H-4 Visa

H-4 visa extension approved. Can I travel now?

Question details

My H-4 visa extension has been approved, I mean the USCIS has sent me an approval notice with the I-94 record card. Now it clearly says, this is not a visa. What do I need to do in order to travel to India, do I have to go to a US consulate here, to get a visa stamped in my passport, because in order to travel through Europe we need a valid US Visa or travel through Dubai , which doesn't require any visa, and then get stamped in the US consulate while coming back? I am confused and do not know what is the next step after approval notice. By the way my spouse H-1B visa was also extended while in US by the Employer. But, my spouse hasn't gone out for visa stamping yet, will this effect my visa stamping?

When you travel abroad, in order to return to the USA, you must first obtain a visa stamp from a US consulate in (any) country that you are visiting. Check the consulate web site to make an appointment and what documents you should bring for H-4 visa stamping. H-1B visa stamp is usually not a precondition to H-4 visa. 

Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 2015, 3 September

Immigration.com

Agency

Nonimmigrant Visas

Immigration Law

Substantial transcription for video

Discussed: Gap in status (H-4); EB-3 or EB-2 PERM distinction; BALCA appeal times; obtaining copy of I-140 receipt/approval FOIA; options to work after 6 years of H-1; Sponsoring green card while living outside the USA; OPT issues; CR-1 to IR; Obamacare and affidavit of support; cross-chargeability; E-1 visa; H-1B amendment; H-1 quota issues; multiple H-1 approvals; continuous residence for US citizenship/naturalization; I-140 revoked priority date; green card for researchers; etc.

Applying for H-4 EAD while H-4 is pending

Question details

I am on H-4 visa and my husband is on H-1 visa since 2008. We have an approved I-140 and have applied for a three year extension on the basis of approved I-140 on May 8, 2015, but we have not got any confirmation from USCIS yet, so my concern is that can I apply for a H-4 EAD before our visa extension is approved.

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.

H-1B Employee, telecommuting/working from home

Question details

I entered US on Jan 2011 on F-1 Visa, completed my Masters and am now working for a reputed US organization since May 2012(OPT start date: May 2012, H-1B start date:Oct 2012. H-1B till: Oct 2017). My work does not require me to go to office, so I work from Home. Now I am planning to visit India next year and get my Visa stamped.<br>
My Questions are<br>
1. Can telecommuting job cause any issue during Visa stamping? I heard someone was asked "if you can work from home, why can’t you work from India?” The organization I am working for has offices in India.<br>
2. Do I need any extra evidence to prove that I am telecommuting, therefore not within commuting distance from my office?<br>
3. I am married. Would you suggest going alone to India for Visa stamping and in case of rejection comeback on H-4 or will it be good to go as a family. My husband is also on H-1B

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.

H-4 Visa Delay

Question details

I am currently on H-1B visa and I applied for my spouse, H-4 visa (Dallas Texas service center) on They received it on March 4th and Receipt Date March 6th. Now 4.5 months completed. I heard that usually visa processing time is 3 months, but no idea what happened. Like to know what are my options available to expedite it, due to this we could not visit India.

Open a Service Request by calling USCIS customer service. By the way, you do NOT need an H-4 approval from USCIS to obtain a visa. In this respect, H-4 is different from H-1.

H-4 Visa Approval

Question details

I received my H-1 approval & other documents yesterday. I am worried because the I-129 document I received yesterday states no dependents are filed with my petition (Page 4, Part 4). I had sent all my spouse details/ marriage certificate etc. while attaching supporting documents in March. What is the process for H4 visa approval as my spouse would be accompanying me.

H-4 visas do NOT require a USCIS approval for a spouse who is going to the consulate for visa stamping.

Recording of Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 2015, June 15

Immigration.com

Immigration Law

Substantial transcription for video

Discussed: CSPA for EB-3 to EB-2; H-1B amendments; Marriage on B-2 visa/H-4; Consequences of travel without advance parole; Following to join process; H-1B liquidated damages contracts; Moving temporarily abroad while I-485 is pending; Relocation while green card is pending; Checking which MSA we are in; What is an H-1 amendment? Getting student visa while green card pending; L-2 EAD, etc.

USCIS Temporarily Suspends Premium Processing for Extension of Stay H-1B Petitions

Starting May 26, 2015, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B Extension of Stay petitions until July 27, 2015. During this time frame, petitioners will not be able to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, for a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting an extension of the stay for an H-1B nonimmigrant. USCIS will continue to premium process H-1B Extension of Stay petitions filed with Form I-907 premium requests prior to May 26, 2015.

Radio show, April 28, 2015, H-1 Lottery, H-4 EAD

Nonimmigrant Visas

Substantial transcription for video

Radio show April 28, 2015:

 

Question1:  My  spouse is on H-1 visa and his former employer filed I-140 and then my spouse changed his employment to another employer  and transferred his H-1, the I-140 has not been revoked by former employer. So my H-4 is with the former employer  valid for three years, and current employer for my spouse has not filed H-1 for me. Is the H-4 from the former employer valid for file EAD or do I have to apply for H-4 again and what would be the documents that would I need to file H-4 EAD ?

Answer: Every time the H-1 holder changes  job, the H-4 holder does not need to re -apply for H-4. Your H-4 is good.  You don't have to have different H-4 for the employer. Of course,  every time the H-1 holders change their job they have apply for new H-1 but as long as you never violated status and H-1  holder has  never violated status that H-4 continued to be good from job to job to job, you are good.

Your  second question was what document need to file H-4 EAD?

Answer is we don't  know yet. When the instructions for the new form I- 765 come out along with the form I-765 they will tell you exactly what you need to submit . I suspect probably marriage certificate along with evidence of  couple of last  pay stubs of your husband's, copy of H-1 receipt and a copy of your H-4 receipt or approval or visa stamped. That typically they should be looking for. But I don't have any basis for saying, this is just my guess.

 

 Question 2:  I got my H-1B petition approved last year, it got extended as well. I have never used any of these visas to work in the U.S. though I have travelled few times to U.S. but on B-1 visa for meetings with the customers. So the question is when do I become exempt from the H-1 quota?

Answer : In your situation when you are outside the USA, you become  exempt from the H-1 quota  when you get your visa stamped. So I think USCIS interpretation of law is faulty and  incorrect, because in my view as soon as H-1 is approved you should be exempt from the quota but USCIS has taken the position that unless you get the visa stamped from the consulate we will not consider you exempt if you are outside the USA. So it appears to me that  you should be exempt from the quota.

Question 3. I just got my citizenship and now wants to apply for my younger sister, who is alone in India.  I lost my parents few years back so she is all alone but she is above 18. Is there any way I as a brother  and only relationship here in United States apply for her Green card in such a manner that she can be here in United States as soon as possible.

Answer: Siblings Green Card is like  planting mango trees, in India we used to have saying that mango trees takes so  long to bring fruit that one generation plants the tree and the second generation eats the mangoes. It's kind of that for sibling cases, it takes 13 years for the Green Card to come through and there is no way we can expedite that Green Card. However  leaving the option of Green Card filing  you could look at the things like  sponsoring her for her student visa if she wants to study or if she is an professional  or intent to be professional soon she can come on H-1 or L-1 visa, like other people  do. f you have money you can gift her half a million or million dollar depending upon what kind of money you have  that you can invest in her. So Investment visa could be an option but  there is no way you can expedite sibling green Card.