Girlfriend looking to study English on F1 visa

[hayburner 1]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for this forum and what seems to be a deep wealth of knowledge concerning the US visa and immigration processes. I've been dating a Colombian woman for the past 4 months and we have the following aims:

1. Since she's never lived away from home or traveled to a non-Spanish speaking country, we want to see if she could actually handle living in the States long-term.
2. She wants to study and improve her English, which is currently very basic.
3. We're not at the stage where we definitely know we want to get married.

 

For these reasons, she's considering applying to an intensive English study program and subsequently applying for an F1 visa.

 

Relevant facts:

• She has a contract job, but a pretty long history of working for the STEM company she's worked for.
• Her parents and two sets of aunts and uncles and cousins all live in the city where she works.
• She lives with her parents, but owns a car.
• If she does manage to be approved for an F1 visa, we're both committed to her returning to Colombia after the program is completed.

 

What are people's thoughts on potential F1 visa eligibility?

 

Thanks a ton for any perspectives or drive-by comments 😊

[Boiler 43,446]

Pretty easy to learn English in Spain, loads of English speakers.

[JeanneAdil 6,202]

check requirements for F1

https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/guide/f-1/f-1-english-language-training

 

but understand there are online courses

AND F1 requires student to return home 

 

If you have maintained your status and finished a program of study and do not transfer to another SEVP-certified school, you have a 60-day grace period to depart from the United States. Failure to depart within this grace period could adversely impact your ability to re-enter the United States under a different nonimmigrant or immigrant classification. 

[Redro 4,600]

Here is the approval rate of F1 applicants out of Colombia. Not quite sure how accurate it is... 65% in 2022. 

When your girlfriend comes to the US to study where does she intend to stay and how long does she intend to stay for?

This will impact her ability to successfully obtain a visa.

Has she traveled to the US to visit you/ have you met before? 

ETA: How good is her English and is her main reason for studying in the US because she wants to be with you OR because she wants to improve her English? 

 

Edited March 2 by Redro

[hayburner 1]

3 minutes ago, Redro said:

Here is the approval rate of F1 applicants out of Colombia. Not quite sure how accurate it is... 65% in 2022. 

Thanks for this info!

 

3 minutes ago, Redro said:

When your girlfriend comes to the US to study where does she intend to stay and how long does she intend to stay for?

This will impact her ability to successfully obtain a visa.

She would stay with me for the duration of her program (~8 weeks) and would leave within the 60 days of the program ending as required by the F1 visa.

 

3 minutes ago, Redro said:

Has she traveled to the US to visit you/ have you met before? 

She hasn't ever been to the US. We met playing in a week-long ultimate frisbee tournament in a country that is visa-waiverable to both of us last year. I also recently spent 3 weeks in Colombia visiting her.

 

I guess her purposes for coming to the US might be closer to the B2 visa, but interview appointments for B1/B2 visas are being scheduled almost 2 years out in Bogota.

[Redro 4,600]

12 minutes ago, hayburner said:

Thanks for this info!

 

She would stay with me for the duration of her program (~8 weeks) and would leave within the 60 days of the program ending as required by the F1 visa.

 

She hasn't ever been to the US. We met playing in a week-long ultimate frisbee tournament in a country that is visa-waiverable to both of us last year. I also recently spent 3 weeks in Colombia visiting her.

 

I guess her purposes for coming to the US might be closer to the B2 visa, but interview appointments for B1/B2 visas are being scheduled almost 2 years out in Bogota.

So, if she is coming to the US more to see you then study English it COULD lead to a denial as they will assume she is going the F1 route to circumvent the B1/B2 visa wait times and k1 AND spousal visa wait times. Totally understand WHY you want to go the F1 route. Personally, I visited for several years before agreeing to move to the US but then again I moved to ANOTHER country sight unseen so... you and your partner should assume the visa will be denied and plan either to visit in Colombia and other countries until you are ready to take the next step- be it break up or get engaged/married. If you know you want to get married and be together forever you can start the process now as it will probably take 18-24 months. 

Edited March 2 by Redro

[Timona 3,941]

2 hours ago, hayburner said:

What are people's thoughts on potential F1 visa eligibility?

 

Zero. 

 

1. Who's paying for her F-1? You?

2. Colombianas are notorious for overstays in US. Embassy is just going to see this as an attempt to jump to US and stay. I see them crying on planes from Bogota after denials at US embassy Bogota. 

3. Spend more time with her in Colombia before making any commitment. Hat-off moment: Tell her to study English on Duolingo and that you'll be permanently moving to Colombia. See how long the relationship lasts and then make decisions from there. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=390144750283165

[hayburner 1]

Thanks for the honest and candid responses!

 

I'm decided that the best path forward is for her to apply for the B2 (since it does reflect her intentions the closest), try to expedite the interview if possible, and be as honest as possible about the reasons for the visit (to see her boyfriend and to see what the USA is like). In the meantime, I plan to spend more time with her in Colombia and other countries we can both visit together.

[Redro 4,600]

1 minute ago, hayburner said:

Thanks for the honest and candid responses!

 

I'm decided that the best path forward is for her to apply for the B2 (since it does reflect her intentions the closest), try to expedite the interview if possible, and be as honest as possible about the reasons for the visit (to see her boyfriend and to see what the USA is like). In the meantime, I plan to spend more time with her in Colombia and other countries we can both visit together.

Unless you have a good reason to expedite… I wouldn’t try. “Because I want to see my boyfriend” is not a great reason and could greatly increase a denial. 

[hayburner 1]

10 minutes ago, Redro said:

Unless you have a good reason to expedite… I wouldn’t try. “Because I want to see my boyfriend” is not a great reason and could greatly increase a denial. 

Got it, I didn't realize that expediting can have bearing on the decision. Thanks!

[Redro 4,600]

5 minutes ago, hayburner said:

Got it, I didn't realize that expediting can have bearing on the decision. Thanks!

They’re going to assume your gf just wants to move to the US. Anything that makes it seem like she is really desperate to get here is a red flag. So, don’t get your hopes up. 

Edited March 2 by Redro

[Boiler 43,446]

You can not expedite a B

 

You can seek an emergency appointment 

[PaulaCJohnny 712]

Sorry to be honest but her changes that he could get a Tourist visa is really low, even more if she will not be the one paying for everything, if she does not have stronger ties to her country. Single, young women from South America normally are high risk because a lot overstayed their visas.  

 

Looks like you both are looking for a “testing dating” visa. There it’s not such thing. 
 

I advise you, if you work from home or can find a job like this, to before applying for any immigration visa, spend a lot of time together.

I’m not saying that this is your case but unfortunately a lot of people rush the decision to apply for a immigration visa, because they want to be together as soon as possible (and could not get any non-immigrant visa), and this is not just frustrating but also really expensive. Immigration is a long term commitment!

 

Mexico is also close and she can move closer. The F1 visa is just a excuse to be together because she can study English in so many other places.

 

Other things that you can do to help your relationship is to learn about US immigration and to learn Spanish (if you still don’t speak!).

 

Good luck in your love journey!