# I want my 7 y.o. son to attend elementary sch in USA



## chanelicia (Dec 14, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I am from Singapore and I feel our education system here is not what it used to be. I would like my son to be exposed to the US elementary education system and would like to ask your friendly advice on how this would work as in, his student visa would need to be accompanied by a older parent (and what visa would that be on?) and also what are documents should I get prepared?

 Thank you so much in advance. have a great day.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

There is no "parent visa". Your child can attend public or private school in the US as your dependent. Exchange programs are available on a high school/college/university level.

Read through the stickies and/or use the search option for US visa. The basics are US employer, internal transfer, investment, marriage, family reunion, diversity lottery. Which do you on a personal and/or professional basis qualify for?

Have you looked into the option of a private or international school in Singapore?


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## chanelicia (Dec 14, 2010)

_Hi twostep, I don't qualify for any visa since I can't find any visa that suits me. But I would like my son to have an elementary educ in USA. 
_


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chanelicia said:


> _Hi twostep, I don't qualify for any visa since I can't find any visa that suits me. But I would like my son to have an elementary educ in USA.
> _



From what I can gather, your only chance would be an "American" or an International school in your own country. I dont think that he can simply be sent to America or that you can both go simply because you want to???! I think "twostep" was trying to see if you could go there on a visa - which would be the only way

Jo xxx


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## chanelicia (Dec 14, 2010)

_Hi, yes fair enough, i understand wat twostep and u mean ... I was under the impression that the US would be a bit like Australia, where u can send your children for studies but because they are 15 and below, they would need to be accompanied by a guardian or a legal parent who r issued with the "guardian" visa. I want my child to attend a private school in USA. I guess I would need to contact the schools there directly. It's not the same as attending international schools in my country, the reason which I think is fairly obvious is that I want my son to be exposed to international cultures, which u can't get being immersed in an international curriculum amidst a local setting. _


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chanelicia said:


> _Hi, yes fair enough, i understand wat twostep and u mean ... I was under the impression that the US would be a bit like Australia, where u can send your children for studies but because they are 15 and below, they would need to be accompanied by a guardian or a legal parent who r issued with the "guardian" visa. I want my child to attend a private school in USA. I guess I would need to contact the schools there directly. It's not the same as attending international schools in my country, the reason which I think is fairly obvious is that I want my son to be exposed to international cultures, which u can't get being immersed in an international curriculum amidst a local setting. _


If you have a close relative in the USA, then the schools might accept him as he could live with them - I dont know about boarding schools. I dont think that simply getting him into a school (even if they did agree to accept him) will give you the right to live there too- It doesnt work that way. There may be a way if you really do have unlimited savings (millionaire status?) and can prove that you are in a position to live comfortably in the US without the need to work or use their social security systems. But I dont know. Entering and living the USA isnt easy for anyone and I'm sure that if it was as easy as wanting your child to have a US education then 100000000s of people would do that

Jo xxx


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## chanelicia (Dec 14, 2010)

Yeah, it's okay, I don't have the millionaire status but that shouldn't and won't stop me from doing what I think is the best for my son. Billions of people may not have the same dream that I have and that's why they are not in the US educating their children. Entering the US may be a lot of hassle and all but I guess determination, some hardearned savings and sincerity count. Anyway, 'nuff said.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

chanelicia said:


> Yeah, it's okay, I don't have the millionaire status but that shouldn't and won't stop me from doing what I think is the best for my son. Billions of people may not have the same dream that I have and that's why they are not in the US educating their children. Entering the US may be a lot of hassle and all but I guess determination, some hardearned savings and sincerity count. Anyway, 'nuff said.



Your wishes are absolutely irrelevant when it comes to uscis.gov. Immigration rules and regulations apply to everybody who wants to enter the US. 

Only qualified institutions can support student visas which will have to be approved by the respective US Consulat. These visas are issued for the purpose of cultural exchange. 

Public and private schools require certain documentation upon annual enrollment of a student. This goes from vacination to proof of legal residence. You cannot show up with a child, send it to school and hang out in the US:>)


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Basically, for a boarding school, you would get your son a student visa and the school itself would serve as his guardian while he was in the US.

To my knowledge, there is no such thing as a "guardian" visa for a minor. You would have to qualify for a visa separately - normally by getting a job with your employer serving as your sponsor. Then, your son would accompany you on a dependent's visa. 

You could, I suppose try for a student visa for yourself (assuming you were interested in studying for a degree at the same time) or look into one of the "investment visas" for those willing to invest a significant amount of money in a US based business. But in those cases, yours would be the primary visa, with your son on a dependent visa.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

jojo said:


> If you have a close relative in the USA, then the schools might accept him as he could live with them - I dont know about boarding schools. I dont think that simply getting him into a school (even if they did agree to accept him) will give you the right to live there too- It doesnt work that way. There may be a way if you really do have unlimited savings (millionaire status?) and can prove that you are in a position to live comfortably in the US without the need to work or use their social security systems. But I dont know. Entering and living the USA isnt easy for anyone and I'm sure that if it was as easy as wanting your child to have a US education then 100000000s of people would do that
> 
> Jo xxx


Boarding school is a very unlikely option. Especially considering the age and the need for a visa.
Relatives do not qualify to enroll a child in school unless they are legal guardians.
500k invested at risk is the only "$ visa". Investment visas come with regular audits and renewals plus dependents are only included until they are 21.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Take a look at this

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/am...ica/30374-looking-live-america-will-help.html

Jo xxx


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## chanelicia (Dec 14, 2010)

Bevdeforges said:


> Basically, for a boarding school, you would get your son a student visa and the school itself would serve as his guardian while he was in the US.
> 
> To my knowledge, there is no such thing as a "guardian" visa for a minor. You would have to qualify for a visa separately - normally by getting a job with your employer serving as your sponsor. Then, your son would accompany you on a dependent's visa.
> 
> ...


_Hello Bev, thank you for your reply which is the only one that is not having a go at me for asking a simple query. I regret actually posting my query here b/c twostep and jojo (the moderators) have not really explained the matter objectively and try to provide some sarcastic answers. Yes now I know there is no guardian visa for USA, I thought initially that there might be before posting my query on this forum but since I did not get any relevant answers to my query, I did some checking on my own since. Btw, the guardian visa is offered to the accompanying parents/caretakers of international students who are below 15 or 16 (I can't remember) and who have obtained a place to study in Australia. It is a simple procedure to study in Australia for international students, whether their parents need any other sort of visa, that doesn't matter b/c they are issued with the guardian visa, which btw does not allow them to work. 

Perhaps u may b interested in this link which has the info to what I am talking abt: Study in Australia | Victorian Government Schools_


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## theresoon (Apr 11, 2008)

Have you looked into boarding school options?


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## chanelicia (Dec 14, 2010)

_no not really mayb i will look into that, thank you. _


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## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

twostep said:


> Boarding school is a very unlikely option. Especially considering the age and the need for a visa.
> Relatives do not qualify to enroll a child in school unless they are legal guardians.
> 500k invested at risk is the only "$ visa". Investment visas come with regular audits and renewals plus dependents are only included until they are 21.


That is not true about having to be a legal guardian. Qualifications for enrolling in schools varies all over the place. I personally know of several kids that were registered in schools by people that were not their legal guardians. Most private schools don't care as long as the student qualifies academically and somebody pays the tuition. Enrollment in public schools also varies a great deal depending on the state and school district. There are thousands of students attending school in the US that are NOT legal residents of the US.


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