Can I apply for permanent residence in the U.S. with a student visa?

No, you cannot apply for permanent residence in the United States with a student visa. A student visa, also known as a F-1 or M-1 visa, is a non-immigrant visa that allows an individual to enter the U.S. to study at an educational institution. If you want to apply for permanent residence in the U.S. you need to apply for an immigrant visa. There are several ways to obtain an immigrant visa, such as employment, family sponsorship, or a diversity lottery. However, students are not eligible to apply for an immigrant visa through any of these pathways and must find another way to obtain permanent residence. One potential way to apply for permanent residence is by applying for a green card through an employer. After completing your studies, you may be able to find an employer in the U.S. who is willing to sponsor you for a green card. Alternatively, if you are married to a U.S. citizen, you may be able to apply for a green card through marriage. In any case, it is important to note that a student visa does not provide any pathways for obtaining permanent residence. If you wish to remain in the U.S. permanently, you must take steps to apply for an immigrant visa.

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La respuesta a esta pregunta es: en principio, no. Si usted viene a Estados Unidos con una visa estudiantil, ella sólo le permitirá residir en el país temporalmente. Mientras su visa estudiantil esté vigente, usted tendrá un estatus de no inmigrante en Estados Unidos. Mientras este estatus esté vigente, usted no podrá aplicar para la residencia permanente. Por lo tanto, para poder aplicar para la residencia permanente, primero tendrá que cambiar su estatus de no inmigrante a un estatus de inmigrante. Esto puede hacerse solicitando una visa de inmigrante. Una vez que haya recibido su visa de inmigrante, entonces podrá aplicar para la residencia permanente. Pero hay algunas excepciones a esta regla. Por ejemplo, si usted es miembro de la familia de un ciudadano estadounidense o residente permanente, puede aplicar para la residencia permanente incluso con su estatus de no inmigrante. Asimismo, hay algunos programas de inmigración especiales que le permiten a los estudiantes y otros no inmigrantes solicitar la residencia permanente sin necesidad de cambiar su estatus a inmigrante.

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