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Even though it is feasible to bring family members and dependents to the US on a student visa, there are stringent rules and a lengthy application process.
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Here is all the information you require on bringing family members into the US with your student visa.
Applying for a visa
Your university must issue an I-20 form in order for you to apply for a visa for your dependents or relatives. The university needs proof of identification, including a copy of your passport, as well as extra financial statements that demonstrate how you support your dependents. You should contact your university’s international student office or international admissions team first because they often handle requests for I-20 forms.
Once you have these documents, your family members should apply for the appropriate visa category based on your relationship to them.
International students can add an F-2 visa application for each member of their family after applying for an F-1 visa if they want to bring their spouse or child to the US. The F-2 visa is a derivative visa category, so you can apply for it together with your own student visa and have the same amount of time to remain as you do.
Any consulate will need to see documentation of your family ties, such as a marriage license or birth certificate.
Only the legal spouse and children of F-1 and M-1 students may apply for the F-2 and M-2 visas. When it comes to U.S. visas, family members who are not your spouse and children are not given the same consideration. If you have not legally wed, your live-in domestic partner, for instance, will not be eligible for an F-2 visa.
Such family members, however, might not be utterly abandoned. Children who are married or older than 21 are I Parents, siblings, fiancé, and children over the age of 21 who are traveling to the US with you on a student visa must first apply for a B-2 guest visa/tourist visa. With these visas, family members are only permitted to stay in the US for a maximum of six months, and you must also present documentation establishing your family ties.
Your family members and every other candidate for a U.S. visa must demonstrate that they do not pose a risk to the country’s security, health, or other vital interests. Even if the other family members’ visas are approved, if one of your family members is discovered to be inadmissible, that person’s visa may be rejected.
Checklist for applying for a visa for family members
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Each member of your family will need to be equally as cautious as you are to prepare a thorough application, even though their visa applications depend on yours. If your spouse or children don’t submit a sufficient application, are ineligible, or don’t seem likely to return to your home country, their visa requests may be denied. The following documents are needed for every family member traveling with you:
The cost implications
Family members must show proof of sufficient money to maintain themselves during their stay when applying for dependent visas.
To issue an I-20 form, the US International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) needs proof of support up to the amount of $4,500 per year for a spouse and $2,500 per child.
The cost of living in the US is increasing, so even though this is the very minimum you must demonstrate, conduct your study to come up with an accurate estimate of how much money you will need to pay for rent, food, and other costs.
Additionally, dependents must demonstrate that they will be going home after the F-1 student’s schooling is finished. This can be shown by making a reservation for a return flight.
However, dependents of overseas students are not allowed to work under the F-2 visa requirements and will not be given a social security number, even though they may be able to locate on-campus jobs or take on some work.
Upon the completion of your study, you can apply for a permanent residence and through that you can subsequently get your family to stay permanently.