High School Senior, Student Visa

[Hunter Dolan 0]

Hello everyone, My name is Hunter Dolan.

I am an American citizen who has had the opportunity to befriend a friend (my age) in Spain.

A few weeks ago his parent's agreed to let him come to the United States to study at my school next year as a High School Senior.

We currently have all the logistics figured out (the plane trip, where he will be staying, health insurance, etc) but we still have quite a few unanswered questions.

The first of which is what is the best way to allow him to come to the United States. We've looked at several student exchange programs and it appears that almost all of them are for connecting students to families that they do not know yet. In our case the family (my family) is already known. So my question here is what is the best way to do this? Are there any exchange programs that would allow him to choose his family? Or is there a way to do it without going through an exchange program? If that is the case what type of paper work needs to be done.

Our next question is, after he finishes high school would it be possible to extend his visa to allow him to go to a US University (in the state of Illinois)? If so is it possible for him to become a resident of Illinois in order to apply for student discounts?

We know absolutely nothing about the US visa process and could really use the help.

Thank you!

[GandK 168]

If you already have housing sorted out then you don't need to enroll to any program. However, those programs make it easy to come over, they take care of all the logistics and visa for you (but also a lot more expensive)

You can start looking at student visa here

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html#14

The important thing your friend is accepted for enrollment at the school prior to the visa application.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Hello everyone, My name is Hunter Dolan.

I am an American citizen who has had the opportunity to befriend a friend (my age) in Spain.

A few weeks ago his parent's agreed to let him come to the United States to study at my school next year as a High School Senior.

We currently have all the logistics figured out (the plane trip, where he will be staying, health insurance, etc) but we still have quite a few unanswered questions.

The first of which is what is the best way to allow him to come to the United States. We've looked at several student exchange programs and it appears that almost all of them are for connecting students to families that they do not know yet. In our case the family (my family) is already known. So my question here is what is the best way to do this? Are there any exchange programs that would allow him to choose his family? Or is there a way to do it without going through an exchange program? If that is the case what type of paper work needs to be done.

I don't know anything about student exchange programs. I only know about getting student visas on your own.

Our next question is, after he finishes high school would it be possible to extend his visa to allow him to go to a US University (in the state of Illinois)?

There is no extension if he wants to go to a different school. He starts the process all over again and must get a student visa for college.

If so is it possible for him to become a resident of Illinois in order to apply for student discounts?

No. A foreign student visa holder can never be a state resident for tuition purposes.

We know absolutely nothing about the US visa process and could really use the help.

Thank you!

Your friend would need a student visa.

He must be accepted to a US school before he can apply for the student visa. Once the school accepts him, then the school will issue him an I-20. The I-20 is required to file for a student visa.

A foreign student is limited to one year of public high school. The student must pay tuition to cover the cost of his education (local schools don't allow foreign students to study for free). Tuition will be around $5,000 to $10,000.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1269.html

If he wants to transfer to a university, then he repeats the process - school acceptance, I-20, student visa, etc.

He will not qualify for in-state tuition. Foreign students pay the same rate as out-of-state students. Tuition and expenses at the University of Illinois is $55,300 per year for a foreign student.

http://admissions.illinois.edu/cost/tuition_international.html

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security requires students to certify financial resources for their educational expenses in the U.S. See additional international requirements.

http://admissions.illinois.edu/apply/requirements_international.html

Financial Verification

If students will need Illinois to issue an I-20 (or DS-2019) in order to obtain a visa to study in the United States, the online I-20 application must be completed. Students will need to verify financial support of at least $55,300 USD to cover the first year of attendance beginning in the Fall 2013 semester. More detailed information about this requirement will be provided at the point of admission. This information is not needed during the application process and should not be submitted prior to admission.

Edited September 10, 2012 by aaron2020

[Boiler 45,661]

So he has been issues an I 20 from your school?