@twoinanddone your daughter had an immediate relative who was a citizen.
This student is residing abroad with his family, and is a citizen of another country. Please explain how someone in that situation would get an immediate green card.
They obtained it through the lottery (Diversity Visa Program, Bangladesh does belong) ? And they need to be in the U.S. to receive it? I can see that scenario. It would make sense for them to think the parents can start their lives here while their son returns to his home country to finish high school there, and only come back when he’s ready for college.
Still too much assumption on the part of the OP, in my opinion.
Yes, he “could” receive it through the lottery. But he might not.
The student may have an immediate relative too, bring over more members of the family. They may also be in the process of getting the green cards now, and will not come until they are issued (expected in Dec?). Many people do not come to the US until they have the green cards because they can’t afford to live here until they have the card and can work. That was my niece’s husband’s situation. He lived in Canada, applied for his green card, and then waited for it before coming to the US. Obviously much easier to do from Canada than Bangladesh, but really the same process. Apply, wait, come when green card available.
@thumper1, No, I meant they already won the green card lottery, at which point they’re given a certain amount of time to get ready to emigrate. It sounds like they may have to move here by the end of the year, hence the December arrival. When they’re here, and they’ve established domicile, they then receive the actual cards (before you get the actual card, you get a stamp in your passport.)
To,you folks more knowledgeable.
So if this student gets his green card…and then returns to Bangladesh for a couple of years to finiah school…would this affect his immigration status at all?
S/he cannot do that. Green card holders have to be in the US at least six months per year. Basically s/he needs to attend school in the US. Attending for both 11th and 12th likely helps the most.
And I gather her parents would also need to be here too for those six months…if they were green card holders?
Regardless…this would not qualify the student for instate residency unless they finished high school in the U.S.,.and their parents resided here as well for whatever length of time it takes to actually establish residency.
There are so many unanswered questions here – OP, you’re in 12th grade?
Why do you need to finish your high school in Bangladesh (even if that were legally possible, which according to MYOS isn’t)
Why not enroll in a public (free) high school when your family moves here in December?
Different standards. “Green card holder” is a federal immigration status. Instate tuition, parents’ residence, time, etc. are state issues. A green card holder could live in NY for 4 months, Mississippi for 5 months, etc., and never qualify for tuition at a reduced rate but still be in compliance with the green card rules.
I don’t know if there are different rules for a minor whose parents are in the country but the minor is living elsewhere (for school, to live with grandparents) but I would not mess with the USCIS and their interpretation of the rules. Just move to the US and stay here.
My father has an immediate relative in the US (my aunt) and she is sponsoring us.
Yes I am making a lot of assumptions. We haven’t had our visa interview yet (next month). I heard we’ll have around 6 months to go to the US before the visa expires. So December is the earliest estimate (because me and my siblings have tests in November).
I will have to return for 3-4 months to attend the higher secondary board exam. Classes will end in November and the exam starts on April 1st. I will be finished with the exam by the end of May.
I’m almost done with high school that’s why I don’t want to do it again.
The green card is supposed to be sent to the address we provided in the DS-260 form within 2 months of a successful interview. And we won’t be going within two months.
EXCEPT that if you finish 12th grade in your country you get nothing by moving to the US. You can start working any low skill job for a year till you establish residency.
(Unless the exams make you graduate from 10th grade. But if those are “college”/12th grade DO NOT take them if you want to attend college in the US and be considered instate.)
So, don’t take the November exams, or the April exams. Move to the US, go to secondary school here, take the tests here, build a GPA here over one or two years, the time it takes. If you’re advanced in some subjects you may take them at a local college for free through dual enrollment but basically don’t go through the rigamarole of moving back and forth for exams, risking your green card, and losing your right at a free education.
Note that the immigration rules have been in flux and sponsoring next of kin has become something the new administration (government) wants to cancel. So, if you travel back, you may end up stuck in Bangladesh with your family in nys. Process the papers efficiently and come here, if possible by the first week of September.
What about somewhat selective private schools? The ones with near 100% waivers? Couldn’t I try for those? And maybe take some loans? Would that be a bad idea?
And I can get federal aid even if I complete 12th grade here, right?
What is your SAT or ACT score? It’s nice to think about those schools that meet full need (btw…not call “waivers” as these are based on your family income and assets and the completion of the CSS Profile form…and FAFSA if you have a green card).
Those generous schools are much more than “somewhat selective”. They are VERY selective.
You have to get ACCEPTED to these schools. 90% of applicants who apply to the most generous schools do NOT get accepted. That is your first hurdle. In that 90% are mostly extremely well qualified applicants.
Are you also looking at less expensive college options near you? You should be.
Federal aid…max…would be the Direct Loan which is $5500 for freshman year…and if your family is low income…the Pell Grant and the max for that is $5900. That $11,400 total…which will NOT fund a four year residential college in this country…even at instate rates.
Loans for the additional amount? That would be a HUGE amount of private loans IF you can get them.
You have a plan to finish high school in Bangladesh, but we’re advising you that you’d be in a better position to finish in the US. It’s easier to plan a transition to college from a US high school. We are also advising you to check the rules on the Green Card carefully. You must spend 6 months of the year in the US. You can’t keep going back to finish high school.
Your question is can you get a grant or scholarship to cover tuition is you don’t have a gpa the colleges can recognize. No. So the colleges will try to evaluate the school and grades you have. If you have a very high SAT score, they will rely heavily on that.
In the US, fall is the beginning of the school year - the best time to move here. If you are under 18 and haven’t graduated from high school, you’ll be placed in the appropriate grade and go from there.
You can try for the schools that meet 100% of need, but they are the most difficult to get into. If you follow your plan, and don’t get into Harvard or Amherst or another such school, what is your plan? Finishing high school here will give you more options.