns in Mexico. Hope this information helps and good luck. SleepingTablets: 9 Likes 2 Shares |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 5:14pm On Jan 16, 2024 |
Hi! Although it would have been better if your SEVIS designation was "authorized early withdrawal" instead of "Transfer -No show", I think that you have a valid reason when you go for your interview. Be ready to explain your health condition as the reason behind your request to defer admission. Go with medical reports and preferably, a letter from your physician explaining your health condition. The VO may not ask for this paperwork but you should be able to articulate this health condition to the VO without the paperwork. Also, explain why you decided to come back to Nigeria instead of staying back in the US whatever this may be, whether it is because your student health insurance may not have been adequate to cover treatment, high copay etc. Go with all correspondence with your DSO in case you need to refer to it during the interview. Good luck with your interview!! Rdfactor: 1 Like |
| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 12:19am On Jan 11, 2024 |
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| Travel › Re: General USA Student Visa Enquiries-part 17 by JohnZak: 3:07pm On Jan 10, 2024 |
Yes! You are limited by the number of hours you can work as an F1 student (20 hours during Fall and Spring and 40 hours in summer) and not the type of assistantship. An example would be an international student who works 10 hours as an RA on a professor's research grant and 10 hours as a TA in spring or fall. In this case, the RA is probably not doing first-line research but more administrative or ancillary duties related to the research that the grant is funding. As a TA doing 10 hours, you are also likely doing supportive TA duties and not necessarily teaching. Things like managing office hours for students, probably grading papers, entering grades into blackboard etc. In summer, students can work up to 40hours and can work as both an RA and a TA since you are unlikely to get a TA that offers 40hrs, except you are teaching more than one class. LudaChriz: 2 Likes |
| Travel › Re: USA Visit Visa Part 4 by JohnZak: 6:27pm On Jan 04, 2024*. Modified: 6:55pm On Jan 04, 2024 |
Hi, First off, I do not think this is a good idea to start renewing your visa while on OPT, especially as you are renewing in January 24 for enrollment in Fall 24. I think you are risking a lot by doing this. Have you been admitted for Fall 24 enrollment for a new school or program? If you have, your I20 will ensure that you remain in status so this should not be an issue. Obviously if you have not been admitted or enrolled, you can't renew. I only renewed when it was absolutely necessary for me to travel because sometimes you can never tell what kind of day a VO is having. My advice is to avoid renewing now and wait until after you have completed OPT and have your new 120. If you renew and the VO annotates your visa for a start date in the Fall 24, you may not be able to come back to the US until 30 days before resumption even with your OPT. Your OPT is work authorization and not a visa. Again, if you have to renew, I suggest that you wait until the Fall semester is just about to commence before doing so. I renewed some years ago in Canada and Mexico when I was a student so things may have changed now. Then there was not a long wait. I got a date pretty quickly. The interview was pretty straightforward. On all occasions, they just collected my I20 and asked what I was studying and that was it. One time, one VO was from the same state that I was studying in and just asked about how I liked the state, the football team etc. It was more of a social conversation. They never even asked about proof of funding, transcripts, enrollment verification etc. even though I had all that. Personally, I think the risk of rejection is low. As long as you have not fallen out of status or have a criminal record here in the U.S. I think you will be fine. My friend had a DUI and he had trouble renewing but he eventually came back after missing one semester. arama2022: 2 Likes |
