H1 question

[arenu]

I am currently on OPT and got my H1 recently since I work for a University. The start date on the H1 is May 17th. I also have a ticket to India for May 12th. My father paid the visa fee at HDFC and i have the receipt to get an appointment at Chennai. After hearing and reading many bad experiences here I am rethinking about whether to go to India or go to Canada. There are visa dates only in Calgary (which is a 5 hr flight ). I am yet to book an appointment there. I have some questions before getting a date.
- If I go for stamping there when is the earliest I can go? I would like to go before the 10th so that i can make my India trip on the 12th(it is from Newark). But since my F1 will be cancelled and my H1 doesnt start until the 17th can I come back into the US? What will my status be? If I can will I be questioned at the port of entry?
- If I have to go to India is it required that i go to the Chennai consulate since my residence is in the South? I am flying into Mumbai so it would be easier for me to get it done there.

Subramanya - Expecting a speedy response . Thanks!

[Subramanya]

Visa issues

[QUOTE=arenu]I am currently on OPT and got my H1 recently since I work for a University. The start date on the H1 is May 17th. I also have a ticket to India for May 12th. My father paid the visa fee at HDFC and i have the receipt to get an appointment at Chennai. After hearing and reading many bad experiences here I am rethinking about whether to go to India or go to Canada. There are visa dates only in Calgary (which is a 5 hr flight ). I am yet to book an appointment there. I have some questions before getting a date.

- If I go for stamping there when is the earliest I can go? I would like to go before the 10th so that i can make my India trip on the 12th(it is from Newark).

---- Any day you get the appointment for a Visa interview. There is no time frame. If you have read bad experiences about Visa issues at Chennai, the story is no different in Canada (any city). Every time your chances depend on your documents, credentials and presentation of yourself at the interview

But since my F1 will be cancelled and my H1 doesnt start until the 17th can I come back into the US? What will my status be? If I can will I be questioned at the port of entry?

---- If you are granted a H1 Visa in Canada, only then you can return to the US. You cannot come otherwise when you have applied for a Visa at a US Consulate in Canada

- If I have to go to India is it required that i go to the Chennai consulate since my residence is in the South? I am flying into Mumbai so it would be easier for me to get it done there.

---- Well, coming from the US you can go to any US Consulate in India for a Visa after taking the appointment for an interview

[arenu]

Thanks

Subramanya - Thanks for the prompt response. But since my H1 start date is May 17th when is the earliest I can come back into the US after stamping? ie how many days before the start date can I enter? I checked the uscis and dhs websites to see if there were any official rules governing that - did not see any. Please advise.

[Subramanya]

H1 issue

Thanks for the prompt response. But since my H1 start date is May 17th when is the earliest I can come back into the US after stamping? ie how many days before the start date can I enter? I checked the uscis and dhs websites to see if there were any official rules governing that - did not see any. Please advise.

---- Normally it is 10 days before the start of employment date. Otherwise, there are few official rules followed by different POE's and all that is not documented properly. Thus enetering before and after 10 days is permitted

Subramanya

[arenu]

Great!!

Wonderful! This is the first time I actually posted a question here. I used to be a regular reader..even when my parents visited me..thanks a lot for your valuable advice.