Studying in the US with the hope of working there later on ?

[ahmadka 0]

Hi guys ... Need some advice on something I've been thinking for a while ..

I'm from Pakistan, and am considering going to the US for a second Masters (read below for more detail), via an F1 Visa this time, with the hope that I can later on find a suitable job there, get converted to H-1, etc .. I read in a thread that when they're interviewing you for an F1 visa, if they get a feeling that you're going to the US to work there later on and don't plan on coming back, they deny you straighout ... Is that true ? If so, how do so many other people do it ?! .. Although, the thread I read this in was about 4-5 years old ..

Note that I already have done one Masters from the US, via Fulbright Scholarship .. During my time there, I got a few companies interested in me (including Microsoft), but I couldn't work there because of my darn J1 visa .. My Masters was in Electrical & Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech, although my field now is software engineering mainly ..

I'm now thinking of going to Berkeley on my own funding for another Masters, this time via F1, and then would like to work in the Silicon Valley afterwards (Yeah I know, I'm ambitious ) ..

So will the interview cause any problems for me ? Or any problems afterwards ?

[ahmadka 0]

Where is everyone ?

[canadian_wife 1,823]

An F-1, as you know, is a non-immigrant visa. If asked, how do you intend to show that you'll return to Pakistan?

If you tell them you want to stay and work, then clearly you do not have plans to return to your home country after you study

good luck

[jan22 3,056]

.....

Note that I already have done one Masters from the US, via Fulbright Scholarship .. During my time there, I got a few companies interested in me (including Microsoft), but I couldn't work there because of my darn J1 visa ..

Sorry you found getting a Masters degree paid for by the government so inconvenient for you now. What you are proposing -- getting a student visa with the intent to then stay in the US is not in keeping with the intent of student visas -- as non-immigrant visas, the intent must be to return home after the course of study. Your intent can change along the way, but entering with that intent is the problem. you don't mention having met the two-year J1 requirement -- if you haven't, there's no way to get a student visa.

[ahmadka 0]

Sorry I forgot to mention that ... I have completed the 2 year J1 requirement. I'm in my 3rd year back from the US, so that should not be a problem I think ..

Well I can of course tell them during the interview that I do intend to come back .. that's not a problem .. Besides, I might have to anyway for a number of reasons, such as my parents are all alone in my home country, and permanently leaving them in their old age isn't something I'd voluntarily like to do ... And although I can most probably afford the second Masters on my own, I do have some financial obligations, which might limit me to coming back ..

So I can tell them during that interview that I will most probably be coming back (which in all honesty, might just be the case ..) ... But I'm not sure what they'll believe in their mind when I say this ... I mean won't they wonder why am I going for a second Masters ? .. Of course I have reason for this: to specialize in my true professional field .. But still, they might say why a second Masters ... ?

Or am I just being paranoid, or taking this too seriously ?

[KaeR 1]

So I can tell them during that interview that I will most probably be coming back (which in all honesty, might just be the case ..) ...

Not probably. You have to say that you are going to come back.

[ahmadka 0]

Not probably. You have to say that you are going to come back.

Got it ! No 'probably' anymore

But even then, how does one convince the interviewer that you will come back ? How does this happen ? I can't expect to just say that I'm coming back, and assume that the interviewer will take my word for it ... So how do I convince them ?

Some points which I can say are:

1) That currently, I have NO family/relatives in the US .. Not even the any distant family ... My entire family is based in Pakistan .. (Can probably show that I have ties here)

2) My parents are based in Pakistan too, and currently I'm the only one living close to them .. My elder brother is based in the UAE (only one in my entire family outside Pakistan)... (Again, can probably show that I have ties here)

2) I'm not married ... Might be taken negatively ? Although I have no intention of going to the US for marital purposes ..

3) My J1 assignment was actually for MS + PhD .. But I came back after MS voluntarily because I felt PhD is not for me (even though I passed the Prelim) ... This can probably show that I didn't care of staying in the US anymore than I needed ..

4) Came back from the US after Masters on time promptly, 2.5 years ago ..

5) I went to the US last year for 2 weeks, for attending my Graduation, and came back on time .. Went on a Visit VISA, which is still active ..

6) Never went out of valid visa status ..

7) First Masters was in Electrical & Computer Engineering, which turned out to be a waste, as I don't practice in those fields .. So that's why .....

8) ..... I am applying for second Masters to sharpen my skills in the my true profession: Software Engineering, which I've been working in for the past 2.5 years ..

9) Second Masters will also hopefully help my career, because I can then better target the Software Development market as I possess more knowledge about it .. Because so far I've never studied Software Engineering properly ..

11) My father can finance me for my Masters .. We are not super-rich or anythign, but money will not be a problem, and I can prove this in any way needed ..

10) I have stayed in the UK for 4.5 years in my childhood (age 9 to 13) because my dad was posted there as part of his job ..

So given this background and reasoning for a second Masters in the US, can I say I have an average to good chance of securing an F1 Visa ?

[KaeR 1]

Back in my country we say: they pretend to pay us and we pretend to work. The authorities are aware that a lot of people will stay at least for a while and there are easy ways to do that like OPT/STEM. IMHO as long as you prentend not to stay, they will pretend to assume that you won't unless your intent is obvious.

[ahmadka 0]

Back in my country we say: they pretend to pay us and we pretend to work. The authorities are aware that a lot of people will stay at least for a while and there are easy ways to do that like OPT/STEM. IMHO as long as you prentend not to stay, they will pretend to assume that you won't unless your intent is obvious.

Yeah that's probably true. But then if that's the case, why is considered bad if a person even makes a small remark to try and get some work experience there ?

Also, given the points I mentioned above, is there any obvious 'flaw' in my profile which might reduce my chances for getting an F1 ? Anything at all ?

And how do you 'convince' the VO that you will return ? Is there anything one can do to help with this ?

[KaeR 1]

At this point you cannot really do anything to increase your chances. It is what it is. Prior to F1 I held J1 with a 4 year gap. When I applied for F1, I had MSc and one year of PhD. The conversation with a consul took 2 minutes. No questions about my ties. She made a positive remark about having J1 previously. The visa extension interview four years later took approximately 30 seconds. Again, no questions about my ties. I would say that rosting comes from CBP officers at POEs who ask about my future plans quite often.

I would say that your background story is much better than mine.

[jan22 3,056]

Not probably. You have to say that you are going to come back.

But it also has to be the TRUTH. Doesn't sound convincing to me here -- doubt it will convince the visa officer.

[ahmadka 0]

But it also has to be the TRUTH. Doesn't sound convincing to me here -- doubt it will convince the visa officer.

That's what I was asking earlier ... How does one convince the VO ?

Even if there is a person who genuinely wants to come back, does he/she convince them ?

[ahmadka 0]

In my previous post above, I wanted to write the following for the last sentence:

Even if there is a person who genuinely wants to come back, how does he/she convince them ?

[KaeR 1]

Since you've had visas, you know you cannot bomb a VO with documents and proofs unasked. He may ask questions to establish what the chances for you to come back are. Potential employers in Pakistan, knowledge about the job market (to show that you are interested in job opportunities), your/your family material status etc. Don't forget that they look for the nonverbal signs of lying.