Rick b

Hi there, I've tried to look through the threads on F1 Visa's but can't find anything that's really applicable to the situation.

My girlfriend lives, was born and did her education in Zimbabwe not the UK. Yet she is a British citizen and passport holder. She wants to apply for a F1 Visa and do an A.S. 2 year program in Florida. Her education qualifications are British (she did British exams as well as Zimbabwe ones). Her bank account has enough to provide for the required amounts colleges ask for.
So the worries are:

A) will her application be looked at alongside the same criteria as a Zimbabwean passport holder who would generally have more intent to stay in the US.

B) in Zimbabwe as a generalisation because of the issue's politically and economically most people don't keep large amounts in bank accounts so her bank account is in the US - yet from what I can see on all advice the required financial documents have to come from her home country, any advise?

C) From what we've seen on websites/forums etc it seems to be reasonably easy for UK passport holders to get F1 Visa's - should we just go by this and not worry too much about where she lives as she has supporting documents.

Any advise woould be appreciated. In terms of coming back she has a letter from employer of 2 years keeping her job open and her parents and sister are here in Zimbabwe.

discoviking

There is only one way to find out if she will get the visa. Her circumstances are what they are, so either she will get the visa, or she won't. If she applies for it, that is.

You can solicit opinions here of course, but they won't mean much as nobody here will be making the actual decision on her visa application.

Rick b

The difference is of course she can as a British citizen apply from London....... Hence I was hoping to actually see if anyone could have gone through a similar situation........

scrubbedexpat099

a) I would not have thought so, might be a bit harder dues to the normal applications they are used to.

b) I did not think it had to be in home country, they might wonder why it is in the US, UK would be more logical.

c) Generally true, depends on your circumstances. Are you in the US?

Rick b

Thanks for your input:

A) yes that's one thing she's worried about, whether they are so used to seeing people who blatently are just trying to get to the US to live that they don't see any difference regardless of her passport.

B) Actually because she wasn't born in the UK the fee's wpuld be higher there as she would still be under foreign student status. She also simply preferred to go to the US for 2 years than the UK where she's been many times to visit family etc.

C) Do you mean me? Nope I'm in Zim. British citizen as well, from London origionally. Intentions are to just go visit for 1 month a semester on VWP.

meauxna

No, she has to apply at the Consulate serving her residence. London may not take her application.

Rick b

Ah, I read it that on a student visa it didn't have to be her Consulate of residence as she's a British citizen. Ok so that's ruled out then.

I don't suppose there is a better acceptance rate depending on State you want to study in? She's got set on either Philadelphia or (waiting for audiable groan from what I've read on forum) Florida. She still has time to make her choice.

scrubbedexpat099

The quality of the Institution matters more.

I meant why does she have an account in the US? Just seemed odd.

Isn't Prince Harry's GF from Zim?

JAJ

Because you don't want to have a bank account in Zimbabwe. Hyperinflation and all that.

Rick b

Ah ok, I'll tell her that. It was her boss that advised her on the places she's looking at.

Not odd at all re an account. In Feb 2009 Zimbabwe officially started using US$. Before that the government had "borrowed" money from foreign accounts in the country so most people who earn over $1000 a month have an account elsewhere. Having a £ account is obviously useless as exchange rates all the time would eat it so almost everyone I know here have accounts in the US, Caribbean or Mauritus. Its no where near as difficult as some people make out.

Yes, Harry's g'friend is from Bulawayo. Daughter of a guy who runs safari camps here.

Rick b

Nah, as soon as we started using the South African Rand and the US $ inflation more or less wasn't an issue any more. The thing is most people don't trust the government so don't let money stay for long in Zim Banks. There are also many like me who trade with US Companies so a US Bank Account is essential.