B2 to F1 visa

[ceu grad]

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I currently hold a B2 visa. If i am issued an F1 visa, do i lose my B2 status? Or if the F1 visa expires, will the B2 visa be retained?

I have surfed the net and couldn't find the answer that i am looking for. I hope you guys can help me clear this up. thanks!

 

[dr37]

B1/B2 visa stays the same for whtever duration it is for..

 

[poumpy]

depends:
1. if you are already in the states on B2 and you request a status change, then you get a new status but not a new visa. The old one should be fine until its expiration date. Then if you leave and want to re enter you will be able to enter on you visa status - in your case B2, as you have such a visa in the passport, unless you change your visa while outside.
2. if you apply for a new visa outside of USA, then most probably the consular office will cancel our B2 when issuing F1. There is no reason to have two valid visas at the same time. That's what happened to me when I changed visas.

 

[La fea]

I am not too sure about #1. If you go thru a change of status, you might not be able to re enter on the old visa (b2 in this case). You will need a new visa stamp. But confirm this for sure. I feel this way because B1/B2 visas have I-94 expiration dates attached to it- 6 months or even less sometimes. But F1 visa will have D/S written on I 94 which is Duration of Status, means you can stay until you complete your course. (broadly)

 

[dr37]

I had B1/B2 and couple of my friends too.. our visitor visa's are as it is in passport and we got new f1 visa's. you can not study on B1/B2 so u need to get F1..

 

[poumpy]

I had B1/B2 and couple of my friends too.. our visitor visa's are as it is in passport and we got new f1 visa's. you can not study on B1/B2 so u need to get F1..

how did you receive a new F1 visa in the passport while in USA ???

 

[dr37]

Hi, i was in my counrty and i applied and recieved F1 visa there itself.

 

[poumpy]

Hi, i was in my counrty and i applied and recieved F1 visa there itself.

Now lets talk about different thinks:
1. visa is a travel document letting you to reach US port of entry
2. status is given when you enter and some of them one can change while in the states.

If one enters on B visa they will get B status, which they maybe can change to F status while in the states, but this does not gives them F visa. So once one exits and wants to re-enter on F status one will need to apply for F visa in home country. When I did so my B visa was canceled and my wife's one not.
On other hand F visa lets us enter only 30 days before start of program, so in case we want to enter earlier we can apply for B vosa and enter on this one and request a change of status later on, but this has to be mentioned when entering and F visa is also necessary in the passport.

Hope this helps 🙂

 

[ceu grad]

you are right, poumpy. "status" and "visa" are not the same thing. guys, thanks for your replies. you've all been very helpful...and informative. now i can breathe. i thought i would lose my B2 visa (not status) once i get an F1 visa.

 

[BombayBDS]

how tough is it to get a work visa after we complete our 2 yr dds?
can anyone help me out with this question.

 

[karuna]

hi everyone do i need to fix a date to get visa or ADA conformational letter will work. i have visa interview next week ..plz reply soon

 

[jacksonkelly]

hi everyone do i need to fix a date to get visa or ADA conformational letter will work. i have visa interview next week ..plz reply soon

hi, i have a B1/B2 visa on my passport that is valid till 2013 something like that and I have an F1 visa thats valid till 2014, when I got the F1 visa my B visa was not cancelled or anything it is still there. So i guess if you have same situation like mine, you can go in as a tourist or as a student depending on the purpose of your visit and the documents you need to show at the office of immigration in the airport. I do not think you can change your visa nor status from B1/B2 to F1, because you need to change that from your country, that is what happened to people I know. But you can change from F2 to F1 and even from F1 to H1B status or visa without needing to go back to your country.

Karuna you will need the I 20 that the university you are accepted in will send you. Otherwise do not waste time and reschedule your appointment with the Embassy till you get it. They will not issue you F1 visa without I 20 and the rest of the list they have on their website, but I 20 is the most important document.

Im not sure why anyone want to go to the more than 30 days before begining of the program, I only needed about 12 days to get settled.

I hope this helped 😉

 

[DENTEYE]

how tough is it to get a work visa after we complete our 2 yr dds?
can anyone help me out with this question.

You must find a job that sponsors H1B Visa/status. Some jobs cater only to citizens or atleast PRs.

 

[BombayBDS]

So if im working as an associate dentist with a general dentist, can he apply for my H1b?
again, in practical terms, how tough is this process?
thankx.

You must find a job that sponsors H1B Visa/status. Some jobs cater only to citizens or atleast PRs.

 

[reyhan]

hi...,
i am living in usa for last 1 yr with an f2...which is a spouse visa....do i hv to change it to f1 before i write my step 1?it will be a great help if u guys bring some light in here.....

 

[raja_a]

Hi If anyone wants to change their visa status from b1/b2/j1/j2/ etc to F1 and stay legally in the USA contact OPMI Business School. email: raja(at)opmi(dot)edu , Phone: 845-213-6022.
We offer free consultation on non immigrant visa and provide i-20.