17 yr old attending high school in USA

[wavj 26]

Hi,

Can a 17 yr old who has tourist visa attend public high school ? Does he need an F1 visa? He wants to attend only for one year to improve His English and go bk home.

Can he live with a relative?

Thank you in advance

[canadian_wife 1,785]

Tourist visas rarely authorize someone to stay in the US for 1 year.

To answer your question, no, a tourist may not attend a public high school. They may, however, attend a private school and pay tuition.

good luck

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

A tourist visa is NOT for attending school, and is only good for 6 months not a year stay. If he were to try to do taht he will likely be denied visas later on to return to the US. For him to attend public high school the parent is supposed to re emburise the state for the cost. To get an I20 to apply for a student visa he needs to talk to private schools. The cost for school will be between 25 and 40 k a year

[belinda63 2,981]

1. A tourist visa is not for attending school. You must have a student visa to attend school legally in the US.

2. The maximum amount of time a tourist visa can be issued for is 6 months. If it is discovered the person is violating the terms of their visa they will have the visa cancelled and most likely never receive another non-immigrant visa.

3. Although a public school (K-12) cannot refuse to accept a student based upon their immigration status or lack thereof it is not the responsibility of the US taxpayers to educate a person from another country. If they wish to attend school in the US they should pay for it themselves.

The person in question can apply for a student visa or exchange student program and come to the US and legally attend school. Or they can come on a tourist visa and take ESL classes at their expense or find some free ones in the area they are staying.

[Ian H. 207]

He has to apply for a student visa because he wouldn't be able to stay for that long, let alone attend a public high school. Here is a link with what you can and can't do on tourist visa.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit/visitor.html

[LEISEROM 32]

Furthermore in Texas the public schools cant take money or issue i20s. To do it legally must be a private school.

[jan22 2,897]

Tourist visas rarely authorize someone to stay in the US for 1 year.

To answer your question, no, a tourist may not attend a public high school. They may, however, attend a private school and pay tuition.

good luck

But, they cannot do so as a tourist....they would need an F1 student visa to attend a school.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

But, they cannot do so as a tourist....they would need an F1 student visa to attend a school.

Some states do not allow the school to refuse attendance but that is a violation of the visa and would result in immediate cancellation and basically no possibility of any future visa to the US.

[wavj 26]

Thank you all for the responses.

So F1 or J1 visa is the only way he can come for a year and improve his English, then If he goes for the F1 visa, can his USC uncle by naturalization be his sponsor and also who host him while he studies here? how about J1? does he need to find another host family or he can stay with his uncle? His family is very well off in Mexico as well as his USC uncle here in TX, with his parent's financial support, he is determined to find the legal way to come here for the next school year.

Than you again

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

So you will be looking at private schools for an F1 or study abroad services for a J1. You are at the edge of most schools starting so a little late for this school year. Is the uncle in a major city ?

[wavj 26]

So you will be looking at private schools for an F1 or study abroad services for a J1. You are at the edge of most schools starting so a little late for this school year. Is the uncle in a major city

Yes he lives in Houston TX

[Ian H. 207]

If his family is doing well off and have sufficient income to pay for their son's education and living expenses, it improves his chances of getting approved. It says that you have to have proof of where you will get your living expenses from, so if his uncle is willing to take him in, I believe he could submit an I-134 affidavit of support for him as well. That, in addition to what his parents will provide should greatly improve his chances of getting approved if he is otherwise eligible. He would first need to apply to a school and be accepted, it would have to be a private school. He can renew the visa if he wishes to attend college here too. It doesn't have to be a private college, it could be a public one, but he would be subject to higher tuition rates. I will post a link here with the information he can use to apply for the student visa.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/study-exchange/student.html

Thank you all for the responses.

So F1 or J1 visa is the only way he can come for a year and improve his English, then If he goes for the F1 visa, can his USC uncle by naturalization be his sponsor and also who host him while he studies here? how about J1? does he need to find another host family or he can stay with his uncle? His family is very well off in Mexico as well as his USC uncle here in TX, with his parent's financial support, he is determined to find the legal way to come here for the next school year.

Than you again

[wavj 26]

If his family is doing well off and have sufficient income to pay for their son's education and living expenses, it improves his chances of getting approved. It says that you have to have proof of where you will get your living expenses from, so if his uncle is willing to take him in, I believe he could submit an I-134 affidavit of support for him as well. That, in addition to what his parents will provide should greatly improve his chances of getting approved if he is otherwise eligible. He would first need to apply to a school and be accepted, it would have to be a private school. He can renew the visa if he wishes to attend college here too. It doesn't have to be a private college, it could be a public one, but he would be subject to higher tuition rates. I will post a link here with the information he can use to apply for the student visa.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/study-exchange/student.html

Thank you very much for all the information, everyone's input has helped a lot to understand what needs to be done

[milimelo 4,167]

Since family has money I'd presume a high school with housing (aka a boarding school) would be the first option.