Student Visa (F1, F2, M1, M2)

Hi everyone,

I had applied for my F1 visa renewal as my F1 was expiring in June 2020 and I have valid Stem OPT until October 2021. I thought it would be a straight forward thing and took leave from work and applied for an interview at Chennai consulate. Some background, I have Masters is Aerospace Engineering and am working as a researcher at a company in Santa Clara. I had got 221 g when I had first applied for my Masters.

Got 221 g as soon as I informed that I am working as a researcher. Asked me to send a bunch of documents such as travel dates, resume, letter from the company, kind of research, list of paper publications, funding organization. Submitted all the document on Jan 24,2020. Thought it would take a couple of weeks but got approved after 6 weeks on March 6, 2020. All the best to everyone waiting for approval!

Interview date: Jan 22, 2020
Place: Chennai
Documents submitted: Jan 24, 2020
Approved: March 06, 2020

I have applied for J1 along with my wife (J2). Visa interview was on January 30 2020. The officer gave pink slip and told us to sent additional documents through email. We have send the documents on January 31. The status was administrative processing after that. On March 3, the status changed to Refusal.
May I know if someone has experienced the same. What could be done now?
Any idea. I am worried now.

Hello everyone,

I am looking for immigration attorney who can help me regarding my wife's US visa. Last year she applied for F-2 twice. Both the time she got rejected and handed over 214 b form. At that time I was in regular F-1. Currently I am in F-1, OPT. My wife will either apply under F-2 or H-4 category depending on my H1-B visa application-status. However, I would really like to get some in-detailed help from an immigration attorney.

Thank you!!!

Hi everyone,

My husband has been in the US for nearly a year now. I did not go to the US with him thinking I will come on F1 Visa. I have a GRE of 326 and TOEFL of 113. And I graduated from BITS Pilani in 2014. My college has offered me a tiny bit of scholarship as well. I have a one-year masters course.

1. Should I even try to get F1 Visa or should I try directly to get H4 Visa? I would prefer to go on F1 but I am very disheartened looking at negative experiences of married students.

2. Will my chances to get H4 reduce if I get F1 rejection?

Please let me know. I really appreciate the help

Hi everyone, mine is a complicated case. Mine is an IT company and I've been here for 4+ years. My company is headquartered in USA and they find me talented and require my skills in the USA from time to time. They applied for my H1B but it got denied in RFE, after two years they needed my expertise as an SME to meet with a client so they applied for B1 visa and it got rejected. They find me very skillful and make sure to pay me well and now want me to travel to the US on an L1 visa as they need my expertise there, they have tried hiring on site and hired a few consultants but they cheated the company, took the payment and never gave the deliverable. I however have the desire to pursue PhD in the us and have been waiting for the right time to do so. If the company applies for my L1 and it gets accepted I would go through it and apply for PhD later but if L1 is denied and I apply for F1 in the coming months, will it impact my chances of getting a visa as I have so many denials. Let me also mention that I do not have any intention to immigrate, I love my country and will want to settle down in India.

Please guide me, this crossroads is completely scaring me.

I have attended for J1 visa interview along with my wife ( for J2) at Chennai on Jan 30 2020.
The officer gave pink slip and took away passport and DS2019. We send through email the documents like CV the very next day. Still it says administrative processing. My joining date for postdoc is March 2. I am worried now.

Hello every one,
I have a question on my J1 visa rejection. I was working as a teacher under J1 visa from Nov 2013-Jun2018 in USA. I have got J1 waiver before the expiration of j1 in May 2018 to waive the compulsory home country residency for 2 years after expiration of J1. Because I wanted to change my visa to H1b and to work in the USA without returning to India. I was searching for the school county which provides job with h1b, but before that, I have returned to India in Jun 2018 before the expiration of j1 as my family situation had been changed. I did not use the J1 waiver for any reason. My employer in USA said that I need not to stay in India for 2 years based on J1 rule as I have got my waiver. Instead I can come and work in US after one year itself with new J1. As per that I have got a teaching position with the same employer in Jun 2019. My employer sent me the new DS2019. I went for visa interview in Chennai Consulate. Visa got rejected for two times under 214b section in June and July 2019. My question is, Which type of visa application will be advisable in June 2020? J1 with the same employer or different employer (OR) H1b with any agency or direct school district? I want to avoid the risk factors before applying for US Visa in future. Please answer for my question and thanks in advance for your valuable reply.
Thank you

Hello. I am sorry if this question has been asked before on here. My F1 visa is expiring in June 2020 but my I20 is valid through 2021. I am planning to go back visit my home country (India) for Spring break in March 2020. Will it be ok if I don't renew my visa in March 2020? I just want to make sure my re-entry is not an issue. Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone,

I am currently studying in the USA with valid I-20 and a student visa expiring in this June. I have read many forums but most of them are not regarding F-1 renewal.

1. I have a week off for spring break in March. Do you think it would be wise for me to try to renew my F-1 based on that timeline? ( five business days).

 2. If you think its too short of time for the renewal, when should I start preparing for the renewal if my next and only option is summer break which is in JUNE.
       - Should I start filling up the form and look for appointment dates from now if I do it in june? My
         choice of consulate is Toronto.

Your help is highly appreciated.

My boy friend works in the US on H1B. I am in India and have applied for MS programs in the US for fall 2020 and am awaiting to hear back on the admit(s). We are also getting married in April.

I'm looking for advice/experience on what the visa option I should apply for?

Option 1: Apply as H4 and move to US. Upon getting an admit, convert to F1 either through COS or travel to India and a new F1 stamp. I've heard COS takes a very long time.

Option 2: Wait till I get an admit and then apply for a F1 directly. What are the risks of rejection for F1 since I would already be married then and my boy friend (husband by then) is working on H1B (PERM initiation yet to begin)?

I'd prefer to study in F1 than on H4 so I can use the F1 benefits like practical training through an internship (additionally, many of the universities I've applied to encourage an internship and assign credits). Secondly, my father would be sponsoring my tuition through a loan and my husband would support me with living expenses.

Thanks in advance for your help!