Korean Job Discussion Forums

n3ptne · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Location: Poh*A*ng City

My fiance is looking to move to the US with me for a year or two and go to school.

She already has a tourist visa, good for 10 years with a maximum of a 3 month stay at any given time.

She doesn't plan to study full time, just a couple of classes to keep herself busy while I'm studying.

Does she need to get a full on student visa?

Or would it be possible for her to only use the tourist visa, and run back and forth to Canada every three months (we live in Detroit, it's a 20 minute drive)?

Thanks for any help.

air76 · Joined: 13 Nov 2007

She will most definitely need a student visa...your US tourist visa does not renew unless you leave NORTH AMERICA! Yes, that's right, going to Canada or Mexico isn't good enough. I know this for a fact because my girlfriend is from New Zealand and when we were in the US a couple years ago selling my house this became an issue as we were nearing the date that her 90 days were up...luckily it sold in time, but anyhow, so if you are in the US for a month, and then go to Canada say for a month, when you come back to the States you'd only have 1 month left to stay.

I guess they're trying to eliminate visa runs....frankly I am surprised that more countries don't do the same (not that I want this to happen but it just surprises me how many places you can come in and out every 3 months over a year or two and never get flagged, it's pretty obviously you're working illegally or doing something out of the norm)

The end all be all is that yes, she will need to get a long term visa before she arrives to the US. I did a lot of research on this issue and couldn't find one bloody loophole.

dimitri31 · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

kingplaya4 · Joined: 14 May 2006

The marriage visa is difficult to get without significant financial resources. It probably requires getting a lawyer as well. Even if you have all your ducks in a row, expect to wait 6 to 9 months to receive it. (This is based on research online and a phone consultation with a lawyer, if someone has a recent personal experience that contradicts it, I'd like to hear it.)