<p>I'm a prospective grad. student in one American college. I currently hold a business/tourist B-1 visa (for grad. visit purpose on March 2012), I got it for 5-yrs term (which is surprising). </p>
<p>My concern is do I need to change it to student visa (F-1) when they send me an i-20? Because the process to get another visa is really lengthy and I HAVE TO pay a non-refundable $100!</p>
<p>I'd rather save the money to buy other things if I actually don't need to change, since the purpose of visa is to let non-US enter America legally, and I alrdy get 5-yrs entry!</p>
<p>Can anyone pls give me suggestion on this issue?</p>
<p>Visas let you enter and remain in the country for a specific purpose. B-1 visas are for business visitors, not for full-time students and not for anyone seeking employment (e.g. as a TA or research assistant or for summer internships). </p>
<p>You’d be violating your B-1 visa if you used it to go to grad school. Consequences, among other things, are that you might get deported and become ineligible for future visas to the US.</p>
<p>You also can’t enter the US to study on a b1 visa. Your visa is clearance for entry, not a permit of stay. The legality of your stay in the us is determined by the length of stay stated on the i20. Which has to be stamped by an immigration officer, who won’t stamp it unless you come on an f1. Which essentially would mean you have no rights or legality in America.</p>
<p>That said, does anybody know if an intl grad student with an RA/TAship gets an F1 or a J1 or an H1B? Or is the TA/RAship covered as on-campus <20 hr/week job as included in F1 status?</p>
You are right: grad students get an F-1 or J-1 visa, and their RA/TA positions fall under the part-time on-campus work permit of their student visa. H-1Bs are for full-time employees only.</p>