Student & Exchange Visas

San Diego Student Visa Lawyer

Pursuing higher education in the United States is an exciting opportunity for many international students. With the right preparation and guidance from an experienced San Diego student visa lawyer, you can successfully secure a student visa and start your academic journey in the U.S. It’s crucial to start the student visa process early to avoid potential delays that could impact your plans. Contact Behar International Counsel, PLC at (619) 234-5962 to learn more about the application process.

Student Visa Process Overview

The first step in obtaining a student visa is acceptance into a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). A student visa is required for programs that involve 18 or more course hours per week. If you’re studying fewer than 18 hours weekly or taking recreational courses, you may qualify for a visitor or non-immigrant visa instead. A student visa is also necessary if you are attending conferences, seminars, or other programs in the U.S. that provide academic credit.

Student visas can be issued up to 120 days before your program’s start date. If you apply earlier, your application will be held until the visa issuance period begins. Starting the process early is beneficial, as it allows extra time for any necessary paperwork or unexpected delays. Once approved, you may enter the U.S. 30 days or less before your course begins. If you wish to enter earlier, you will need a separate visitor visa.

Professional Assistance with Your Student Visa Application in San Diego

If you are planning to study in the U.S. or have already started the visa application process, it is essential to have a knowledgeable San Diego immigration lawyer by your side. Our experienced attorneys can help you navigate any issues that may arise during the application or after the process is completed. We can also assist with obtaining a visitor visa if needed.

Contact Behar International Counsel, APC at (619) 234-5962 to learn how we can help you secure your student visa and make your U.S. academic journey a reality.

Academic immigration issues surrounding student visas are multi-faceted. Perhaps you’re in the United States on an F-1 student visa and looking for a tenure-track job. Maybe you have been in J-1 status and need help filing a 212(e) waiver to overcome the two-year home-stay requirement in order to take a job or post-doc in the United States immediately, or perhaps you unfortunately find yourself in a position where you have inadvertently fallen out of F-1 non-immigrant status and need to file for reinstatement of your student status. Our attorneys have experience with these types of issues, and are willing to provide the type of precise advice you need at rates that are within students’ reach.

Our attorneys are available to provide student organizations and schools with seminars about frequently asked immigration questions related to being a foreign student in the United States. We believe that this type of information should be provided as a public service, and accordingly, we generally provide these information sessions free of charge to interested organizations and schools.

Many foreign graduate students in the United States are also faced with the daunting process of solving the difficult twin-problem of finding an academic job in the United States while making sure that they have an immigration status that enables them to work in the United States as professors, lecturers, and researchers. The attorneys at Behar International Counsel have close ties to the academic community and understand the unique challenges of obtaining academic employment. We would be happy to provide you with an accurate assessment of your immigration options in the United States to maximize your professional potential. Our areas of experience include assistance with EB-1 self-petitions for academics and researchers of extraordinary ability, EB-2 petitions for outstanding professors and researchers, EB-2 special recruitment cases for non-tenure track university and college teachers, cap-exempt H-1B petitions for non-immigrant tenure-track teaching and research petitions, as well as TN visas for Mexican and Canadian academics.

If you have any questions about your options as an academic or researcher in the United States, we would be pleased to hear from you and glad to become your partners in achieving your immigration and professional objectives in the United States.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER

Behar international counsel provides a full-range of immigration legal assistance to our clients. Contact us today to learn how we can help you.
avvo review immigratingtousa
Giacomo J. Behar
avvo review immigratingtousa
Mr Behar is a brilliant immigration attorney. He was very accommodating in scheduling my husband and I for a urgent consultation. He gave us honest and direct advice on what options we have, as well as the pros/cons of the path forward. He is a creative thinker and clearly has an in-depth knowledge of not only US immigration but international affairs as well.
Thank you Giacomo.
Sarah
avvo review immigratingtousa
Professionalism, expertise and genuine concern for my case
I had a very useful consultation with Mr Behar on my case. Mr Behar thoroughly understood the intricacies of my situation and outlined every step of the legal process with clarity and transparency. His ability to break down complex legal concepts into understandable terms is truly remarkable.
Air
avvo review immigratingtousa
F1 VISA WITH UNIQUE SITUATION HANDLED EXPERTLY
Mr. Behar and his team took great effort to understand my case thoroughly and produced a strategy that worked efficiently in resulting in the positive outcome.
Will definitely come back to him for my future immigration needs.
Michael
avvo review immigratingtousa
Highly informative, well knowledged and helpful. Highly recommend
I needed assistance ASAP regarding my J-2 work authorization request. I called Giacomo on Saturday and we setup a call for the same day! Giacomo Is highly skilled and it very much shows that he is VERY knowledgeable about the all immigration process.
David
Read more reviews
Tatyana Ewards
avvo review immigratingtousa Tatyana Ewards
The Best Immigration Lawyer
Tatyana and her team of professionals are exceptional. She handled my case expertly and I highly recommend her services. Working with her was a great decision, resulting in time and money saved. My experience with her was wonderful due to her prompt communication and readiness to answer any questions.
Karine
avvo review immigratingtousa Tatyana Ewards
Best Asylum Lawyer
I highly recommend Tatyana Edwards, she did a great job with my asylum case. My case had been pending for almost 8 years since 2015 . She took a look at my case, and managed to place it on on the standby list not on the waiting list which would have taken longer. Last month, I had an interview notice, did my interview, picked up my decision ( granted).
Tapiwa
avvo review immigratingtousa Tatyana Ewards
It's nice to deal with professionals
My friends who also had a positive experience working with Tatiana Edwards recommended this lawyer to me. My case was very complicated, the trials lasted for several years and the judge extended the hearings because of the large amount of information and documents.
Yury N
avvo review immigratingtousa Tatyana Ewards
Bravo! Bis!
Professionalism, intelligence and precision! Necessary benevolence and human kindness! May you be lucky to find a protector, like-minded person and ally in Tatyana's face!
Andrey
Read more reviews
© Behar International Counsel, A Professional Corporation 2025