F1 visa - go back or change here.

[Natalie1973]

Hi,

I was accepted to an accredited university for a masters program (with a high merit scholarship)
I am currently in the US with a B1 visa until September. (I entered 3 months ago)
I have two options -
- Change status here - but school starts two months from now, and I might not get the visa in time.
- Go home and change the status there. I have high chances as I will finance myself (I have savings) and all my family is there. The only problem with this is that I just found out that my legally separated ex is in the US and overstayed his tourist visa. I plan on finalizing the divorce when I am home (I just need a final religious court stamp), but the visa interview will happen before. Will this effect my chances? could the consulate know and make the connection between us?

What should I do?
Thanks!

[US-PR2k16]

F1 visa - go back or change here.

Best is start school and after may be 1 or 2 semesters if you have any reason to go back to India then you get F1 Visa stamped. My friends did same came in to US with B1/B2 and started masters and later got visa endorsed in India..

[daggit]

. My friends did same came in to US with B1/B2 and started masters and later got visa endorsed in India..

While 'your friends' got away with it, that is not a recommended way of doing things. B visa is for short visits to the US. If people wish to study, they should apply for an F visa prior to their travel to the US.

UPDATE: Nowhere does OP mention "India' in the initial post.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi,

I was accepted to an accredited university for a masters program (with a high merit scholarship)
I am currently in the US with a B1 visa until September. (I entered 3 months ago)
I have two options -
- Change status here - but school starts two months from now, and I might not get the visa in time.
- Go home and change the status there. I have high chances as I will finance myself (I have savings) and all my family is there. The only problem with this is that I just found out that my legally separated ex is in the US and overstayed his tourist visa. I plan on finalizing the divorce when I am home (I just need a final religious court stamp), but the visa interview will happen before. Will this effect my chances? could the consulate know and make the connection between us?

What should I do?
Thanks!

You're better off returning home and apply for a F visa. As you claim acceptance to an accredited university and sufficient funds, your odds of approval are better than average.

[Ola1974]

Best is start school and after may be 1 or 2 semesters if you have any reason to go back to India then you get F1 Visa stamped. My friends did same came in to US with B1/B2 and started masters and later got visa endorsed in India..

How can this be true? Are you sure that your friend actually told you how he went about it? You cannot violate USA visa rule and be granted visa afterward. Starting school may be impossible without I-20 and school will not allow you to register. I am still not sure it happened the way you narrate it here

[US-PR2k16]

F1 visa - go back or change here.

I meant to say; he came here to do dental exams on tourist visa and then applied for Masters program and got I-20 and applied here in US for approval with immigration, they approved it and he started the school. Later when he went to India one year after he started school and then he got his F1 visa stamped on passport that's what i meant.!

[Ola1974]

I meant to say; he came here to do dental exams on tourist visa and then applied for Masters program and got I-20 and applied here in US for approval with immigration, they approved it and he started the school. Later when he went to India one year after he started school and then he got his F1 visa stamped on passport that's what i meant.!

It cannot work that way. If he gets his I-20, he then either apply for change of status which is longer or return home to apply with better chance as well. To me, as earlier suggested by a member here, he should return home to apply. That's exactly what my relative did in a couple of month ago.

[US-PR2k16]

F1 visa - go back or change here.

That's what I meant man.. He applied for change of status in U.S from B1 to F1 and he was approved. So he started school and later when he went back to India. He got F1 visa endorsed in passport. Simple as it is I can explain.