is a visitor visa required??

[jlelmore]

Hi, just wondering if anyone knows if my girlfriend will need a visitor visa when she comes to the US for school. She will have an F-1 student visa when she comes. However I believe you are only allowed to enter the US 30 days prior to the start of the school. But we are planning on going on vacation during the summer. She's planning on coming right after she finishes school in Germany. Will a visitor visa be required for her to come here earlier than 30 days? Or can she just come on her student visa? Any information will be helpful and greatly appreciated.
Also, on our vacation we will be leaving the US for a day. We're taking a 2 day 1 night cruise to the Bahama's. Will she be allowed to do that? What will she need to present in order to return to the US? Or will it even matter if it is just for one day? Again any information is helpful and greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Joey

[peace]

WHAT NATIONALITY IS SHE? She does not need a visitor visa for a short visit (less than 90 days) if she has a German passport. They can admit her on a visa waiver ; she will have to specify to the inspector that she is here for a short pleasure visit and that she will be entering again on her existing F-1, 30 days prior to her curriculum. The inspector will stamp a B2 classficiation ( visitor) on an
I-94 w card and a date before which she must leave US. After your vacation, she can go back to germany and enter US again for her studies on her F-1 visa .

About going to bahamas, she will have to
explain the inspector again about her visitor entry while reentering US from bahamas.

[jlelmore]

ok thanks. Yes she is German nationality. Well, she didnt plan on leaving again before she started school. Well what does she need to be able to come early? Ok well the vacation thing isnt a big deal, we just need to know what she needs to come earlier than 30 days prior to the start of her school. Can she just come on her student visa? If she doesnt plan on returning to Germany before school, a visitor visa will not matter would it??

[peace]

To come earlier than 30 days, she will have to apply for a visitor visa and then change status to student after she enters as a visitor.

But, getting a visitor visa is not much advised( unless being in US earlier than 30 days is very urgent).
The reason is she will have to change status in US to F-1 if she enters as a B2 (visitor) . Her existing F-1 stamp will not have any value.
(Once inside US, visa stamps have no value. It is the white card I-94
stamped with the visa type (B2, F-1 , etc. ) the entry officer gives to you , only has value).

Many times , the change of status comes later than the school start date
and she will be delayed in school. And it will cost ; for the visitor visa and $140 for status change. So avoid this visitor visa and let her enter on her F-1.