Student Loans for H4 visa

[opal]

Hi all,

I am a student with a H4 dependant visa ( my husband works here).We applied for permanent residency a year ago & now I got the EAD ( employment authorisation card) from the INS, which basically allows me to work here.( earlier i was not allowed to work on a H4 visa) .I also received my Social security number from the INS.I have come to the I-140 stage in my green card process.I am trying to get federal loans through FAFSA to finance my education.Can i apply using my social security number in FAFSA? Am i as a student whose permanent residency is in progress but has a SSN, eligible for the FAFSA student loan? Can anyone please help me with some info in this issue?🙁

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[mpp]

I know little about the immigration process and all this I- H- J- and F- designations. The rules for federal student aid are:

You must be one of the following to receive federal student aid:

U.S. citizen
U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island)
U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card)
If you're not in one of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) showing one of the following designations in order to be eligible:

"Refugee"
"Asylum Granted"
"Indefinite Parole" and/or "Humanitarian Parole"
"Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending"
"Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
If you have only a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464), you aren't eligible for federal student aid.

If you're in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only, or on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only, you can't get federal student aid. Also, persons with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are not eligible for federal student aid.

You can find this and more information here.

 

[opal]

Thanks mpp for the feedback.The problem is that i do not fall under any of these categories you mentioned. I am in between! ie my green card is in progress & i am in stage I 140 where i get the SSN. If they mentioned that FAFSA is not given for students with a green card in process,then I can look for some other source.I dont understand where i stand! Have you heard of students getting FAFSA loan when their Green card is in process?Can you tell me where else i can find more info for H4 students?

 

[supereagles]

Originally posted by opal
Hi all,

I am a student with a H4 dependant visa ( my husband works here).We applied for permanent residency a year ago & now I got the EAD ( employment authorisation card) from the INS, which basically allows me to work here.( earlier i was not allowed to work on a H4 visa) .I also received my Social security number from the INS.I have come to the I-140 stage in my green card process.I am trying to get federal loans through FAFSA to finance my education.Can i apply using my social security number in FAFSA? Am i as a student whose permanent residency is in progress but has a SSN, eligible for the FAFSA student loan? Can anyone please help me with some info in this issue?🙁

Well, welcome to my world. I am married to a US citizen and basically that grants me all the privelages that you have including the fact that i have an alien registration number and i am not under a visa status. I also went for my green card interview last year and i am expecting my GC any day now. But here comes the bad news, I am almost a 100% positive that we do not obtain any form of federal aid or get to fill out a FAFSA form. Thus we are left with only private loans from banks and that is certainly a tough path to take. As you most know we are still grouped as international student and this is the most depressing aspect of all since we have difficulty gaining admission. So have you obtained any interview offers or acceptances yet. Could you keep me posted.

 

[supereagles]

Originally posted by opal
Hi all,

I am a student with a H4 dependant visa ( my husband works here).We applied for permanent residency a year ago & now I got the EAD ( employment authorisation card) from the INS, which basically allows me to work here.( earlier i was not allowed to work on a H4 visa) .I also received my Social security number from the INS.I have come to the I-140 stage in my green card process.I am trying to get federal loans through FAFSA to finance my education.Can i apply using my social security number in FAFSA? Am i as a student whose permanent residency is in progress but has a SSN, eligible for the FAFSA student loan? Can anyone please help me with some info in this issue?🙁

Well, welcome to my world. I am married to a US citizen and basically that grants me all the privelages that you have including the fact that i have an alien registration number and i am not under a visa status. I also went for my green card interview last year and i am expecting my GC any day now. But here comes the bad news, I am almost a 100% positive that we do not obtain any form of federal aid or get to fill out a FAFSA form. Thus we are left with only private loans from banks and that is certainly a tough path to take. As you most know we are still grouped as international student and this is the most depressing aspect of all since we have difficulty gaining admission. So have you obtained any interview offers or acceptances yet. Could you keep me posted.

 

[supereagles]

Originally posted by opal
Hi all,

I am a student with a H4 dependant visa ( my husband works here).We applied for permanent residency a year ago & now I got the EAD ( employment authorisation card) from the INS, which basically allows me to work here.( earlier i was not allowed to work on a H4 visa) .I also received my Social security number from the INS.I have come to the I-140 stage in my green card process.I am trying to get federal loans through FAFSA to finance my education.Can i apply using my social security number in FAFSA? Am i as a student whose permanent residency is in progress but has a SSN, eligible for the FAFSA student loan? Can anyone please help me with some info in this issue?🙁

Well, welcome to my world. I am married to a US citizen and basically that grants me all the privelages that you have including the fact that i have an alien registration number and i am not under a visa status. I also went for my green card interview last year and i am expecting my GC any day now. But here comes the bad news, I am almost a 100% positive that we do not obtain any form of federal aid or get to fill out a FAFSA form. Thus we are left with only private loans from banks and that is certainly a tough path to take. As you most know we are still grouped as international student and this is the most depressing aspect of all since we have difficulty gaining admission. So have you obtained any interview offers or acceptances yet. Could you keep me posted.

