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

[ahmadka]

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 ?

[immihelp]

All those people who end up working in the US after finishing studying have initially no intention to do but later change their mind.

[ahmadka]

All those people who end up working in the US after finishing studying have initially no intention to do but later change their mind.

While that may be true, I know for a fact that when I was in the States for Masters, I saw a lot of Asians there who had come for Masters who only saw Masters as a way of trying to secure a future there ...

Anyways, so what about my main question ? With this frame of mind, will I have any problems in the Visa interview ?

I'm not sure how light or deep the F1 interviews are ... When I went for my J1 interview, it was pretty straightforward I think .. No real complications .. But then I was going through Fulbright, so maybe they trusted Fulbright in this or something ..

[immihelp]

The answer I already gave you is the best answer I can give.

[ahmadka]

The answer I already gave you is the best answer I can give.

Alright well, thanks nonetheless for your advice ..

I guess I'm just trying to assess what an F1 visa interview is like, and what my chances for F1 approval would be like approximately, considering that I have already done one Masters from the US ..

And its not like I ONLY want to do a second Masters for just the opportunity to work in the US .. No its not like that .. I AM motivated to do a second Masters because I was to specialize in Computer Science & Software Engineering now, as this is my real field .. I don't know why I did my first Masters in Electrical & Computer Engineering ... I don't even like hardware

But I only want to apply to US universities if I think I have good chance for getting an F1 Visa, and a good chance to maybe get H1B one day, assuming that I graduate from an institution such as Berkeley ...

If this is something unrealistic, then I'd rather aim for some other country like Australia or Canada ..

[ahmadka]

still waiting for some more input ..

[ahmadka]

There are no ***** answers.

I'm not sure what am I asking here which is hard ... All I'm asking is for some feedback on what an F1 visa interview is like generally .. Nothing specific, only generally ... Like what kind of questions they ask, how much they go into the details about your application, etc .. And what might they ask me when they find out I've already done a Masters from the US ..

I don't think that's a very hard question .. Should be pretty straightforward for people who have cleared F1 visa interviews ..

[Nattybone]

If you go on F1 visa, it is in a way understood that you would work there, as students are allowed to work post completion of their degrees. As regards, being questioned at the time of the visa interview, you could say you have no plans. A clear No (No ambiguous answers). Once in USA, people's ideas or thoughts change, which is very natural and understandable. But, if you feel because of your earlier MBA, this could stand against you (about working), you could clearly say you do not have plans to work and leave it at that.

I am not a legal expert, i am not sure if this helps.

Cheers,

I'm not sure what am I asking here which is hard ... All I'm asking is for some feedback on what an F1 visa interview is like generally .. Nothing specific, only generally ... Like what kind of questions they ask, how much they go into the details about your application, etc .. And what might they ask me when they find out I've already done a Masters from the US ..

I don't think that's a very hard question .. Should be pretty straightforward for people who have cleared F1 visa interviews ..