Wooks

I have been granted a J1 visa for study abroad for a program that ends
in mid May 2008. My visa is not subject to the 2 year home residency
requirement.

I would like to extend this to run to the end of August 08.

The easiest option that I am aware of is for the university that I am
going to, to offer me an internship. However I would like to spend the
extended period in a different part of the country.

Options I have been considering are

a) summer school in another institution located in the area where I
want to be.
b) employment based internship located in the area where I want to be.

Would a or b amount to an extension/transfer or a completely fresh
application and would it require return to my home country.

In the case of a) I will be taking courses for credit at a community
college but these credits will not contribute to my degree (to the
extent that is relevant).

Basically I am trying to decide whether to confine my efforts to an
extension by my current sponsoring institution even though it will not
be an ideal solution.

MDB

Hi Wooks,

Sounds like you are in exactly the same situation as I was in when I did my exchange year over there... You want to go on tour after you've finished school for the year... Don't blame you

I wouldn't rule out what you've suggested and I can't really comment on that. After your J1 expires I *think* you have 30 days to leave the country. As soon as mine expired I went to Aruba for a week (same week that poor girl was murdered AND I lost my mobile phone on THAT beach!!) and then came back in on the Visa Waiver (which entitled me to stay to the end of August). The immigration officer was a bit about it at first and went to find his boss to see if he could authorise it... There were no problems, but it would be advisable (not that I was asked for it) to have a ticket handy to show you plan to exit the US in August.

Just nip up to Canada or the Virgin Islands for a week

Good luck buddy

Capt. Tuttle

MDB wrote:
>>I have been granted a J1 visa for study abroad for a program that ends
>>in mid May 2008. My visa is not subject to the 2 year home residency
>>requirement.
>>
>>I would like to extend this to run to the end of August 08.
>>
>>The easiest option that I am aware of is for the university that I am
>>going to, to offer me an internship. However I would like to spend the
>>extended period in a different part of the country.
>>
>>Options I have been considering are
>>
>>a) summer school in another institution located in the area where I
>> want to be.
>>b) employment based internship located in the area where I want to be.
>>
>>Would a or b amount to an extension/transfer or a completely fresh
>>application and would it require return to my home country.
>>
>>In the case of a) I will be taking courses for credit at a community
>>college but these credits will not contribute to my degree (to the
>>extent that is relevant).
>>
>>Basically I am trying to decide whether to confine my efforts to an
>>extension by my current sponsoring institution even though it will not
>>be an ideal solution.
>
>
> Hi Wooks,
>
> Sounds like you are in exactly the same situation as I was in when I did
> my exchange year over there... You want to go on tour after you've
> finished school for the year... Don't blame you
>
> I wouldn't rule out what you've suggested and I can't really comment on
> that. After your J1 expires I *think* you have 30 days to leave the
> country. As soon as mine expired I went to Aruba for a week (same week
> that poor girl was murdered AND I lost my mobile phone on THAT beach!!)
> and then came back in on the Visa Waiver (which entitled me to stay to
> the end of August). The immigration officer was a bit about it at
> first and went to find his boss to see if he could authorise it... There
> were no problems, but it would be advisable (not that I was asked for
> it) to have a ticket handy to show you plan to exit the US in August.
>
> Just nip up to Canada or the Virgin Islands for a week
>
> Good luck buddy
>

Everything is controlled by your DS-2019.
You might be able to get an extension where you are, but to move to
another location would probably require a new DS-2019 and an update on
SEVIS. Even if you get an extension where you are it would require a new
DS-2019 and a SEVIS update.
There should be a person at the university who can answer all of your
questions.

MDB

Yeah, good luck with that. The school I was at didn't really know the difference between a J1 and an F1

It's right though, chances are the person in charge of the international wing will probably know but don't bank on it, you'll probably find more looking on forums like this or scowering the web.

