jujubea

Here's the FAM. This is the Visa officer's bible for adjudication, no more, no less. These are the exact laws and guidelines we read and were beholden to to make our decisions: https://fam.state.gov/

Ah, I think you are going to be OK actually. You should find the FAM (foreign affairs manual?) online and find the section about criminal convictions and/or J2 eligibility. From my days at State, SENTENCING of the crime actually has a big impact on whether the visa (of any kind) is issuable. No jail-time is a very good sign. You can actually find the specifics -- the numbers even -- of all this in the FAM. Also go ahead and get a hold of the court records if you can, and anything that explains the circumstances. You and he will also be able to verbally explain the circumstances. Unless you have a dick visa officer (they exist) or something else you don't know about your partner's record, I would bet you guys will be fine.

@TakeruK .. I couldn't link you in my other post... i dunno !

Are you already in the US? If you're already in the US on a student visa I think that can be qualified as OPT. You cannot work on a B1/B2 visa. Depending on what type of internship it is (are you a research asst?) then you may qualify as J1. There are a few Canadians on here who may be able to help you better I think @TakeruK is one of them...

Ahhh thanks for fixing that typo By good fortune I literally just received an email notifying me of acceptance Yay! ...Oh, crap, now I actually have to write the thing!

bugging the poop outta me I can't fix the typo in the title hahaha... cue smartass answer from someone...

Do conference organizers typically notify you of rejection in addition to acceptance? The first and only other conference I've applied to accepted my proposal, but the second conference was supposed to make decisions by end of Feb, and I haven't heard anything back. Wondering if it's a silent rejection? This is humanities...

Getting around Goleta and to campus from Goleta and even Santa Barbara is totally doable, most do it, in fact. On campus housing for grads is around $800 for your room in a multi-room apartment. Everyone buses and rides bikes and skateboards. You also get special bus passes (free and discounted). If you're looking at housing right now, that's why it looks thin. Come May/June, it'll open back up cuz everyone starts moving again.

Just let your love and enthusiasm for your friends and family come through you honestly when you answer that question. Sounds typical. Interview sounds long actually. Haha. If you have a document good through August and the next one begins in September you will technically be OK. I might consult DHS though (you will not get in trouble). The F-1 visa is for entry -- so your ENTRY visa has expired, which is fine. Unless you do want to leave the USA and come back, in which case you will need to reapply for a visa, and should be NBD since you've already shown and proved that you used your original visa for what you intended (to study). To me this sounds like high likelihood of intention to immigrate -- you're both from countries where same-sex marriage is not allowed, and so you could be seeking refuge in the US. I would not reveal your sexuality or intention to marry during the interview. However, once you ARE married in the US (however you guys do that, I'm not sure... how will your partner get their initial visa to come get married? B1/B2?), that marriage is absolutely recognized and she would qualify for J2. You will, I imagine, continually run into the issue of proving that neither of you intend to seek permanent refuge (intention to immigrate) from oppression in your home countries, unless it is only a legal technicality and not a major social issue where you're both from. Answer to your last question is yes, she can apply to do this without returning, although may not be successful (up to officer's discretion as far as I know.... though I was never a DHS person so those laws are less clear to me).

I'm working on a CFP right now -- reviewed the guidelines and it says "Do not include name of coauthors or references in the abstract". Does that mean I cannot reference particular scholars in the abstract? This would be really difficult, as my work is about addressing specific scholars' gaps...

Well what's keeping you where you are (or makes you want to go back) not on paper?

I can't make any suggestions. I can tell you that I personally would look on it as suspicious to see someone from a currently unstable country applying for a US visa from a third country though It's unfair but I'm just telling you how I would probably view it. This must be really frustrating for you -- I am so sorry I would DEFinitely take the internship in S.A. though. Once you have time there in your passport, AND return to Turkey ... that can look good to a VO -- it would to me.

It means you get the master's en route to the PhD. Santa Barbara is like this.

Have you followed up with him at all during the three months? He might have totally forgotten. You should check in. Sounds rough guys -- this is the worst patch I think. Hang in there! Best of luck!!!

You will have to repay the SEVIS fee if it has been an entire calendar year since you paid the first one, yes.

What is the conviction precisely? How long ago did it occur? What was his age at the time of commission? Was it considered a misdemeanor or felony equivalent in his country? Would it be a misdemeanor or felony in the US? What was the punishment EXACTLY (fine - how much? jail time - how long? community service - how many hours? etc). These are all important factors. As to first Q, ask the international student advisor, the program advisor, and a faculty member you're already in touch with at the school, whether they issue forms for J-1 or F-1 visas, and whether they have any flexibility in choosing. I recommend asking all three point of contact, at least, because you will likely get different answers.

Just confirming what has been said already is also what I understand to be true, on all counts.

Are you opposed to applying to combined Master's and PhD programs?

1 - All of them because I only applied to a few and they were all relatively close to me. One school I visited twice -- the year before I applied, and the year I applied. 2 - I emailed 2-3 professors at each school. I gave an introduction of myself (slightly braggy), and said why I was interested in their work. I also asked a few whether they were taking on students as advisees during what would be my incoming year. 3 - I had a strange case. I applied to two completely different fields. I actually only applied to one religion program, because it was the only one that met all my needs and that I stood a chance at. Thank God (ha) I got in! By emailing professors at the other Religion programs I considered, I discovered they weren't as good of matches as I'd thought they were.

Hey how are you guys all doing? Hang in there! Just stalking your thread a little. I just got into my program last year. Application season was painful! Good luck to you all!

Whoa!!! This is really interesting advice! I'm going to try it!

Sounds like your ducks are in a row. What's your next step?

I didn't think this was going to happen until much later. I just. can't. read. another. page. I sit down to read and I get through maybe a few lines before my brain goes elsewhere, or my eyes are like STOP. JUST STOP READING. And they get all gritty and heavy so fast. My brain is tired of it. It feels like I've been overfed but I am still trying to eat more -- LOTS more, every day. My courseload is not that rough this term but for some reason I haven't been able to read very well. I am supposed to be reading 3-4 books a week but can only get through about two, barely. This is with reading for several hours a day! Part of it is that the material is SO BORING to me. Part of it is some minor personal stuff going on in the background. But otherwise, I really have it pretty easy this term. What the heck is going on? Any advice on how to get through reader's block like this?? This has been going on for about three weeks now, worse every week. I've resorted to some skimming, which I begrudge having to do.

(grumbling audibly)... I've been through four PCs in seven years. I finally decided to stop getting "real" PCs and just got a little step up from a netbook for nothing dollars, since it's going to die on me in two years anyway. I back everything up on an external HD now too. Some day a Mac though I think is in order...

Congratulations on your acceptances! What is your top choice of the three? And why? (Be prepared to answer such questions during your interview... no need to rehearse, just think about it and be ready). There is no law that prevents someone who has been refused a B1/B2 visa from getting a student visa. It is however up to the officer's discretion on how they want to consider all the information they have available. I wouldn't sweat it too much, particularly if it were a long time ago. But also be prepared to answer questions about that previous visa application, too. Good luck.