i am a 36 y.o. female foreigner, on a tourist visa here in the us. i would like to study nursing here as a second career but i'm worried about the difficulties of getting a change to an f1 student visa from a b1/b2 (tourist visa). since i will declare my major to be "nursing" would it be a dead give-away to uscis of my "intent to migrate" therefore jeopardizing my securing a student visa? after studying nursing, i can't think of not working here given the great need for nurses nationwide.
i have also an option of going back home to study but i the idea does not thrill me. for one, only the 4-year bsn degree is offered and secondly, if i choose to work in the u.s. later on, i will be subjected to tedious education evaluation unlike if i study in the u.s. i know it'll be a lot more expensive for a non-citizen to study in the us so i plan to take an associate degree from a community college then work my way to a bsn.
i am done with business as my first career! i want to try something new where you work and help at the same time...and get paid decently, too.
1.Be sure that ur first contact with a college/educational institution is after a month of being in the US. This is important since at the time of the COS interview ur intention to come to the US may be doubted. I've read this on many Websites. Do some volunteer work at a local hospital to certify ur interest.
2.Are u from a developing country? U may have to explain why u are taking up nursing to the immigration officer since the salaries in developing countries
are like only 100 dollars a month. Be ready to answer this question!
3. Thirdly hire a lawyer since COS from visitor status to F1 status is complicated.
4. check on ur vistor visa.....that there is no line that says "COS not allowed"
or something like it. Overseas embassy officials may often add this line if they feel that u may apply for as change of status in the US.
5. If ur fortunate enough to get a change of status to F1, dont leave the country till ur education is over and u find a job.........this is most important......since in order to get back u will need a student visa from the local US embassy.....this is when a rejection is likely (intention to immigrate issue).
6. Remember the GC is the only way of working as a nurse (with an ADN/BSN) after ur OPT is over. So if u dont want to go back to ur country after studies look for a hospital who is willing to sponsor for the GC......no point in working with a hospital who wont, during ur OPT. Many students make this mistake or apply for the OPT too late.
My situation is quite like yours except that i can study anything i want in the US (my visa allows it) but i want to qualify for the OPT after studies, so i need F1 Status. I am thinking of the direct entry MSN though.
Best of Luck.............oh one more thing i dont know whether u will get an F1 status in order to complete nursing prerequisites. Be sure to ask.
bye
Lee
hello lee! many thanks for the tips. they're quite useful....to answer your questions---1) i've been here in the us for months now. 2) yes, i come from a developing country. 3) my visa has b1/b2 in it and my i-94 has b2. i don't see any kind of restriction you described whatsoever in both docs.
i think i cannot get into the nursing program without having chemistry and that is one subject i never had in college. i've talked to the admissions director and he says after they've seen my evaluated transcript and results of some exam, then they can allow me to take courses in preparation for admission to the nursing program and what not. it's quite tricky but if that is how it works, then i have no choice but to toe the line. as for f1 on this basis, i will have to clear that up when i visit the school next week. thanks vmuch...
nrswnabee
279 Posts
hello lee! many thanks for the tips. they're quite useful....to answer your questions---1) i've been here in the us for months now. 2) yes, i come from a developing country. 3) my visa has b1/b2 in it and my i-94 has b2. i don't see any kind of restriction you described whatsoever in both docs.
i think i cannot get into the nursing program without having chemistry and that is one subject i never had in college. i've talked to the admissions director and he says after they've seen my evaluated transcript and results of some exam, then they can allow me to take courses in preparation for admission to the nursing program and what not. it's quite tricky but if that is how it works, then i have no choice but to toe the line. as for f1 on this basis, i will have to clear that up when i visit the school next week. thanks vmuch...