Want to bring niece and nephew to live with us for a bit from abroad

[Anonymous]

My sibling in Europe is going through a very tough time and I would like to offer to have my niece and nephew come live with us for a bit while the parents try to get back on their feet.
Wondering if anyone has BTDT (legally--we're not doing this unless it's all above board).

One kid is a U.S. citizen and the other is not (parents were here when one of them was born). Both are fluent in English, really nice kids and top-notch students so I don't expect them to have any difficulty adjusting to school here.

My main concerns are having the non-citizen stay here with us legally and having health insurance for them.
Would I have to apply for guardianship with my sibling's agreement? Does that take a long time?
What kind of visa would the non-citizen need as a HS student? Is getting a visa likely to be a hopeless endeavor given the new administration?
Would this allow me to put the kids on our health insurance?

[Anonymous]

These are incredibly complex questions that you should ask a lawyer

[Anonymous]

Why not have them stay the summer. That’s 3 months

[Anonymous]

Is private school an option? I know there are private schools (AHC, Bullis, SSFS, probably many other those are just where I have experience) who have programs where they help day students get student visas.

[Anonymous]

How bad are things that you think your sister would give up her kids for awhile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These are incredibly complex questions that you should ask a lawyer

This. And might be moot if your sister says no anyway.

[Anonymous]

What country are they from? It will be easier from some countries than others. Are you a citizen?

They will need to be on a student visa, and have to pay the cost of attending the school (even for a public school.)

I do think a plan to have them come for the summer might be a more realistic starting point.

[Anonymous]

I hope you can make this work. How kind of you to consider offering to make such a difference in their lives. Best wishes to you and your whole family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What country are they from? It will be easier from some countries than others. Are you a citizen?

They will need to be on a student visa, and have to pay the cost of attending the school (even for a public school.)

I do think a plan to have them come for the summer might be a more realistic starting point.

EU country.
Yes, I am a citizen.

[Anonymous]

Financially, is boarding school a possibility?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What country are they from? It will be easier from some countries than others. Are you a citizen?

They will need to be on a student visa, and have to pay the cost of attending the school (even for a public school.)

I do think a plan to have them come for the summer might be a more realistic starting point.

EU country.
Yes, I am a citizen.

Need more details. The US visa requirements for a person from Romania or Cyprus (both EU countries) are a lot different compared to someone holding a German passport.

[Anonymous]

Are the both high-school age? The F-1 visa has different stipulations for high school vs elementary.

Also you'll need to pay the school tuition of the non-US citizen, typically around $10k for public school. It's a requirement of the F-1 visa.

[Anonymous]

Does your sister and other family members see things your way. That is the big question. The legal issues are surmountable.

[Anonymous]

Can they apply to join one of the traditional high school exchange programs with you as the host?

You could look now at travel/global nomad insurance programs to see if students/minors are allowed to enroll. When I've looked at trip insurance as a grownup in the US, I've seen insurance for people who plan to be away from their home country for most of a year. I have bought trip insurance from Allianz...I believe they might be Europe-based. That said, you'd probably want student insurance purchased in their home country or something affiliated with their school or exchange program.

Look up the enrollment rules for your school district as well. They may be online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These are incredibly complex questions that you should ask a lawyer

Agree.
A lawyer should be able to advise.