hello

I just discovered this forum last night, so I thought I'd join. It's definitely great to know there are other people in my situation. Knowing there's a community helps me not feel like such a POS outcast, haha.

I'm 20 years old, I'll be a college junior living in New Jersey this fall. I came in with a tourist visa in 2001, when I was 13. I'll have been living 7 years in the states this july 29th.

My family has pretty much given up on the possibility of eventually becoming 'legal' and making a life here(except for me of course... 2009 is the year, right???), and they're making plans for getting for Canadian permanent residency (they've already applied). If the Act does get passed, I might convince them to at least let my younger brothers stay in high school with their friends and have a chance to become US citizens.

This forum has already answered a lot of my questions related to the DREAM Act and to helping me pay for college(unfortunately, NJ makes me pay out of state tuition though).
Quick question: if I can somehow get an F-1 student visa for the 2 remaining years of college, would I be eligible for the DREAM Act? My mom wants me to find out some information, as having the visa would let me get a driver's license and a job, I think. I'm not even sure if I can get it though, I was just wondering if it would affect my eligibility when the DREAM Act passes. *crosses fingers*

Welcome to DAP!!

First of all you can not get a F-1 student visa while your in the U.S illegally, you would have to leave which would subject you to a 10 years banned.

Thanks for the welcome, and thanks for replying so quickly. Sucks that I can't get the F-1 but oh well. I didn't really care much about it since who knows how long they would take to process my application(more than two years I'll bet), and by then the DREAM Act will have been passed. AMIRITE?