While it would be a letdown, its not the end of the road. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer attaches Form I-94 to the nonimmigrant visitors passport upon entry to the U.S. Marriage Cert, I-797 for H-1, your EVL. If the H-1Bs spouse is applying for H-4 status, the spouse completes the Form I-539 with their own information and sign the form in Part 5. DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application confirmation page; Visa interview appointment confirmation page; Passport valid for at least six months beyond the H-1B employees authorization end date; Evidence of relationship to the H-1B employee: Evidence of H-1B employees status (copies of Form I-94, visa, approval notice, offer/support letter, Any other documents required by the specific. Learn what others are saying about us on Google, Yelp, and Facebook or visit us at https://www.stilt.com. By default they would assume employer mentioned on the visa stamp is the current employer. I am aware of some documents below she will need to carry with her to support her admission at port of entry, Any documents required while traveling to INDIA. Appreciate your help and will help me a lot. H4 visa itself. Now for other opportunity I had filed my amendment in premium mode through Same employer E but Location was Chicago and Client B. Mine is similar case. Hi, I am coming to US on H1B with my wife and kid for the first time. guys plzzzz do that mistake wat i did . Air and sea travelers will be issued I-94s during the admission process at the port of entry. Complete Guide to Working on an H4 Visa in the U.S. DS 160 for H4 Visa: What You Should Know about It, Complete Guide to H4 Visa Interview Questions. Thereafter, I transferred it to employer B but do not have the I-797 form with me, it is still with my employer B and I am stuck in India. I am with the same employer since 2008 and recently moved to US on Oct 2016 for the same company. Marriage certificate. If a copy of the passport is submitted, it should be a good copy, and the photo must be clearly identifiable. I Filed for extension as soon as i reached here and now can stay for 240 or till the time i get an answer on my extension. Im planning to go to india in March to bring my wife and kid. Thanks a lot for the Information. Do I need to have my POE in and around my work location or can I land at some other city as Im planning to visit family friends before heading to my work location? Not affiliated with any government agency. If so, I can travel, Can you please provide an official site for it ? How did you obtain all the documents required for the H4 Visa interview? Stilt is backed by Y Combinator and has raised a total of $275M in debt and equity funding to date. However, my most recent entry to US was on the same H1B visa and I had original I797 back then. I am first time traveler. 1.passport with valid H4 visa 2. all other docs taken to H4 visa stamping interview. So, if you have a copy, that should be good enough..Most employers are open to give the same, but you should be fine. Carry all the documents that your employer gave. You can also open a bank account and apply for loans. Original Interview appointment letter and one copy. I stayed in USA only 11 months of time. Users of this website assume the risk that information may be outdated or inaccurate. H1B Visa Approval notice from USCIS ( Form I-797A Notice of Action), Job offer letter given by the H1B sponsoring company, Employee agreement that you may have signed with your H1B Sponsoring company, Your original educational certificates from Bachelors degree, Masters Degree(if applicable), your high school certificates ( 10th, 12th grade), If you have studied in US like MS or any other degree, you need to carry below documents, OPT card related to your employment before H1B Visa. How long has your spouse been working in the US? I have valid H1B visa till 2019. New, Renewal? Where to keep your H1B Visa Supporting Documents? But now, my employer has filed for h1b cap exempt for minneapolis location and it too got approved yesterday till dec 2025. You can do this by filing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. Also, many H4 visa holders want to know whether they can apply for a Green Card. It is acceptable ? Can you please tell me if the i94 date is decided based on passport expiration date or i797 expiring date. An H4 visa gives spouses and children under 21 of H1B visa holders the ability to join the visa holder in the US. When family members are admitted into the U.S. as H-4 dependents, their documents must be returned and an admission date stamp is placed in their passport with the notations H-4 and a date indicating the period they are authorized to stay in the U.S. CBP will issue an electronic Form I-94 for each person to access and print at the CBPs I-94 website. How long has your spouse been working for his/her current employer? Read US Port of Entry Procedures, Common FAQs to understand the general process at port of entry and what to expect. However, if you apply for a Green Card from an H4 visa, it might take too long for your priority dates to become current. In this article, we cover H1B visa documents checklist that you need to carry and what you need be prepared with. Generally, all H-4 visa applications must include the following: 2. You should be prepared to answer at least these questions, if not other questions related to your marriage, your partner, and other personal topics related to visa status. Some lenders send a promissory note with your loan offer. The interview might be quite stressful for many, despite that the questions are quite basic and simple. But the amendment got rejected after giving RFE. If there are any issues, they would take you for secondary inspection and ask more questions and verify more documents and hold you for sometime. You need to carry all supporting documentation related to your H1B visa petition stating that you have a job in US and it is speciality occupation. Prior to applying for anH4 visa, each applicant and this includes children as well must fill out the form DS 160. The answer, in this case, is yes. You may not be asked to show these documents in transit airports, when