H4 versus F1- Confused!!

[usualsuspect]

Hi all

I'm due to start my advanced training course in 2005. Currently on H4 visa.
Should I apply for F1? Is it better in anyway than H4? Havent started the greencard process. I have been told that u can work for a year after training on F1. Is that applicable for dentists?
Please help!!

usualsuspect

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[Ann 03]

yes after u graduate on an f1 u get one yr practical training periiod. i dont see any reason y u shouldnt get it being a dentist.
the entire h visa is only for 6 yrs regardless of whether u r on h1 or h4. so by the time u graduate, if u dont have ur green card, u will end up having very less time on h1. so its absolutely upto u to decide whether u need an f1 or not.

 

[SiMpLy IrReSiStAbLe]

Hi all

I'm due to start my advanced training course in 2005. Currently on H4 visa.
Should I apply for F1? Is it better in anyway than H4? Havent started the greencard process. I have been told that u can work for a year after training on F1. Is that applicable for dentists?
Please help!!

usualsuspect

What I came to know recently is that the GC process is much faster these days as compared to what it used to be before ( from H1 to GC). So, it depends on how long u have been having ur h1 and when u plan on applying for ur gc. Also, u are allowed to work once u have ur EAD. I guess the best thing would be to talk to your attorney and decide after discussing your plans.

One other thing about F1 - u cannot travel outside usa until u complete ur first semester with the school and also everytime that u travel u will have to take the permission from the international student advisor (u need to take a signature on ur I-20, everytime that u want to travel).

 

[futurdentist]

I'm not sure about this but i heard that to keep your F1 visa , u have to be a full time student all the time, otherwise you lose it. Mybe you should ask about this too.
Maybe you should ask the people in the admissions office or councelers .They usually have a good idea about issues like these.

 

[SiMpLy IrReSiStAbLe]

I'm not sure about this but i heard that to keep your F1 visa , u have to be a full time student all the time, otherwise you lose it. Mybe you should ask about this too.
Maybe you should ask the people in the admissions office or councelers .They usually have a good idea about issues like these.

Yes it is true that you have to be a full time student to maintain ur F1 status. and for that it is mandatory to register for a specified number of credits hours per semester.

 

[usualsuspect]

Thank you Ann03, futurdentist and Simply irresistible for your input.
I have contacted my attorney- I'm not planning to apply for F1 at the moment

usualsuspect

 

[toothmail]

hi

as far as i know, with an F1 you have what is called one year of OPT or optional practical training during which you can work as a dentist and can be paid too. but on an H4, after you are done with dental school you need to find an employer who will sponsor your H1- otherwise you cannot work.

hope this helps.

i am in the same boat, trying to decide whether to get an F1 or not.

it might be safer to stay on H4 since you do not have to worry about F1 being rejected. but i heard that even if your F1 is rejected, you can still remain on the H4 that you previously had, and thus have no visa problems. does anyone know if this is true? do we need to leave the country to get the F1 visa stamped? and what country can you leave to? do we have to return to our home country?

 

[Ann 03]

hi

as far as i know, with an F1 you have what is called one year of OPT or optional practical training during which you can work as a dentist and can be paid too. but on an H4, after you are done with dental school you need to find an employer who will sponsor your H1- otherwise you cannot work.

hope this helps.

i am in the same boat, trying to decide whether to get an F1 or not.

it might be safer to stay on H4 since you do not have to worry about F1 being rejected. but i heard that even if your F1 is rejected, you can still remain on the H4 that you previously had, and thus have no visa problems. does anyone know if this is true? do we need to leave the country to get the F1 visa stamped? and what country can you leave to? do we have to return to our home country?

toothmmail,
as long as u remain within the the us , u need not have ur visa stamped on ur passport,as soon as u leave the country, u cannot re-enter if u dont have the stamp , this u can get done either in canada mexico or ur home country. its always safer to get it done in ur home country than any other place.
u could get ur visa stamped internally inside the us b4, (atleast for h1 ,tht was the case , i dont know for f1) , but i think they stopped doing tht.i am not sure though

has ur husband applied for a green card? did u talk to ur school? did they say u will not have any problems for applying for green card
whn i talked to my school they said tht thr might be some problems in getting the visa if the spouse has applied for a green card, coz f1 is a short term visa with a positive intent of return to ur native country.and if a gc has been applied , it contradicts tht intent.
i still dont know wht to do,

 

[Ann 03]

Thank you Ann03, futurdentist and Simply irresistible for your input.
I have contacted my attorney- I'm not planning to apply for F1 at the moment

usualsuspect

y did u decide tht? any particular reason?(if u dont mind me asking u)

 

[usualsuspect]

y did u decide tht? any particular reason?(if u dont mind me asking u)

hi Ann03

no particular reason other than -it seems like a hassle at the moment.
i may change my mind later though- if its possible to change to F1 midway through the course.

usualsuspect

 

[paddypaws]

Hi!
I have been considering changing from H-4 to F-1, and found this post quite useful!
I did check with my lawyer, and apparently, one can no longer change to F-1 within the US, and we would have to return to our home country to do that.
Along with that, of course, exist the obvious problems of rejection, especially given our field. Also switching back and forth between H-4 and F-1 is apparently not looked upon too favourably by the USCIS.

 

[paddypaws]

Fire your lawyer and ask for refund.
My wife and her friend changed from H4 to F1 without any problem. If you are on a visitor visa then you may have problem changing to F1 but From H4 to F1, it is piece of cake and you can do it in the middle of your course too.

I was really surprised when I heard what she said too!! From what I knew, you could change from H-4 to F-1 at any time during the program, like you said, and you need to leave the country only to get the new visa stamped on your passport.
Looks like new legal help is in order!!!