H4 > F1 > OPT Visiting India

[shikhari2002]

Hello all,

My wife was here on H4 and attended masters with F1 status and she finished her Masters and is on OPT stem extension and working full time.

Now we want to visit India and comeback. What visa she should be attending to come back F1? to keep her OPT alive?

Kindly help.

Thanks in advance.

[kabkaba]

Yes, she needs to apply for F1 visa. There is a risk in that especially since her program is over and she is already working. She needs to convincingly prove that she intends to return after her OPT is completed.

[asitverma]

same condition with me, please advice !


My wife came here on H4 Visa and then she changed it to F1 and recently finished her Masters and she has been working on OPT from May 2011. During her F1 status she never bee to India which mean she doesn’t have any F1 visa stamping on her passport.
My Que- Her OPT Is valid for 29 months and we thought of going to India in August 2011, so is it possible to get an F1-OPT Visa stamp even though she is not in school any more ? I never heard anything like “F1—OPT” visa but per her school she will get that kind of Visa. Please suggest.
Her currently current company doesn’t do any H1B sponsorship.

[kabkaba]

Read the above answer. It is possible to apply for and get an F1 Visa (there is no such thing as F1-OPT Visa). But there is always a risk of denial since F1 applicant needs to show lack of immigrant intent.

[biologyphd]

eagerly waiting to see wat happens

Hi Shikhari,
Good luck to your wife! I am eagerly waiting to know how it goes for you as I am also in the same boat. Please do post your experience here.