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Hoping for a F-1 Visa & Potential problems with Visa
Hi All,
I am new here. I am coming here to seek some advice about a potential problem that is likely to come up once I get i-20s. My brief bio and details of the likely problem are given below. I will be thankful if those of you knowledgeable in dealing with US VISA issues can give me your advice in solving it.
I am a 36 year old single male with 5 + years of work experience who has applied for about 9 PhD programs in Public Policy/ Public Management/ Public Administration fields for Fall 2013. While the admission decisions are still due, I am optimistic that I will get i-20s from some of them surely. My father is a Doctor in US and is now a US citizen. When I was an infant, I was taken along with my mother to USA. I do not intend to lie or hide this information from the VISA Officer. My parents are legally divorced during my adolescence (When I was in my class 9th, I guess). We have no communication with my Biological father after the divorce.
As part of the VISA application for F1- VISA, I have to submit forms DS-156 and Form DS-157 (Supplemental Non-immigrant Visa Application Form). I understand that the VISA officer UNDER Section 214(b) of the Immigration & Nationality Act of US has to satisfy himself that I am not a potential immigrant. Form DS-156 has questions which require me to inform that I was previously in US when I was a child and that my father is now a US citizen. I am really concerned that this information may be considered a red flag for denying a US Visa.
To address this, I intend to take the following:
1. An affidavit from my maternal Grand Father stating that he is my Guardian and Gurantor for bearing the educational expenses.
2. Certificate from a CA stating that I have some land, houses as fixed assets.
3. Letter from one of my Professors on an Official letter head stating that the PhD program constitutes a valuable academic career path for me which upon completion has many emerging opportunities in India.
I understand even without this family issue, my age and single status are two potential drawbacks. But the truth is I am really keen to return after PhD. From your knowledge about the immigration procedures, please let me know if there anything else, apart from the above that can be done to strengthen my case before the VISA Officer by overcoming his presumption of being an intending immigrant?
Thanks in advance for your inputs.
- Cyberpluto
I am new here. I am coming here to seek some advice about a potential problem that is likely to come up once I get i-20s. My brief bio and details of the likely problem are given below. I will be thankful if those of you knowledgeable in dealing with US VISA issues can give me your advice in solving it.
I am a 36 year old single male with 5 + years of work experience who has applied for about 9 PhD programs in Public Policy/ Public Management/ Public Administration fields for Fall 2013. While the admission decisions are still due, I am optimistic that I will get i-20s from some of them surely. My father is a Doctor in US and is now a US citizen. When I was an infant, I was taken along with my mother to USA. I do not intend to lie or hide this information from the VISA Officer. My parents are legally divorced during my adolescence (When I was in my class 9th, I guess). We have no communication with my Biological father after the divorce.
As part of the VISA application for F1- VISA, I have to submit forms DS-156 and Form DS-157 (Supplemental Non-immigrant Visa Application Form). I understand that the VISA officer UNDER Section 214(b) of the Immigration & Nationality Act of US has to satisfy himself that I am not a potential immigrant. Form DS-156 has questions which require me to inform that I was previously in US when I was a child and that my father is now a US citizen. I am really concerned that this information may be considered a red flag for denying a US Visa.
To address this, I intend to take the following:
1. An affidavit from my maternal Grand Father stating that he is my Guardian and Gurantor for bearing the educational expenses.
2. Certificate from a CA stating that I have some land, houses as fixed assets.
3. Letter from one of my Professors on an Official letter head stating that the PhD program constitutes a valuable academic career path for me which upon completion has many emerging opportunities in India.
I understand even without this family issue, my age and single status are two potential drawbacks. But the truth is I am really keen to return after PhD. From your knowledge about the immigration procedures, please let me know if there anything else, apart from the above that can be done to strengthen my case before the VISA Officer by overcoming his presumption of being an intending immigrant?
Thanks in advance for your inputs.
- Cyberpluto
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