Students Visa and Challenges of Studying in the US
The United States is open to receive international students into its academic institutions, but this must be done only by applying for the right kind of visa. There are two major students visas available: the F-1 visa and the M-1 visa. The type of studies you choose to go for would determine the kind of visa applicants should apply for.
For students who are applying to study in a US university, college, high school, seminary or even a language training program can apply for the F-1 visa category. While applicants seeking to go for a vocational training program or at an unrecognized institution would apply for the M-1 visa category.
Studying in the US: Challenges
The US, because its houses some of the world’s greatest university, has a high rate of applicants who apply to be admitted into its academic system. After been accepted, these students face some challenges and some of these challenges includes
- Mastering the common language which is English
- Battling homesickness
- Change in their cultural background
- Change in diet and food kinds
- Getting used to the climate
- The cost of education more for non-US citizens
- Restricted work time to 20 hours weekly and on campus, thereby reducing the chances of students been able to earn more to support tuition.
- Financial crux, to mention but a few.
These challenges have been shown to be the major deterrent for immigrants who intend to study in the US.
The Diversity Lottery Visa
The diversity lottery visa is a program also know as the green card lottery was introduced by the United States government in the year 1986 to help diversify the immigrant population in the US. The lottery is administered by the US Department of State and conducted under the Immigration and Nationality Act and makes available 50,000 immigrant visas available to its proposed applicants.
To enter for this lottery, one must be born in an eligible country if selected to qualify for this visa as well as some educational qualification or a skilled labor qualification. Although each year the department publishes new instructions for its applicants. The visa lottery program is distributed among six regions which includes Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania.
In these eligible regions, some countries have been deemed ineligible to apply for the visa lottery for a time due to the fact that in the last 5 years of the program, they have sent more than 50,000 immigrants into the US. From current research, the only African country currently ineligible for the Diversity Lottery Visa is Nigeria.
President Trump, who is more in favor of a new merit-based Green Card program is pushing to end the diversity lottery visa. Whether the Congress will eventually pass Trump’s aggressive immigration bill remains to be seen.
Immigrant Friendly States in the US
California, described as a sanctuary state has been ranked to be the most immigrant friendly state in the United States. Because of its large investment in agriculture, it relies so much on immigrants to carry out labor. The state has even gone so far as to allowing illegal immigrants obtain drivers licenses and have sanctuary cities and counties. It is estimated that 6% of the California population are undocumented immigrants. Although it’s an expensive place to live in, the California state senate passed a bill that provides greater legal protection for its immigrants.
Source: US Department of States
Patrick Eronmwonse Ogbekhilu
Afrikagora Magazine