Wooks

On Jul 29, 2:18 pm, MDB <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I have been granted a J1 visa for study abroad for a program that ends
> > in mid May 2008. My visa is not subject to the 2 year home residency
> > requirement.
>
> > I would like to extend this to run to the end of August 08.
>
> > The easiest option that I am aware of is for the university that I am
> > going to, to offer me an internship. However I would like to spend the
> > extended period in a different part of the country.
>
> > Options I have been considering are
>
> > a) summer school in another institution located in the area where I
> > want to be.
> > b) employment based internship located in the area where I want to be.
>
> > Would a or b amount to an extension/transfer or a completely fresh
> > application and would it require return to my home country.
>
> > In the case of a) I will be taking courses for credit at a community
> > college but these credits will not contribute to my degree (to the
> > extent that is relevant).
>
> > Basically I am trying to decide whether to confine my efforts to an
> > extension by my current sponsoring institution even though it will not
> > be an ideal solution.
>
> Hi Wooks,
>
> Sounds like you are in exactly the same situation as I was in when I did
> my exchange year over there... You want to go on tour after you've
> finished school for the year... Don't blame you
>
> I wouldn't rule out what you've suggested and I can't really comment on
> that. After your J1 expires I *think* you have 30 days to leave the
> country. As soon as mine expired I went to Aruba for a week (same week
> that poor girl was murdered AND I lost my mobile phone on THAT beach!!)
> and then came back in on the Visa Waiver (which entitled me to stay to
> the end of August). The immigration officer was a bit about it at
> first and went to find his boss to see if he could authorise it... There
> were no problems, but it would be advisable (not that I was asked for
> it) to have a ticket handy to show you plan to exit the US in August.
>
> Just nip up to Canada or the Virgin Islands for a week
>
> Good luck buddy
>
> --
> Posted viahttp://britishexpats.com

Thanks for the good wishes.

The visa waiver idea is always an option but it's not my preferred
route.

1. There's always a risk they may not let you back in.
2. I actually want to stay to the end of Sept and a visa waiver leaves
me 3 weeks short. Having said that the simplest and cheapest idea
would certainly be to come back to Blighty for 3 weeks and go back on
a visa waiver. Thanks for reminding me of that. However ....
3. I also actually do want to go to summer school.

Wooks

On Jul 29, 4:34 pm, "Capt. Tuttle" <[email protected]> wrote:
> MDB wrote:
> >>I have been granted a J1 visa for study abroad for a program that ends
> >>in mid May 2008. My visa is not subject to the 2 year home residency
> >>requirement.
>
> >>I would like to extend this to run to the end of August 08.
>
> >>The easiest option that I am aware of is for the university that I am
> >>going to, to offer me an internship. However I would like to spend the
> >>extended period in a different part of the country.
>
> >>Options I have been considering are
>
> >>a) summer school in another institution located in the area where I
> >> want to be.
> >>b) employment based internship located in the area where I want to be.
>
> >>Would a or b amount to an extension/transfer or a completely fresh
> >>application and would it require return to my home country.
>
> >>In the case of a) I will be taking courses for credit at a community
> >>college but these credits will not contribute to my degree (to the
> >>extent that is relevant).
>
> >>Basically I am trying to decide whether to confine my efforts to an
> >>extension by my current sponsoring institution even though it will not
> >>be an ideal solution.
>
> > Hi Wooks,
>
> > Sounds like you are in exactly the same situation as I was in when I did
> > my exchange year over there... You want to go on tour after you've
> > finished school for the year... Don't blame you
>
> > I wouldn't rule out what you've suggested and I can't really comment on
> > that. After your J1 expires I *think* you have 30 days to leave the
> > country. As soon as mine expired I went to Aruba for a week (same week
> > that poor girl was murdered AND I lost my mobile phone on THAT beach!!)
> > and then came back in on the Visa Waiver (which entitled me to stay to
> > the end of August). The immigration officer was a bit about it at
> > first and went to find his boss to see if he could authorise it... There
> > were no problems, but it would be advisable (not that I was asked for
> > it) to have a ticket handy to show you plan to exit the US in August.
>
> > Just nip up to Canada or the Virgin Islands for a week
>
> > Good luck buddy
>
> Everything is controlled by your DS-2019.
> You might be able to get an extension where you are, but to move to
> another location would probably require a new DS-2019 and an update on
> SEVIS. Even if you get an extension where you are it would require a new
> DS-2019 and a SEVIS update.
> There should be a person at the university who can answer all of your
> questions.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I don't have confidence in the person I'm dealing with at the
university. She was looking at the possiblity of using my 30 day post
J1 period to enrol at her college.
Thats wrong isn't it.

>From what I have discovered so far I would need to

1. File an I-539 for change of status to F1 (post J1)
2. Pay $300
3. Expect a wait of 3 - 4 months.

or

return home and apply for the visa.

Still a bit leery about using VWP for this.

Can anybody fill in the holes before I decide what to do (and possibly
offer a further opinion).

MDB

Have you considered going out on the J1 and midway through i.e. say around December / January file for the F1 change in status? Surely the school you're going to will be happy to sign off on your form then... Having said that I don't know how early you can apply to change your status? Have you looked into that?

Filing for the F1 in the 30 day grace period is a ******* joke... eee these "experts" at the schools crack me up with their ideas.

