Chinese Parachute Kids

The term parachute kids refers to youngsters, aged 8 to 17, who come to the United States to attend elementary or high schools on student visas. While they may hail from different countries around the world, the most visible group is from Asia, in particular from Taiwan and the People's Republic of China (PRC), including Hong Kong. These minors often fly across the Pacific to live and study without their parents. Most of them arrive on F-1 student visas, while others arrive with their parents on immigrant visas but are later left on their own at home or in the care of relatives and other caretakers after their parents become “astronauts,” who must fly frequently between Asia and the United States to run their own ...