How Long Does It Take To Process H4 Change Of Status Phoenix

Why would anyone want to modify from their legal status in the US from H4 to F1 Visa?

I tin retrieve for following reasons for converting from H4 to F1 Visa, either by Alter of Status or Visa Stamping.

Piece of work Potency – CPT, OPT and Stem OPT
Mandatory Internship equally part of the degree requirements
Power to work every bit Research Assistant or Teaching assistant
A Path to Career in the US – F1 Visa, OPT, STEM OPT to H1B Visa
H4 EAD might be revoked!

In this six options for H4 Visa holders, higher teaching is listed as an option for H4 spouses. And I'thou pretty sure, one wouldn't invest money in higher educational activity unless there is a path for a Career later on graduation.

Just by the eyeball exam, at that place is an increase in the number H4 to F1 Visa interview since 2016, when compared to earlier years.

Here are the two data points for the predictions:

Increase in the processing fourth dimension for H4 to F1 visa
Increment in the number of queries in social media for H4 to F1 Visa

While, it'southward difficult to get the hard information, but just the increase in the processing time for H4 Visa to F1 Visa by the alter of condition indicates the volume of applications. And, also by looking at the activity in the social media sites.

What'due south covered in this commodity:

FAQ'southward About H4 to F1 Visa
H4 to F1 Visa Change of Status
H4 to F1 Visa Processing Time
H4 to F1 Visa Interview in Canada vs India
When to attend the Visa Interview?

FAQ'south Almost H4 to F1 Visa Interview

As I stated above, increase in queries about H4 Visa to F1 Visa conversion, here are some of the questions posted inside the past few days (not months)!

I am on H4 visa and started Masters degree from Bound 2018. I am planning to go to Bharat to use for F1 visa in Jan 2019. I take recently received the I-20 from my college which states the programme start appointment every bit 29th Jan 2019, although I started the course in January 2018. Should I give programme showtime date in form DS160 as 29th Jan 2018 or Jan 2019?

I will be applying for F1 Visa from H4 Visa. What is the probability that the consulate will put my case in administrative processing? In that case how long they volition keep the passport with them?

Hi, anyone hither with H4 EAD who successfully got H4 to F1 stamped from India?

I am on H4 Visa here since last 2 years and planning for H4 to F1 conversion. Can anyone suggest best possible options for this. Also the probability of F1 Visa approval from India – Mumbai consulate?

I am planning for Change of status from H4 to F1 and my course has already started from August 1st. Now, my H4 visa is expiring in mid September. Do I need to concur valid H4 till my COS gets approve? If not, tin can I proceed with applying the change of status earlier my visa expiry i.e mid-September? Will, in that location be whatever outcome?

As you tin come across, at that place is no dearth of questions about H4 to F1 Visa conversion.

H4 to F1 Visa Alter of Status

Let's look at the pros and cons H4 Visa to F1 Visa via the Change of Status process. And you tin find additional details virtually Alter of Condition from Study in the States webpage besides.

The Pros:

H4 Visa to F1 Visa modify of status is done through the grade I-539
For the almost role, the applicant can file I-538 with help from the DSO and without hiring an attorneys
The filling process is pretty simple
- Consummate the grade I-539 (link to the form I-539)
- Gather required documents
- Submit the application to USCIS

The Cons

Timing is the biggest concern. You tin't command when the Alter of Status from H4 to F1 volition be approved.
In one case approved, your condition is automatically converted into F1 Visa.
What happens if the COS is approved in the middle of the semester?
Y'all may demand to attend F1 Interview while on OPT

H4 to F1 Modify of Condition processing time

The processing fourth dimension for H4 to F1 Visa alter of status as per USCIS is approximately 15 Months as of today (Oct 2018).

Duration of typical Masters Degree is 24 months. Some students tend to consummate within 15 months.

When the H4 to F1 change of status processing time is fifteen months, it's non a sound conclusion to utilize for the change of status with USCIS to consummate.

I do empathise, the possibility of the USCIS improving the processing time.

Future F1 Visa Interview

Assuming yous received H4 to F1 blessing through the Alter of Status and you have started working on OPT.

What if you are traveling for vacation to your country?

And then, you take the following scenarios: Attend F1 Visa interview while working on OPT or Stalk OPT.

Which leaves the students studying on the H4 visa to employ for F1 Visa through consular processing (aka attending the visa interview at a Consular Post outside the US) ane way or the other.

H4 to F1 Visa Interview

Let'due south await at the pros and cons of changing the status by attending the H4 to F1 Visa interview

The Pros:

The Procedure is quick. No need to wait for xv months.
Ability to get piece of work authorization

The Cons:

There are plenty of problems with this. If you lot are thinking about changing the status by attending the H4 to F1 Visa interview, you have to think most the post-obit risk factors:

Dealing with Potential immigrant intent at the visa interview
F1 visa could be rejected
F1 Visa Rejection and H4 Visa cancellation
221(one thousand) administrative processing and missing classes
How to respond the question, "Why H4 to F1 Visa?."
What if your H4 visa stamp is expired?

