How a Stilt Loan Helped this J1 Visa Holder Relocate Her Family to the U.S.

For Desirie Laureta, America held the promise of opportunity, no only for her but for her family as well. All she had to do was get them there.

But that’s a long, expensive road.

So, Desirie made the tough decision to move to the U.S. alone and the hope that she’d be able to have her family join her in time. When she got to the U.S., though, just getting settled proved to be a financial burden. Her only hope for bring her family to be with her was a loan, but no American lender would work with her.

With her family thousands of miles away and no options, Desirie was left with no options.

In the below Q&A, Desirie tells her Stilt Story. Read on to learn about how Stilt helped her get the funds she needed bring her family to the U.S. so they could have the more opportunities and a better life.

Tell us about your education background.

I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education with a focus in Administration and Supervision and have completed 24 units toward my doctorate, all at West Negros University.

Why did you move to the U.S.?

I moved to the U.S. a J1 visa to teach because I knew it would open up career and education opportunities to me that I wouldn’t have had in the Philippines. I also wanted a better life and more opportunities for my family.

What financial challenges did you face in the U.S.?

Coming to the U.S. was very expensive and I had to use almost all of the funds I had to make it happen. Then when I got here, I had no credit history and had spent most of the money I had. This made it really hard to get established here and to have things like a car for getting to work.

What barriers prevented you from getting a loan in the U.S.?

My credit history and visa status definitely affected my ability to get a loan in the U.S. I also earned less than I do now back then.

So, my only options were high-interest loans that I probably would have spent a lot of years trying to pay off.

How did you hear about Stilt?

A friend of mine at work took a loan with Stilt and said I should look into getting one with them as well. I was hesitant, but I looked at a few reviews and the things other peopel were saying–things like “Stilt understands what immigrants go through”–really gave me a sense that Stilt would be different than other lenders.

Did you apply to other lenders before Stilt?

I didn’t even bother. I knew that my chances of getting a reasonable loan rate (or approved at all, maybe) we low.

Why did you apply for a loan with Stilt?

The main reason I applied for a loan with Stilt was to start the very expensive process of bringing my family over from the Philippines. It’s a complicated process that costs thousands of dollars and it would have been a long time before I could save up to make it happen.

How was your experience taking a loan with Stilt?

The process was really simple. The online application was easy and quick. I applied for the loan and it took less than a day for me to get a decision, then less than a week for me to receive the funds.

What would have happened to you if didn’t get a Stilt loan?

If not for Stilt, having my family come to the U.S. to be with me would still be a dream rather than a reality. Though the road for them to get here is still very long, they’re started down that road now because of Stilt.

How would you define Stilt?

Stilt is a lender that is there for visa holders. Stilt offers fast decisions and reasonable interest rates for the loaned amounts. And not only do they understand the issues facing immigrants in the U.S., they’re committed to helping visa holders face those issues when other lenders are not.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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