US increases student visas for Pakistanis

[Neo]

US increases student visas for Pakistanis​

NEW YORK, Feb 16: The US State Department has steadily increased the number of visas granted to students and visitors from Pakistan and two other Muslim countries, a survey conducted by NBC News channel revealed on Saturday. Many counterterrorism experts welcome the increase in visas to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, arguing that exposure to American culture outweighs any possible risk from prospective terrorists.

“Given the fact we have things like biometric data, and more robust efforts around the world to track people of concern, it’s better we take the calculated risk to encourage the elite in these countries to come here,” Bob Grenier, former head of the CIA’s Counter Terrorism Centre told NBC news. “There is a ripple effect in reaching those people we want to reach in those countries.”

NBC examined temporary and student visas granted to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan from 2000 to 2007. Saudi Arabia is Osama bin Laden’s home country, while Egypt is the home country of his deputy, Ayman al Zawahiri. Both men are alleged to be hiding inside Pakistan. Saudis also made up 15 of the 19 hijackers on Sept 11.

Overall, the three countries received 134,015 visas in 2000, before dipping to 34,781 in 2003, the lowest year in recent memory.

Since then, the numbers have risen dramatically, to 109,878 last year, the first year of 100,000 or more visas since 2001. Those numbers represent an 18 per cent drop from the peak year of 2000, but a near tripling since 2003.

The decreases, however, are uneven, with Pakistan down 48.5 per cent, Saudi Arabia down 34.4 per cent and Egypt down the least, at 20.2 per cent.

Officials in the three countries are particularly sensitive about the educational visas.

The reason: The elite in each of those countries — usually the most pro-American segment of society — want their children educated in US colleges and universities.

US increases student visas for Pakistanis -DAWN - Top Stories; February 17, 2008

 

[solid snake]

I changed mine from A2 diplomat visa to F1 student visa in 2006.

 

[EagleEyes]

I changed mine from A2 diplomat visa to F1 student visa in 2006.

Explain the differences please.

And how were you able to do that.

Thanks.

 

[solid snake]

Explain the differences please.

And how were you able to do that.

Thanks.

A2 visa is given to personnel from foreign governments, including those who are in foreign armed forces. So my dad came here for a year, he was given this visa. The family is also eligible for the same visa.

It was given to us for 2 years, and none of us had to go to Islambad for interview like regular people have to. We sent our passports to the US embassy, and they sent them back with the visas on it within 2 days. When we got to the US, we did not have to join the line in customs for foreigners, we got to go through the citizens/permanent resident area.

The A2 visa does not allow family members to work for payment, so my mom worked at an elementary school as a volunteer. It does allow one to study at a college, and my mom took a few courses to boost her career as a teacher in Karachi.

After I finished highschool, I needed to change to student visa, which is designated F1. In this visa you have to go to college full time, ie at least 12 credits per semester and you're allowed to work 20 hrs/week on campus only. You are allowed to work double that amount in summer vacations. You can also ask for permission to work off campus, after finishing the first year of studies.

The feature to work off campus is called Optional Practical Training, which allows a student on this visa to work in America full time for 1 year, any time he wishes, whether after finishing studies or during. I plan on using this after finishing my degree, hopefully I will be able to impress the employer enough to get a green card.

As for how I switched, that was mostly done by my dad before he went home. He got the US National Defense University in Washington DC to write a letter on my behalf, asking the US Immigration authorities to allow me to switch my visa to continue my studies in the US, and it was apporved. One problem for me is that since the US embassy in Islamabad put the A2 visa on my passport, it is still on my passport, as the swtich to F1 only changed the I-539 on my passport.

This means that if I leave the US, I cannot come back in without going to the Islamabad embassy, and getting the F1 visa stamped on my passport. So I can't go to Canada during spring break and come back. I will have to go back this summer and get the F1 visa stamped on my passport.

 

[khanz]

haha we should go there and colonize the place