Query regarding F1 and F2

[skumari]

Dear Members,

We are going India on 14th Jan. I was on OPT but now I will apply for F2 and my husband who is Ph.D student will apply for renewal of F1. We both are planning to give interview together..IS THAT A GOOD IDEA?
Second thing: My spouse visa will expire on 4th July 2009 but his I-20 is valid till 2011. My question is CAN HE APPLY FOR VISA RENEWAL in DEC 08 or JAN 09 or he needs to wait until its expired..becoz JULY he will not go India so soon.
Third thing: When we got married we don't have marriage certificate. We got married in 2006 only we had all photos, invitation card etc not marriage certificate...DO WE HAVE TO HAVE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE...also neither in his passport or mine SPOUSE NAMES ARE MENTIONED. I asked about marriage certificate in India and got to know it will take atleast 1 month and WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO STAY THAT LONG...SO PLEASE SUGGEST WHAT TO DO..can we give interview without MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE with pics etc.
Thanks in advance for replying. PLEASE REPLY.

SK

[kabkaba]

Dear Members,

We are going India on 14th Jan. I was on OPT but now I will apply for F2 and my husband who is Ph.D student will apply for renewal of F1. We both are planning to give interview together..IS THAT A GOOD IDEA?
That is ok as long as you can show funds, ties to India etc.

Second thing: My spouse visa will expire on 4th July 2009 but his I-20 is valid till 2011. My question is CAN HE APPLY FOR VISA RENEWAL in DEC 08 or JAN 09 or he needs to wait until its expired..becoz JULY he will not go India so soon.
He need not apply for visa until it is expired, until after July 2009. Check VFS website for renewal instructions.
Third thing: When we got married we don't have marriage certificate. We got married in 2006 only we had all photos, invitation card etc not marriage certificate...DO WE HAVE TO HAVE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE...also neither in his passport or mine SPOUSE NAMES ARE MENTIONED. I asked about marriage certificate in India and got to know it will take atleast 1 month and WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO STAY THAT LONG...SO PLEASE SUGGEST WHAT TO DO..can we give interview without MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE with pics etc.
Thanks in advance for replying. PLEASE REPLY.
You can ask some relatives to start the process of getting marriage certificate for you. It is required. Otherwise you can take the help of some agent who can use some methods to expedite the certificate.

SK

Check my answers above.

[skumari]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thanks for your reply. For visa renewal of my husband I wrote to USA EMBASSY DELHI and I am pasting their reply. I assume that IT IS OKAY TO APPLY FOR WELL IN ADVANCE BUT PLEASE CONFIRM ME. Thanks once again.

An applicant may wish to apply for the visa renewal appointment at the U.S. Embassy, New Delhi well in advance if he/she can foresee the travel to India difficult for the renewal after the expiry of the valid visa.

SK

[kabkaba]

Embassy is the most trusted source!

p.s. don't call me sir/madam, that is typically Indian. In the US people call each other by name.

[skumari]

kabkaba,

Thanks...I know but actually I was not sure that is that your user name or real name. Thanks anyway..so it means he can give interview in December right? I just wanted to make sure that what I understood with embassy email is coorect.

SK

[txh1b]

Your husband can go for the visa if his visa expires prior to his I-20 date for a renewal. No issues with that.