<p>All right, Captain–I’ll accept that.</p>
<p>I appreciated you spelling all the ramifiications out. Katsuii mentioned on another thread that the parent(s) had come on a student visa and never left. And I heartily agree that Katsuii should seek a lawyer.</p>
<p>There are ways to become legal. I just don’t know Katsuii’s specific circumstances and whether it would be advantageous for him to do so right now, instead of after being in college. DOn’t know the ramifications to his parents either. So yes, he needs to talk to an attorney. By lawyer hopping --go get a free consult, absorb the info, look up some things, then get another free consult from a different lawyer for additional questions, one can get a good picture of what the options are at no cost except for time and effort. </p>
<p>THough some things have loosened up for those who have been here in the US for a while, but are now undocumented, in some ways it’s become even more limited. Some years ago, you could legally get a SSN, you could get a drivers license or state id, and then a job. Now they want proof of status many times, and verification of SSNs have tightened up. So a lot of doors have been shut even as others have opened. But Katsuii needs to have the options laid out for him to make an informed decision. As I stated before, he likely could get college money, college education. I know a number of young people in his very predicament. Getting certain jobs, those that are not under the table in terms of wages, is where it starts getting dicey. Also health care. Yes, emergency care is provided regardless of insurance status as well as care for life threatening conditions. But you need something that isn’t quite there , but serious nonetheless, it can be a big problem. </p>
<p>I probably sound curt, but I am also taking time and writing an awful lot on this as it is. Not making judgements here, but trying to give the options which is what counts</p>
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the parent(s) had come on a student visa and never left AND if your visa expired = illegally</p>
<p>So is your visa expired?</p>
<p>How did your family come to this country? did you come on a Visitors Visa and then never leave (did you come on vacation or to visit family and never left)? A Student Visa (did a parent go to school here and then never left)? </p>
<p>If so, then the visa was for a limited specified time, your family was supposed to leave, the allowed time expired, and at that point, your family was here illegally. </p>
<p>It doesn’t sound like your family snuck across the border, but that is how many are illegally here.</p>
<p>what does your dad do for a living? It’s unusual for an illegal to be able to earn that much money. </p>
<p>Your case is so unusual since it sounds like your dad has a good job, likely your parents have drivers licenses, and so forth. </p>
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@thumper1 my mom claims that she tried to but couldn’t get any support and failed… I’m not sure if I believe her or not… she had 9 years.</p>
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<p>Maybe what your mom means that your family needed to have a “financial sponsor” for them to get a green card. We expect people to either support themselves or show that an American will support them. That is so we don’t bring in people who will just become burdens on society. </p>
<p>I want to add that being a legal international student is no panacea either. It’s not as though there is a huge pot of financial aid out there for international students. Some schools flat out do not give any financial aid to international students, federal and state aid is not available to them. So going back to ones country and applying as an international student to colleges does not mean more financial aid. </p>
<p>It’s not just the illegal status that is the road block to aid. FAFSA can only be filled out by citizens, permanent residents and a small category of exceptions. The same with certain other policies and aid. As I’ve brought up a number of times, the colleges are not focused on legal/illegal status in this country. IT’s a matter of being eligible for federal, state, other aid that requires citizenship, residency or some other requirement that internationals whether living here in this country or not. </p>
<p>okay , to clear things up. I am here legally. My parents came here with a student visa, my mom went to school for i think 6 years. 4 years and 2 years of ESL. And after graduating, she gotten this form that let her get a job for a year. After that, we renewed our student VISA and was handed down to my father, now he goes to school for ESL.
My dad’s brother-in-law is kind of a wealthy man and he helps us financially. We’re very close to him. But neither of my parents have a job. </p>
<p>I haven’t talked to my mother about this and I probably should but I don’t know how to bring up the subject… Because it seems to me she’s pretty confident that she can pay off all the fees of college.</p>
<p>We even renewed our home country’s passport earlier this summer.</p>
<p>I guess i haven’t really said my native country. If it helps to you guys, it’s South Korea</p>
<p>If the parents came here on a student visa…then how are they working here now?</p>
<p>I have to guess that there is some agency in the area in which this student resides where some immigration assistance can be had. </p>
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OP, your thread’s title is misleading. It took 70 postings to clarify your status!</p>
<p>Forget DACA, you could attend school like your parents - student visa and no aid from US governments.</p>
<p>I wonder when OP is no longer considered a minor child by State Department and would need own visa?
<a href=“http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/study-exchange/student.html”>http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/study-exchange/student.html</a></p>
<p>^I think OP would need student visa in order to attend colleges / universities; regardless his / her age</p>
<p>Yes, my mother told me that I will be going back to South Korea to get a student visa and come back to America to attend my college. Sorry if i wasn’t clear, I apologize. This is all new to me.</p>
<p>Well, as I said earlier, it’s not like you are going to get a whole lot more money available as an international student. Still can’t file FAFSA, and so any awards that require it are not going to be available. Most colleges don’t bother to distinguish between those here legally and not. It’s a matter of whether you are a citizen/permanent resident or not. Also some schools are not need blind in admissions for international students. </p>
<p>No jobs but income of $72K a year? You need to talk to your parents about how much they can pay for your college. </p>
<p>The student needs a DIFFERENT visa. He can’t go to college on his current visa. He can ONLY go to K-12 on his current visa. </p>
<p>He still is NOT eligible for domestic aid.</p>
<p>Wait, quick question. When I am applying for schools, I complete the international student application correct? </p>
<p>Please give consistent info. In your FIRST post, you wrote that your dad earns $70k per year. WHY did you write that if they don’t have jobs??? Or does he work under the table for your uncle?</p>
<p>Yes, you are an int’l. But you will need to get your Visa changed…and THAT can take 6 months, so do NOT wait. There is a student here on CC whose “change in visa” didn’t come thru in time for fall classes, so he has to wait. He went to high school here, and lives here. </p>