5 ways for international students to settle in the US after graduation

an international students settle in the US after graduation?

Most international students after finishing their studies in the US wish to continue to settle and work long-term in the home country. However, according to the law, international students are not allowed to settle in the US. You can only reside in the US during your studies or can stay for a short period of time if you apply for a visa extension.

Specifically, international students have the right to stay for a certain period of time. If using an F1 visa, international students can stay for an additional 60 days. With M-1 and J-1 visas, the additional residence period is 30 days. After the allowed period expires, international students are required to return to their home country.

However, there are still some ways for international students to legally settle in the US. In that case, you need to wait quite a long time and do many relatively complicated procedures and documents.

How international students can immigrate to the US with a high success rate

Apply for a nonimmigrant work visa

This is a settlement method for international students in the US with a very high success rate, for international students who wish to stay in the US after completing their study program but do not want to continue participating in another training program. There are 2 forms of visa application for this type: H-1B visa and O-1 visa with specific criteria as follows:

H-1B Visa

The visa duration is 3 years, extendable up to 6 years. The conditions for applying for an H-1B visa are as follows:

• Get a job at a company in the US. The employer will be the sponsor and take care of your US green card.
• Bachelor's degree after studying abroad
• Work and operate in industries related to the field of study in the US.

However, this is not a good way for international students to settle in the US. Because the competition rate for the H-1B visa is very high. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people apply for this visa, but the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) only reviews 85,000 applications. The program is usually held in early April with a processing time of at least 3 months. If you find a job and meet the company's requirements, they will help you complete the procedures for applying for a green card.

The competition for international students to immigrate to the US with an H-1B visa is quite high because of the large number of applications.

O-1 Visa

The competition rate for the O-1 visa is not high, because the standards are high and difficult to apply for, so not many people participate in this category. The condition for the application to be approved is that the candidate must have special talents and strengths, such as outstanding achievements in scientific research or outstanding talents in music, painting, sports, etc.

The percentage of international students who meet the criteria for an O-1 visa is very low. Because you must be an influential individual, active in your field in the US.

The procedures for international students to settle in the US under these two categories are quite complicated and troublesome. Students who have not graduated are definitely not eligible, even those who have graduated and worked at Google or Facebook do not have an easy time getting a visa.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) Program

The next way for international students to settle in the US is to study under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which can be understood as the Optional Practical Training program with the purpose of staying and working. You can work temporarily for up to 1 year in the field you study when you are an F-1 visa student. After completing the course and applying for OPT, you will be granted 1 year of OPT training based on the level you complete. Only international students on an F-1 visa are eligible to apply for OPT if they have at least 9 months of full-time study in the US.

Another important requirement of this way of studying abroad in the US is that students must have a DSO from the school by law, which is a person who supports and manages international students.

Each individual participating in the OPT program will have a maximum temporary residence period of 12 months. You can choose to study and apply for OPT to work outside. This time will be deducted from the permitted residence period of 12 months. The advice for you is to prepare the OPT application 3 months before the end of the study program to avoid waiting for the application to be processed. Many unfortunate cases were forced to return home because they did not apply for OPT in time.

The best way for international students to settle in the US today – EB3 visa

Currently, the best way for international students to settle in the US is to change their status from an F1 visa. This is considered the best way for international students to settle in the US because international students can change their status directly while still studying at school.

Reputable service providers will find for international students employers/recruiting businesses that are recruiting for positions in the field you are studying. With the foundation of studying in a specialized educational environment, international students settling in the US with an EB3 visa will belong to the Skilled Worker field.

How international students immigrate to the US under the EB5 investment program

This is a rather expensive way for international students to settle in the US, requiring strong financial capacity. In return, the application review process is quite easy and quick. The minimum EB5 investment must be more than 800,000 USD. This is a settlement program that the US government favors for investors to attract foreign capital.

In addition, the application also comes with a number of conditions such as: legal residence in the US, good and stable health, valid I-20 form, no criminal record, commitment to work full-time or long-term in the US, etc.

Of course, the benefits that applicants receive are also proportional to the amount of money they have spent. Investors who receive an EB5 visa will be free to enter and exit the country. Applicants have the right to sponsor their relatives to the US. They also enjoy the same benefits as US citizens, except for the right to vote, etc. If international students have economic strength, this way of settling down is not a bad choice, it is fast, convenient and also enjoys many privileges.

EB5 Visa is a rather expensive way for international students to settle in the US but brings many long-term benefits.

However, the benefits that investors receive are proportional to the amount of money they spend. Investors will receive EB5. That privilege is freedom in immigration. At the same time, they have the right to sponsor their relatives to come to the US. They have all the same rights as US citizens. Therefore, any international student with economic strength can settle in this form. It is fast, convenient and enjoys many privileges that are not inferior to native Americans.

Settle in the US by marrying a US citizen

The way for international students to settle in the US by getting married is chosen by many people, it can be said that this is the fastest way to help them settle legally. You must register your marriage in the United States according to the law here. If your application is approved, you are eligible to apply for a green card, change your visa or register for permanent residency status. To apply for a green card, the following procedures are required: The application for sponsorship of a spouse is sent to USCIS and waits for an interview according to the scheduled appointment.

However, this is not a really good way to settle in the US. Because in recent years, the US Immigration & Naturalization Service has been extremely sensitive to cases of marriage of international students. Because there are too many cases of fake marriage taking advantage of getting green cards/citizenship from international students (sadly, cases in Vietnam are being strictly checked). Therefore, there will be unreasonable procedural requirements from USCIS for these situations, even if you cannot prove that it is true, you will have a lot of trouble later.

Each of the above mentioned ways for international students to settle in the US will have its own advantages and disadvantages, but they are all ways to help you reach the opportunity to settle permanently in the US. You should consider choosing the form of settlement application that suits your and your family's conditions. But remember to choose legal ways. However, the EB5 visa settlement method is still the most optimal and stable method if international students and their families want to settle here.