How will having a pending I-526 application affect my daughter’s F-1 application process?

It may depend on whether your daughter is applying overseas for the F-1 visa at the consulate or if she is seeking a change of status now. When applying overseas, one of the current questions on the consular application (called the DS-160) is whether she has ever been the beneficiary of an immigrant petition. Please consult with an experienced immigration attorney before moving forward.

If your I-526 is approved by then, she can enter the U.S. with an immigrant visa shortly thereafter.

Having an immigrant visa application processing can impact the ability to obtain a student visa. The standards have recently been clarified and the news is not good.

Your daughter should be fine, but your I-526 attorney should review her DS-160 and prep her for the F-1 interview/entry.

Her F-1application will not be affected if she is included as a derivative dependent on your I-526 because she is not the primary applicant of the immigrant petition.

The fact that I-526 has been approved should not affect the chances of your daughter entering on F-1.

She will have to mark that she is a derivative beneficiary of an immigrant visa. This will make it harder to prove she has no intent to immigrate to the U.S.