Staying in the US after finishing university

[Marilia]

Hello everyone,

I was thinking of applying to some universities in the US next year, but I'm not sure what to do when I finish university.

I'm not from North America, I'm from Brazil so I was wondering , is it easy to get a citizenship or is it easy to stay if I finish university there?

Does finishing university make it easier for me to stay there in the US later on ?

I'm not sure if this is in the right section, I just have some doubt

Thanks

[bader]

I think you are right, it is easier to stay if you finish university there. Check online I'm sure you will find a bunch of information about this.

[difiCa]

Legally you cannot stay for very long in the US after finishing university without applying for a new visa and obtaining it. Unless you're very lucky or wealthy (investor permanent residency), my guess is that four years isn't enough to get permanent residency in the US. However, if you apply for a job and get one, you should be eligible for a H-1 type visa in most cases. Just keep in mind that until the point you obtain permanent residency you will have to make sure you renew your visa every time you change conditions (e.g go from uni to work or vice versa or switch employers). For more information on options, you should see the local U.S. embassy websites and the immigration office's site.

EDIT: Oh, and finishing university will not necessarily make it easier but will obviously mean you will be eligible for permanent residency sooner, and the higher your education level, the easier obtaining H visas is. As far as I know, however, it does not matter which country you are educated in and unless you have permanent residency, the immigration documents policy is the same regardless of your country of education.

Edited May 12, 2013 by difiCa