In addition the chance factor, there are more factors to consider

Added travel toll
Tourist visa fees for Canada
F1 Visa Interview appointment expect times

Here is a closer look at some the chance factors for H4 to F1 Visa stamping.

The biggest challenge is overcoming the Immigrant Intent – The 214(b) requirement of the F-1 Visa.

How could yous convince the Visa Officer, that you program to return dorsum to your dwelling country after completing the caste when y'all are already living in the United states?

What if your spouse'due south Greenish Card Procedure is underway? Wouldn't that make you a potential immigrant?
What if your F1 Visa is denied?
What if the U.s. Consulate denies the F1 Visa and cancels the H4 Visa stamp on the passport?
What if your F1 visa undergoes additional 221(g) administrative processing?
What if you can't make dorsum to the course in fourth dimension while 221(g) is pending for several months?

If you lot are planning to modify your status from H4 Visa to F1 visa by stamping, then you are assuming all the risks as listed above.

If y'all have decided to have the risks, the side by side logical question would exist to decide where to attend the H4 Visa to F1 visa interview stamping.

H4 to F1 Visa Interview in Canada

I started my Masters degree from January 2018 on H4 visa. My H4 visa was in extension and got canonical recently. And then, I am planning to attend for H4 to F1 Visa Visa interview. Looking at electric current scenario, H4 to F1 Change of Condition (COS) is taking several months for approving. I was thinking to go to Canada and apply for F1 Visa instead of COS from H4 to F1 Visa. Is it ok to do so or should I apply from Bharat?

If you are planning to go to attend H4 to F1 Visa Interview in Canada, you lot have to plan for the following scenario:

How to evidence strong ties to the home land
Getting stuck on 221(g) in Canada & missing classes

If Canada is not your home state, how tin yous testify strong ties to your land for F1 Visa interview?

List of F1 Visa Interview Questions

At that place are F1 Visa interview experiences where the applicant attended the F1 Visa interview away from their home state and the consular officeholder specifically denied the visa since the bidder did non take the strong ties to the country.

If I accept a H4 visa and I am going to get a F1 visa past going to India and if it takes longer that planned fourth dimension to get the passport dorsum due to 221(g), can I travel back to the US on H4 Visa? Else, I have to withdraw my admission? What will happen with the F-one visa process?

H4 to F1 Visa Stamping in Bharat

For nearly of the readers of this site, you might be planning to visit India for F1 Visa stamping. All the risk factors mentioned near the F1 Visa stamping applies hither. And if you lot're from Bharat, then you lot don't have to worry near the risk factors that come with H4 to F1 in Canada.

Other Potential Scenarios to Plan

How long is your H4 Visa Valid?
What near your spouses' H1B Visa?
Exercise you lot have valid H4 Visa stamp on the passport?
Is there a H1B and H4 Visa extension petition pending with USCIS?
Does your school offering online courses if y'all tin can't travel back?

H4 to F1 Visa – Options?

Read the following conversation with someone planning get to attend F1 Visa interview in India to convert from H4 Visa.

Information technology boils downwards to one elementary question:

Do you lot have any other selection to avert H4 to F1 Visa Stamping if the COS is taking 15 months?

If your answer is No, then you lot got to assume all the risk and travel to nourish the F1 Visa Interview.

The Summary:

Several folks have successfully attended H4 to F1 Visa interview and traveled back to the Us and they did that by assuming all the above risks. This is what Karthik had to say almost his wife's H4 to F1 stamping:

H4 to F1 conversion these days is taking lot of time. More than 12 months. So if your electric current H4 visa is valid for more than 18 months only so it is safe to apply for COS. If not you volition end upwards waiting for the approval and in the mean time your electric current H4 will expire. And then, think and plan for COS.

In our example, we applied and waited for more than 9 months. Then my wife stepped out of the country and got F1 Visa stamped. So talk to your DSO and take actions accordingly. If your stay on COS even after current H4 expiry then your COS may get Denied and you need to leave the country abruptly.

Please determine after taking a closer await at your family'due south needs. And please exercise run your state of affairs with an Clearing Chaser to make sure yous have covered all your bases.

F1 Visa Interview – Lessons Learned and Interview Analysis

Every family will have the situation that tin complicate things. So, think and plan.

When to Nourish the Interview? The 1000000 Dollar Question

After you accept decided to attend the F1 Visa interview, you have two more choices to make

Where to attend the F1 Visa Interview?
When to nourish the F1 Visa interview?

We take discussed the "Where to Attend the Visa Interview" in this article and well-nigh would adopt to go to their home country.

What about the second question?

How long do you wait subsequently starting college before attending the F1 Visa Interview?
Would it be beneficial to attend the interview before starting the school or subsequently a few semesters?

Let me know your answers in the comments below.

Series: H4 to F1 Visa Interview