 

[opal]

Hi supereagles,

I have got acceptance from NYU. But now i am struggling to get info & loans for financing my education. How are you so sure that you are not eligible for the FAFSA loan? Did you get this info from the Federal govnt? Also are you accepted in any school & did they gave you this info? I feel this whole "international student " title robs all our privileges & puts us in a very pathetic situation!!If private loan is the only option , do you have an idea of how to proceed for it?😱

 

[sylviazh]

Hi, Opal,

Just read your post for finishing the CBT on Dec.3,4. Could you share some information regarding the test ?

I am going to take the computer basted test next month and read some of people posted some topics regarding the important points in the pharmcology ...

Could you share some information with me about your feeling of the test, or which part is important to review through the computer based test you took this time?

Thanks for your furher helps.

 

[supereagles]

Originally posted by opal
Hi supereagles,

I have got acceptance from NYU. But now i am struggling to get info & loans for financing my education. How are you so sure that you are not eligible for the FAFSA loan? Did you get this info from the Federal govnt? Also are you accepted in any school & did they gave you this info? I feel this whole "international student " title robs all our privileges & puts us in a very pathetic situation!!If private loan is the only option , do you have an idea of how to proceed for it?😱

Sorry y'all for the multiple posts and congrats opal on your acceptance. No i have no acceptances so far irrespective of having 6 interviews so far. I have gone to multiple websites that cover issues dealing with federal financial aid and they all seem to say the same thing-that we are not eligible for regular federal loans(staford loans and all that). Anyway i have contacted a counselor that deals with issues like this and i should be getting a reply before the end of this week. My advice will be for you to contact the financial aid office at NYU and they should be well equipped to suggest low risk private institutions that offer loans to students Unfortunately, as you must know you would need a US citizen co-signer and might have to deal with the interest you incur in the future. Fotunately for you NYU is a pretty generous school and you might even get some form of scholarship so keep your head up. Having overcome the first huddle of getting accepted you are on your way to fufilling you dream. Let us know of your progress and if you have more up to date info about the FAFSA. Peace

 

[opal]

Hi,

Thanx supereagles for the advice.well, i was accepted in NYU as an advanced standing student . Are you trying for the same in your schools? Also, when i enquired in NYU , they informed me that i will not be eligible for FAFSA based on my situation. As for you i definitely feel you should be eligible, since you say you have finished the green card interview & the card will be arriving any time soon.If you get further info on this let me know.Also since your hubby is a citizen , i would like to know if he can be your co signer? or does he have to have certain criterias to be eligible for that? I currently depend on a relative to be my co signer. But his green card is still in process.He does have a good credit report.Is he eligible?Your response to this is appreciated.Good Luck in your pursuits.

Opal

 

[opal]

Hi sylviazh,
I guess you posted the wrong person!!Pls. check again!!

 

[opal]

Hi,
I am planning to take a private loan . My cosigner who has a very good credit history is in the process of getting his green card. He has completed the finger printing process but is yet to go for the INS interview & get the card.Is he eligible to be my cosigner? Are there any loans which does not require a cosigner?Iam currently on a H4 dependant visa & do not have a good credit report. I also dont work anywhere. Can anyone advice?

Thanx

 

[supereagles]

Hey Opal,

Since your co-signer does not have a GC I think their status is pretty much the same as yours. The only difference is your credit history. Do you not have a credit history or is it that you have a bad credit history. I would say that most banks (BOA, Citi, Citizens etc) require a PR or a Citizen to co-sign for a loan for us (too bad) but this of course is somthing you would like to research on from the banks themselves before you come to any conclusion. Good luck. By the way, what exactly do you mean by getting accepted as an advanced student standing😕

 

[opal]

Hi supereagles,

Thank you very much for the info. As for "advanced standing student "I am accepted for the PASS program or the program for advanced standing students. This program enables foreign trained dentists to earn a DDS degree, so that they can take up the board exams & get licenced to practice in U.S. Hope this helps.

Wish you & all the SDN members a very Happy New Year!