you are have connecting flights, but it is good to have all the info. Your valid passport with at least one blank page. Booking receipts of your honeymoon or other post-marriage trips. You will be asked the reason for being there. UH units with questions relating to UH sponsorship in employment-based immigration categories should consult with FSIS staff. whether my h1b transfer case will come under current premium processing of the following rule. Can I use a I-797 COPY at the POE if I do not have the original. Documents Required for I-94 Extension. If you have previously worked on H1B for the sponsor, (Optional) If you worked in past at a Client as third party placement previously on H1B Visa, (Optional) If you are going to work at Client on H1B visa, you can carry copy of Client letter, (Optional) Experience letters related to your previous work, if any. Absolutely and strictly routine. You will have the same opportunities as a student on an F-1 visa. My H1B visa is approved in Feb16. Family members may apply for H-4 admission with or after the H-1B employees arrival in the U.S.; they do not need to file applications with USCIS before applying for their visas and/or entry. Ive nothing to hide I guess a lot of us are like this! Stilt provides loans to international students and working professionals in the U.S. (F-1, OPT, H-1B, O-1, L-1, TN visa holders) at rates lower than any other lender. Did you have an arranged or love marriage? The reason is, if you end up into any issues, you can reach out to them. The U.S. Department of States U.S. embassies and consulates website contains information on visa application requirements and instructions on how make appointments for a visa interviews. Yes. My H1b visa has been stamped on my passport by the consulate. there was a question on PoE but no problems at all. 1 copy of admission stamp with notations in passport; 1 copy of Form DS-2019, I-20, or I-797A/I-797B (as applicable); 1 copy of passport biodata/expiration page(s); 1 copy of marriage certificate for spouse; 1 copy of birth certificate for each child; and, 1 copy of any other required documents listed on the, An approved Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (. Each family member must bring the following items to the port of entry: Individuals are not guaranteed entry to the U.S. The visa stamping will be the last step for you to complete before you can book your trip to the US. Have you travelled already or not? Thanks, Ricky. 2) In case, if I travel and later on move forward for the visa transfer with them will I be needing the I-797 form from employer B? I am really thankful to you. H4 visa holders can legally: Unlike most other visas, there is no cap on the number of H4 visas issued, and as of 2015, H4 visa holders can also legally work in the US. You dont really have to change your name after marriage, such as changing last name to have the same as the husbands last name (or in South India, removing the fathers name as the last name and adding the husbands name as the last name). How long have you and your spouse been married? Do you know why you were rejected before? All times are GMT-5. Obtaining an H4 visa in the U.S. opens up many doors. By If they pass the necessary drivers tests, they get the right to drive. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS If you are outside the US, you will need to submit your application for H4 Visa at the US Embassy where your spouse or parent has applied or in your home country if you and your spouse are of different nationalities. When entering US, they would issue I-94 on the basis of your 797, unless the passport is expiring earlier. I would suggest writing either the "Port of Entry/Exit" as "MAA - ABU DHABI INTL" or the name of the US airport where you landed first. If you are applying separately though, the time it takes to process the H4 visa will be up to the US Embassy and the workload that they have. They may file a Form I-539/I-539A to change status to H-4 after the employees H-4 petition is submitted, but before their current status expires. So you need to show them the petition to make sure that the I-94 is issued based on this 797 and old petition. Keep in mind that having an H4 visa or any US visa types does not guarantee entry to the US. but i want to take risk. Travelers using an advance parole document to enter the U.S. may be taken into secondary inspection, where an officer will confirm that s/he has an adjustment of status application pending. Every interviewer is different, and there are no set of interview structures or questions. Option 4: Visit any US Port of Entry CBP office at Airport 6. Official websites use .gov Was your marriage, love marriage or arranged? When can you Apply for H1B Visa Stamping after Petition Approval? The questions can range around topics like below, We have compiled a list of questions that you can expect, check US Port of Entry Questions by CBP Officer. Gathering all of these completed documents will ensure that your H4 visa application process goes smoothly. If asked, you can tell the same that employer will file extension. Hi I came to India In Sep 2016 due to my wife surgery and delayed my travel due to her health condition and planned to travel in Feb 11th via Abu dabhi.Is there any problem in port of entry will they ask this timeline.My Visa is valid till July 2017. You need to take the following steps when applying for H4 visa: You will need to fill Form DS-160 online. Beginning on May 26, 2015, select H4 visa holders became eligible to work in the U.S. To be able to work, an H4 visa holder must first apply for and be approved for an, The applicants spouse must be in the U.S. on a valid H1B visa, The applicant must be either the beneficiary of an I-140 OR her spouse must have extended H1B status. petition for an employee and their dependent family members (, petition for an employee, dependents who will be in the, Employment permitted for certain H-4 dependents, waiting periods for visa interview appointments, equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Not affiliated with any government agency. Now you need to set up your repayment method. These documents include: Most of these documents