Description

Have you or your child just been accepted to a U.S. university? Or are you planning to study in the U.S. in future?

Don't miss this webinar on Getting Your U.S. Student Visa, so that you can begin the process well prepared to ensure a smooth visa application process.

AMCHAM is delighted to welcome U.S. Embassy Visa Chief, Leah George and Foreign Service Officer, Irving Cortes-Martinez to speak directly to our audience. This presentation will cover F and J student visas; how to collect the necessary documentation; the timeline you should allow yourself to prepare; and how to avoid common pitfalls.

All students or parents of students planning to study in the United States are encouraged to attend. After the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions directly through a moderated Q&A session.


About the Speakers:  

Leah George, Visa Chief, U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, leads a large, multi-unit consular operation. She brings expertise in high-volume operations, interagency coordination, policy development, and strategic workforce planning.  Previously, she led nonimmigrant visa and American Citizens Services portfolios at the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana and served as Consular Section Chief in Suva, Fiji, and Lilongwe, Malawi, with earlier tours in Tel Aviv and Guadalajara. In Washington, she managed staffing and assignments for the Bureau of Consular Affairs and helped shape international parental child abduction policy as Japan Desk Officer. Before joining the Foreign Service, she worked as a forensic social worker and licensed criminal investigator; she holds a BA from Columbia University and an MSW from NYU and speaks Spanish and Hebrew.

Irving Cortes-Martinez, Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, is serving a consular tour at U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand. This is Irving’s first tour with the Department of State. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Irving interned in the Political/Economic Section at U.S. Embassy Guatemala City. He also served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Malaysia. Irving holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Union College and a Master of Arts degree in Global Human Development from Georgetown University. Irving speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and basic Thai.