Flight Training while on F1/OPT.

Shiftace

s***posting with decency. trolling with integrity.
Hello folks:

I'm a student on a F1 visa. I have completed my bachelors degree and now I am on my OPT(internship) which is valid for 29 months. I have finished 12 months of that. I am working about 20 hours a week, and am interested in getting my ratings on the side. Is it OK to do this? I have heard different things and some say that as long as SEVIS knows about this - it is perfectly fine to do training on the F visa. Also the students won't have to go thru the TSA screening. I know earlier people could come on a tourist visa and state that the flight training for recreational purposes

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Also what ratings can I get, while am working at this? I can go thru a Commercial rating

Cheers

Sunny
 
Hello folks:

I'm a student on a F1 visa. I have completed my bachelors degree and now I am on my OPT(internship) which is valid for 29 months. I have finished 12 months of that. I am working about 20 hours a week, and am interested in getting my ratings on the side. Is it OK to do this? I have heard different things and some say that as long as SEVIS knows about this - it is perfectly fine to do training on the F visa. Also the students won't have to go thru the TSA screening. I know earlier people could come on a tourist visa and state that the flight training for recreational purposes

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Also what ratings can I get, while am working at this? I can go thru a Commercial rating

Cheers

Sunny

As I understand it, non-US citizens have to register with the TSA and receive clearance for your PPL, IR and multi add-on, irrespective of your immigration status (green card, M1, F1, visa-waiver etc). I also understand that whilst on a visa that was not issued for the purpose of flight training, you can do something like 20 hours a week (recreationally). I don't know for certain what the number is, but I think it is 20hrs. Also, I don't know how the 20 hours are counted, whether it is time with an instructor or time logged or what.
 
i think 20 hours a week sounds about right. I will call SEVIS tomorrow morning and guess I will have more info then.
 
Hey guys,

Any update regarding this topic?
I'm in a similar situtation.
Thread was 8+ years ago.. but am still here. Yes, I finished my training while on OPT/F1. No problems and no questions asked by TSA.

Hope this helps.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
Thread was 8+ years ago.. but am still here. Yes, I finished my training while on OPT/F1. No problems and no questions asked by TSA.

Hope this helps.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Hi I'm in f1/opt extension.I want to take sport flight lesson ..I checked with my collage the just said as long as you are not doing any degree or certification its fine.Brother can you let me know what are the steps to take flying classes..as most of my friends has no idea who has took flying classes holding an f1 in computer science
 
Hey I know its been a while, but does anyone have information on this? What are the processes I have to take other than going through TSA to do flight training while on OPT/F1? Do I have to notify anyone? Is it legal? Thank you!
 
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