There are two or three visa categories which could be used for this program. The B-1/B-2 visa is for business and/or tourist travel to the US and allows a stay of up to six months. If the flight instruction is given as an “up grade” to a current flight certificate as part of a pilot’s current employment, that would be acceptable.
For initial training an F-1 student visa would be more appropriate. This allows the student to stay in the US for a year, renewable, and also requires checks of his financial and security status. This is the visa that should be used for any pilot or would-be pilot coming to the US for training on his own responsibility.
Under some unusual circumstances, a J-1 “exchange visitor” or H-1 “temporary worker” visa might be appropriate.
In any event, it seems obvious that TSA/ICE aren’t doing their jobs very well. No surprise since they used to be call “The Immigration and Naturalization Service” of past renown.
