Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

Hi all,

We moved from London to New Jersey last year, with a little help along the way from people on this site - so thank you!

I have another question now - my wife, who is on an L-1A, has been accepted on to an MFA program that she plans to take while continuing on her 40-hour/week full-time managerial role. The problem that we've discovered is that although the course is low-residency, it is technically considered 'full time' - and it is not an incidental course because it will eventually result in the issuing of a Masters degree if she passes.

Can my wife pursue this course without putting her L-1A status (and my L-2) under threat? Reading various other immigration forums I'm getting distinctly mixed messages. Any help you folks can provide would be much appreciated!

Re: Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

I don't know the answer, but I'm curious, what is a "low-residency course"?

Rene

Re: Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

Why would you think it would be a problem in the first place?
What sort of mixed messages?

I'm also unclear how your wife can do a full time course if she's working?

Just curious....

Re: Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

Maybe more to the point is "will the school let her enroll in the program on an L-1 visa"? I suspect not.

An auxilary nonimmigration question may be "what will her employer think of their high-investment employee taking on full-time study"? I know people who have worked and studied, both full-time; it is rarely the pathway to optimal results on both fronts.

Re: Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

I worked full time as well as studied nursing full time. As did most of the adult students in my year.

Re: Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

Yes but how does that work....does studying full time not involve going to classes during the day when you're working?

Re: Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

"Low residency" = mostly on-line. It is quite common to offer a "full time" MBA that is a mixture of evenings, weekends, and occasional weeks here and there resident on campus. I have seen such courses marketed as an "executive MBA", and gets you an MBA in under two years, so the same as a traditional "full time" MBA.

Re: Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

Apologies for the lack of response. We've since found it's fine, according to ICE's own website (and also legal advice): https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf...an%20Study.pdf

That's a fair enough question to ask. The company offer study-help programs and actively encouraged my wife to take this course alongside her study, including providing letters of recommendation.

As others have said, 'low-residency' means that hardly any on-campus time is required. I think for her course it's two weeks, which she'll take as PTO from her work.

Re: Taking low-residency study while on an L-1A visa and working full-time
 

Actually, it doesn't. I worked a 9-5 job M thru F and went to college at night full time. It was hard and I didn't graduate at the top of my class but had a respectable 3.25 average when I was granted my degree.