I suppose it's whether summer school is *that* important to you (take a break, you'll need it by then ) If you don't do summer school, I still think you'd be okay on the VW though. If your visa runs out in May, you can time a quick trip abroad so you exit the US on June X. Say you come back in towards the end of June / beginning of July, you'll be able to stay to the end of September.

Wooks

On Jul 31, 3:27 pm, MDB <[email protected]> wrote:
> > On Jul 29, 4:34 pm, "Capt. Tuttle" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > MDB wrote:
> > > >>I have been granted a J1 visa for study abroad for a program that
> > > >>ends
> > > >>in mid May 2008. My visa is not subject to the 2 year home
> > > >>residency
> > > >>requirement.
>
> > > >>I would like to extend this to run to the end of August 08.
>
> > > >>The easiest option that I am aware of is for the university that
> > > >>I am
> > > >>going to, to offer me an internship. However I would like to spend
> > > >>the
> > > >>extended period in a different part of the country.
>
> > > >>Options I have been considering are
>
> > > >>a) summer school in another institution located in the area where
> > > >> I
> > > >> want to be.
> > > >>b) employment based internship located in the area where I want to
> > > >> be.
>
> > > >>Would a or b amount to an extension/transfer or a completely
> > > >>fresh
> > > >>application and would it require return to my home country.
>
> > > >>In the case of a) I will be taking courses for credit at a
> > > >>community
> > > >>college but these credits will not contribute to my degree (to the
> > > >>extent that is relevant).
>
> > > >>Basically I am trying to decide whether to confine my efforts to
> > > >>an
> > > >>extension by my current sponsoring institution even though it will
> > > >>not
> > > >>be an ideal solution.
>
> > > > Hi Wooks,
>
> > > > Sounds like you are in exactly the same situation as I was in when
> > > > I did
> > > > my exchange year over there... You want to go on tour after you've
> > > > finished school for the year... Don't blame you
>
> > > > I wouldn't rule out what you've suggested and I can't really
> > > > comment on
> > > > that. After your J1 expires I *think* you have 30 days to leave
> > > > the
> > > > country. As soon as mine expired I went to Aruba for a week
> > > > (same week
> > > > that poor girl was murdered AND I lost my mobile phone on THAT
> > > > beach!!)
> > > > and then came back in on the Visa Waiver (which entitled me to
> > > > stay to
> > > > the end of August). The immigration officer was a bit
> > > > about it at
> > > > first and went to find his boss to see if he could authorise
> > > > it... There
> > > > were no problems, but it would be advisable (not that I was
> > > > asked for
> > > > it) to have a ticket handy to show you plan to exit the US in
> > > > August.
>
> > > > Just nip up to Canada or the Virgin Islands for a week
>
> > > > Good luck buddy
>
> > > Everything is controlled by your DS-2019.
> > > You might be able to get an extension where you are, but to move to
> > > another location would probably require a new DS-2019 and an update
> > > on
> > > SEVIS. Even if you get an extension where you are it would require a
> > > new
> > > DS-2019 and a SEVIS update.
> > > There should be a person at the university who can answer all of
> > > your
> > > questions.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > I don't have confidence in the person I'm dealing with at the
> > university. She was looking at the possiblity of using my 30 day post
> > J1 period to enrol at her college.
> > Thats wrong isn't it.
>
> > >From what I have discovered so far I would need to
>
> > 1. File an I-539 for change of status to F1 (post J1)
> > 2. Pay $300
> > 3. Expect a wait of 3 - 4 months.
>
> > or
>
> > return home and apply for the visa.
>
> > Still a bit leery about using VWP for this.
>
> > Can anybody fill in the holes before I decide what to do (and possibly
> > offer a further opinion).
>
> Have you considered going out on the J1 and midway through i.e. say
> around December / January file for the F1 change in status? Surely the
> school you're going to will be happy to sign off on your form then...
> Having said that I don't know how early you can apply to change your
> status? Have you looked into that?
>

No I want to complete my J-1 program.

>
> Filing for the F1 in the 30 day grace period is a ******* joke... eee
> these "experts" at the schools crack me up with their ideas.
>

Oh no if I were going to do it I would have filed well before.

> I suppose it's whether summer school is *that* important to you (take a
> break, you'll need it by then )

I'm sure I'll need the break, but I have a gaping hole in my academic
background that I need to fill before returning for my final year.

> If you don't do summer school, I still
> think you'd be okay on the VW though. If your visa runs out in May, you
> can time a quick trip abroad so you exit the US on June X. Say you come
> back in towards the end of June / beginning of July, you'll be able to
> stay to the end of September.
>

It's looking the most likely option. I'll be going to a different part
of the country and can say that the I am reentering for an entirely
different purpose.
Still a bit nervous about it even though it's legit. All you need is
one person in a bad mood.