are required to prove that the marriage to the primary visa holder is valid. Now, I do not have onsite opportunities with client A in State A, so my company is planning to file an amendment petition for client B in State B. Is the principal beneficiary of an approved Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker; or; Has been granted H-1B status under sections 106(a) and (b) of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 as amended by the 21st . Hi I am planning to travel in mid of next week to Texas from Hyderabad. You need a job and your company should have it, thats the bottom line.. Can I travel with Valid H1B Stamp VISA till DEC-2020 and copy of I 797 (not original) to USA. I am currently in INDIA and looking for H1b transfer. POE will be on the first City where you Land in USA. The visa on your passport does not matter for that. After the H-4 family members are admitted into the U.S., send FSIS the following documents for each dependent so we can update our records and check that each person was admitted properly at the port of entry: Copy of Form I-94 admission record from CBP 's I-94 website; Copy of admission stamp with notations in passport; B1/B2, H1, F1? Also, it is a good idea to memorize the address at which the primary visa holder stays and works (residential and employers address). A passport - H4 visa applicant and the H1 visa holder. Amongst common H4 visa interview questions will also be those relating to your intent for going to the US. Information shared on this website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. Could you share your experience? However, if the family members are in an independent status (e.g., F-1, O-1), they can remain in that status as long as it is valid. Our original marriage certificate The Embassy will notify you once they process your H4 visa. If you are employed, though, you will have to get a Social Security Number. You will need all your documents related to H1B visa, and supporting documents, when you meet the CBP officer at Port of Entry. Is the marriage affidavit certificate get by notary advocate is enough for visa stamping interview process ? Please reach me out in 1311rahul@gmail.com. Generally, immigration officers at Port of Entry, will ask you questions to verify your intention of travel. Make sure you show the new petition to the officer. Thanks, Actually my query is- I am trying for new employer to transfer my H1B before my VISA expires in July. Or if my employer is planning to file extension once I reach? However, although not mandatory, most US residents have health insurance anyway, simply becausethe cost of health care in the US is very high, and people with an average income cannot afford it if they have to pay out of pocket. What should be the answer for this ? Did you make this appointment for the interview? Now its time to travel to Europe and I dont know if I will need the original/photocopy of it while re-entering the US on H1B visa. Who will financially support you during your period of stay in the United States? I am aware of some documents below she will need to carry with her to support her admission at port of entry 1. These are little things that arent absolutely necessary to know, but helps if you do. Here, we put together this guide with all the information you need to know about the H4 visa and how you can apply for the visa. . During the interview, the interviewers will try to determine whether your relationship with the H type visa holder is genuine. Also my employer on visa in passport and on I797 petition are different. IF you are not sure what your husband works, or who is their employer, obtain more information in this regard. Send copies of entry documents to FSIS. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) resumed premium processing today for all H-1B visa petitions subject to the Fiscal Year year (FY) 2018 cap. Can I say its a critical work requirement for a month! Can you show me a document that legally states your marriage to the H-1 Visa holder? Visitors website to: If you cannot get your Form I-94 from the CBP website, you may file Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Record, with USCIS. Children 14 years of age or older must sign the Form I-539/I-539A. By applying for the H4 visa, these family members are granted temporary residence in the US during the time that the H1 visa-holding family member is working in the US. However, an H-4 spouse may apply for work authorization with USCIS if the H-1B employee has: To apply for work authorization, the H-4 spouse must file a Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization with USCIS. Completed non-immigration H4 visa application Form DS-160 stamped at the Visa Application Center (VAC). H-4 dependents may study in the U.S. on either a full or part time basis. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer attaches Form I-94 to the nonimmigrant visitor's passport upon entry to the U.S. Give correct information for each question without hesitating. Visit CBPs I-94, Travel Records for U.S. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The family must file Form I-539 (and Form I-539A for each additional dependent) to apply for H-4 changes of status at the same time UH files the H-1B petition. 2. once again thanks for this post. (my visa is valid till 2017). Marriage Cert, I-797 for H-1, your EVL. Dependents who will be outside the U.S. when their current H-4 status expires do not need to file Form I-539/I-539A. That way, if the officer at the POE asks, you can say that the amendment is already filed. Did the officer ask you why would you want to travel with just 1 month left? She works in TCS. Submit the required documentation and provide your best possible application. What if I do not have the original I-797 ? Many wives (and husbands) of H1 visa holders travel to the US, to stay with their spouses on this visa. After marriage, did you go for your honeymoon? Input your search keywords and press Enter. Luckily, with an H4 visa, dependent family members can join the H1 visa holder during their stay in the US. A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. All rights reserved. It should be fine. This form states the dates that the visa of your spouse or parent is valid. In addition to this form, you will have to also submit these supporting documents: When you attend the interview for an H4 Visa, the consular officer will ask you several questions. 