anyone on f1 visa through kaplan???

[sonibun]

Hi everybody
i would like to know how many of you are here on f1 visa through kaplan .i am also interested so wanted to take your precious guidance
i will really appreciate inputs from your side
thank you
sonibun

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[Meggs]

Originally posted by sonibun
Hi everybody
i would like to know how many of you are here on f1 visa through kaplan.....

can you actually get a F1 visa by signing up for a Kaplan course????

 

[dentiste]

I think its difficult to get a visa going to the consulate with a kaplan I20,thats my opinion.

 

[DentalSupremo]

Kaplan is authorized by the federal government to issue F-1 Visa. For NDBE course, they issue I-20 for a period of 6 months for each part.
Visa is required only when one travels in or out of U.S. As long as one has a valid I-20 issued by a recognized institution, you can legally stay in the U.S. When on an F-1 visa from Kaplan, you need to log in 22 hours at the kaplan center every week.
Getting a visa from a consulate specially one from India might be difficult if the I-20 is issued by kaplan, but i have seen lots of students from southeast asia on an F-1 visa from kaplan and they got the visa from their home country. The best bet would be join the kaplan program and in the meantime apply to dental schools and once you get admission to dental school for advanced standing program , start the program and go back to your home country during the break (summer/winter) and get the visa stamped.
As far sonibun's case is considered, I think the best bet will be to talk to an International student advisor at kaplan center and see whether they will issue an I-20 (becos from an earlier post, i understand that sonibun is on a visitor's visa (B1/B20)).

 

[Meggs]

Great post Supremo. I had no idea Kaplan could do that.
Anyway, if is Sonibun is interest in just being legally in the US, her/his visitors visa will grant her 6 months the most to legally stay in the US. So if Kaplan will only grant her 6 months as well, she might as well stick to her visitors visa.
I'm just guessing here, maybe Sonibun should seek advice from an inmigration expert who could tell her what are her best choices and decissions. Maybe getting a student visa will affect her posivetly for the future or maybe staying 6 months here on tourist visa would negatively, I don't really now. Seek expert advice if you can Sonibun.

 

[ek_dds]

Hi Sonibun,

Its not very clear as to what status are you at present and as I gather if ur on a Visitors visa then how long is it valid?

First of all if ur on a Visitors visa and you intend to convert to a students visa,I know that it is not easy-it was,pre 9/11 as I had a friend who followed that route.Also if you are on a first time visit to the US...consider this:

My friend that I mentioned got a visitors visa in the year 2000-I think it was for a month that he stayed here.He returned back to India and after a couple of months he applied again.This time he was granted a 10yr visa.He came,cleared his boards and secured a position in adv standing and had the status changed to an f1.

Now a couple of suggestions-it may not be as easy as this any longer.If you have given your boards you could apply for an adv standing,secure a seat,then try for an f1 and as someone suggested,go back to ur home country and get the stamping done.

But this needs a lot of time and presuming that you do not have so much time at your disposal,though it seems very risky-apply for Public health programs where you could get some aid,(say in western kentucky),or similar such programs,secure an I-20 for the summer-(since applying for spring would be too late now),
go back to your home country-and if you have not already given ur part 1,apply for part 1 in july 04,collect all the material required from here and cram it out.Apply for an f1 for summer,come back and get the ball rolling.

Sincerely if you want to convert to an f1( I dont think that you specifically mean kaplan since you might as well join any community college and strictly if you have all the material at hand,kaplan is more like a nice place to study than an instructional medium),it might not be easy in the present times.

And if you have a visitors visa longer than 6 months validity,now you know what to do.

Also you can always speak to a kaplan advisor or if your pocket affords it ,talk with an immigration lawyer,

Wishing you goodluck,

EK.

 

[ek_dds]

BTW,

If you are from India and have to go to the chennai embassy dont even consider taking a kaplan I-20 with you.

Ek

 

[Dentisthusband]

Hi Sonibun,

For your information, and anyone else reading along, if you are in the US on a tourist visa, do not undertake any formal educational program. You would be out of compliance with the terms and conditions of your tourist visa, and possibly subject to deportation proceedings. You may apply to educational programs and interview for them, but you cannot actually attend any classess without and F-1 visa. As Meggs suggested, seek the advice of an immigration attorney. Or if you are near an INS service center, which are usually located in major cities, you can go there and ask specific questions and get immediate answers to your questions free of charge.

Scott

 

[Meggs]

INS offices will just tell her whatever is best for THEM, they won't tell her what's best for HER. So if is possible stick with an inmigration expert.

 

[Sanju]

Originally posted by ek_dds
Hi Sonibun,

Its not very clear as to what status are you at present and as I gather if ur on a Visitors visa then how long is it valid?

First of all if ur on a Visitors visa and you intend to convert to a students visa,I know that it is not easy-it was,pre 9/11 as I had a friend who followed that route.Also if you are on a first time visit to the US...consider this:

My friend that I mentioned got a visitors visa in the year 2000-I think it was for a month that he stayed here.He returned back to India and after a couple of months he applied again.This time he was granted a 10yr visa.He came,cleared his boards and secured a position in adv standing and had the status changed to an f1.

Now a couple of suggestions-it may not be as easy as this any longer.If you have given your boards you could apply for an adv standing,secure a seat,then try for an f1 and as someone suggested,go back to ur home country and get the stamping done.

But this needs a lot of time and presuming that you do not have so much time at your disposal,though it seems very risky-apply for Public health programs where you could get some aid,(say in western kentucky),or similar such programs,secure an I-20 for the summer-(since applying for spring would be too late now),
go back to your home country-and if you have not already given ur part 1,apply for part 1 in july 04,collect all the material required from here and cram it out.Apply for an f1 for summer,come back and get the ball rolling.

Sincerely if you want to convert to an f1( I dont think that you specifically mean kaplan since you might as well join any community college and strictly if you have all the material at hand,kaplan is more like a nice place to study than an instructional medium),it might not be easy in the present times.

And if you have a visitors visa longer than 6 months validity,now you know what to do.

Also you can always speak to a kaplan advisor or if your pocket affords it ,talk with an immigration lawyer,

Wishing you goodluck,

EK.

hi ek_dds,
i do not know whether you will remember me. i had been in touch with you sometime in march 2003 for copies of kaplan for my part 1. had just come from india and had called you from phoenix.
just wanted to say hi. how have you been doing . i know that you had given your paert 1 then and were planning to take the bench exam . did you apply to any school. what have you been doing currently. after that i had tried calling you but it kept saying that the tel no had changed.
do write back.

sanjukta

 

[ek_dds]

Hello Sanju,

I never had the Calif Bench exam in my plans and probably there seems to be a mixup as to whom are referring as there are many with ek in their nicks.

Do check ur pm.

Goodluck!
EK

 

[ek_dds]

,