2023 Murthy Law Firm. The FY 2018 cap has been set at 65,000 visas. For more information, please see USCISs FAQ on work authorization for H-4 spouses. Also my employer in i797 is different from what is on visa. immihelp.com is private non-lawyer web site. This time being a re-entry on the same visa, will I need the original or photocopy of I797? However, definitely bring all key paperwork with you in your carry-on luggage, for two reasons: Copy of passport biodata page (if new/renewed). Two Passport-size photograph. My H1B new cap petition was approved in August 2021 for Client A with LCA based on State A. My flight is from Chennai -> Dubai -> Boston-> Philadelphia. The spouse may begin working in the U.S. after receiving the EAD. If your spouse is already in the United States, why are you choosing to apply for a visa now? Will there be any issue at POE ? RedBus2US.com 2010 - 2023, All Rights Reserved. Can you reach me at nitin(dot)infoscian(@)gmail(dot)com. Family members can mail the Form I-539/I-539A application packet to USCIS on their own, or file the Form I-539 online for each dependent. Original Passport with valid H1B Visa stamp issued by Consulate on it. The loan then gets disbursed into your U.S. bank account within a reasonable number of days (some lenders will be as quick as 2-3 business days). Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) of the U.S. must present a Permanent Resident Card ("Green Card", Form I-551), a Reentry Permit (if gone for more than 1 year), or a Returning Resident Visa (if gone for 2 years or more) to reenter the United States.. United States (U.S.) LPRs do not need a passport to enter the U.S. as per 8 CFR 211.1(a), however, they may need a passport to enter another country. This post provide us all details which one should keep in their mind while applying for USA Business visa. If there are no red flags raised by the system, and CBP officer is convinced, they will let you enter US. Receipts for payments of wedding expenses. akm6270, November 21, 2014 in Travel. I am facing the similar situation now, Can you please help me out what did you do in your case? The Employer mentioned there will be some risk at Port of Entry as i am travelling late . Did you carry any other documents ? Did they call your employer and checked if employer is expecting you? 2. However, if you get accepted to an academic program in the US as an F-1 student, then you could get the F-1 visa, instead of the H4. US Port of Entry questions by CBP Officer 5. Hi, My husband had a similar situation last year. Can i comeback without going to dropbox to change it to employer B. I am having an H1-b approved from employer A, valid until Sep 2021 along with the stamping. The approval is always tied to your employer authenticity and your employment opportunity, if all is good, you should be fine. You can check your visa status on the website of the US Embassy where you are applying by entering your application number. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issues Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, to aliens who are: All persons need a Form I-94 except U.S. citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit. Why are you applying for a visa now when you have married over a year ago/some time ago? Hi Sagar, Am into the same situation, i will be attending POE in chicago and then proceed to Detroit where my sister is staying. H1B primary I797 receipt required. Sai, You do not really transfer Visa, your employer would use the previous H1B approval to apply for cap exempt petition. The US authorities in charge of issuing visas are interested to know more about you, the reason for applying for a visa, and more. it would be very helpful. I planned in Jan17 for my travel. May be will go to my employers place after a week. In which month and year did your spouse get approval for the H-1 Visa? The consulate will not make this information available to anyone and will destroy the documents after review. They do not need to go for renewal or new visa stamping. I always get nervous upon port entry cant wait till the questions are finished! A H4 visa holder can however work if the original sponsor has filed for green card and has an EAD achieved. Will there be any issues at POE ? Though it is not a complicated process and most of the H1B holders are allowed to enter the US, there are few instances, where some were denied entry. Srinivas, 1. I appreciate if any body has come into the same issue and share your experiences at POE. Following you may find the questions that are usually asked during an H4 Visa interview. Also, you would need to carry the information of the person you are going to meet in America. Got H4 for spouse and used H1 and H4 to enter not AP When you say "with AP", do you mean that he didn't have H1 visa and he showed AP document at the port of entry? There after working in offshore till the date. Please let me know. UH makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, about the content of this website, which includes links to external sites. 21 Cheapest & Affordable Colleges in USA for International Students, How do I get a replacement Social Security Card for my child online, What Is The Visa For Parents To Visit Their Children In USA, Can You get US Citizenship after Student Visa. Received an H-1B extension beyond the usual six-year maximum based on a permanent labor certification application or Form I-140 petition having been filed on their behalf at least 365 days prior to the end of the sixth year in H-1B status. I am also want to know about it. Not a legal advice. This information does not constitute legal advice and should not be used as the sole source for making decisions that may affect an individuals legal status in the U.S. Proof of my employment in US: company letter and pays slips 3. However, you can expect the questions to usually follow this pattern: These are just a few of the questions your interviewer may ask.