Unfortunately, H4 visa holders are not supposed to work in the US and pretty much have to stay at home, not doing any work. 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. The visitor must exit the U.S. on or before the departure date stamped on the Form I-94. Thanks so much for listing the documents needed in conjunction with the H1B visa. Can you reach me at nitin(dot)infoscian(@)gmail(dot)com. As of April 30, 2013, most Arrival and/or Departure records are created electronically upon arrival. Who filed the visa application and where did you file it? I really thankful to your valuable suggestions.I also need your help .let me explain my case. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Also, you should know the address of the place you'll be staying when you arrive, and the name of your employer and what kind of work you'll be doing. If married only at the wedding registrar, you need to have these: Copy of your signed wedding registrar affidavit. My Employer is given Product Development while going to stamping in 2015 , so there will be any problem ? You can open your own H4 visa bank account like any other immigrant or citizen of the US with any banking institution. The Employer mentioned there will be some risk at Port of Entry as i am travelling late . Therefore, any additional documents that will help prove the validity of the marriage would be very helpful in getting your H4 visa approved. After the employees H-1B petition is approved, they need to follow the H-4 entry procedures. Send copies of entry documents to FSIS. Are you planning to get a job in the United States? While it would be a letdown, its not the end of the road. Hi I came to India In Sep 2016 due to my family emergency and delayed my travel working in offshore and planned to travel in Apr21st .Is there any problem in port of entry will they ask this timeline.My Visa is valid till July 2017.My employer told me he will file extension once reached to USA. Sai, You do not really transfer Visa, your employer would use the previous H1B approval to apply for cap exempt petition. I also works in TCS. My flight is from Chennai -> Dubai -> Boston-> Philadelphia. Make sure you carry all your documents and be prepared to answer questions. You will be asked the reason for being there. This page was generated at 10:36 PM. The H4 visa holder may start a business of any kind, The H4 visa holder may continue eligibility got EAD even if employment is not sought, H4 Visa Process: How to Apply for an H4 Visa. Employer location is Texas so am worried if there will be any issues due to this. Visitors website, Apply for a new I-94 (land border travelers only), See how much longer you can remain in the U.S. based on the terms of your admission, Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Record, Applying for Admission into United States. 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? The H4 visa holder may work either part-time, full-time or not at all. The tickets are booked by my employer, however, is it possible that they want to see my bank balance? Well, in general, it is recommended to carry the original. My employer cannot extend VISA due to current situation. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer attaches Form I-94 to the nonimmigrant visitors passport upon entry to the U.S. Will using an AP document delay my entry into the U.S.? Pay the fee and save the receipt, as you will need it later during your application procedures. There after working in offshore till the date. The reason is, if you end up into any issues, you can reach out to them. What am I Allowed to Do in the US With an H4 Visa? Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, Information for Completing USCIS Forms. 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. Sign and return that note if you wish to accept the loan offer. What are the documents needed for me to accompany them and is it a good option to travel at this time. Then what are documents required to apply for h4 dependent visa ? They did not ask any documents other than my passport. (my visa is valid till 2017). The third part of the questions is about your spouse. A visa interview appointment letter and a copy of the Form G-1145 (online notification of the application acceptance) You should bring the form DS-160 - barcode printed for the interview. Did you make this appointment for the interview? Since your H4 status is dependent on the status of the H type visa holder so your spouse or parent, it might take as long as it takes to process their visa. You can learn more about the H4 visa interview and interview questions in our complete guide. Prefer to have original but not a mandatory. 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. Required fields are marked *. If, for example, your spouse is applying for an H-2A visa and you apply together, your visa will take the same time to process as your spouses. For information about your privacy, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. I am planning to travel to USA on 26 Aug. 2017. I am following your forum from few months. can any1 suggest , how to prepare for embassy to get stamp again, hi Rama sorry to hear about that..Can you please elaborate more please,because my end client is in Chicago, but due to port of entry issues that i have been hearing..i booked my flight to Dallas,from there will fly to Chicago,if i get through immigration..Please suggest on this, Hi Banu, What did you reach Chicago ? I traveled on H1b in Dec 2015 on A company (Petition valid till 07/07/2017)and later transferred my H1b to B company in USA(Petition valid till 06/20/2017).. Due to family health emergency came to INDIA in Oct 2016. H4 visa holders can apply for a drivers license in the US. What is the highest degree of your spouse? Brussels is capital city Belgium and Newark will be the first city where I land in USA, so it would be my POE. You will also need to complete an H4 biometrics evaluation as part of the application process. Now I requested my employer to apply extension , but they didnt turned up to renew the VISA due to premium processing stopped and client time lines.Now I approached new employer and I am planning to transfer. My family is traveling to Chicago because there is a direct flight from Delhi to Chicago. When a parent or spouse obtains their US work visa, many families find themselves dreading the idea of having to live apart from the visa holder. Im traveling in July 1st week. The admission stamps with notations and the Form I-94 printouts are proof of admission to and legal immigration status in the U.S. Everyone needs to keep copies of their passport biodata/expiration pages, visas, admission stamps, and Form I-94 records permanently in case any of these documents are lost or stolen. 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. All pages of the principal applicants passport (if not applying with principal applicant). Please help me. An H4 visa gives spouses and children under 21 of H1B visa holders the ability to join the visa holder in the US. I got a company here in India who are willing to transfer my H1-B but asking me to travel to the USA, theyll be providing me a client letter for the same. If H1B holder changes jobs and gets a new I797 will it impact on short visit travel for H4 holders? Please suggest me what are the documents needs to carry. Families need to consider the waiting periods for visa interview appointments and visa issuance and plan ahead to allow enough time to obtain the necessary visas to enter the U.S. Use this option when UH is filing an H-1B change of status petition for an employee and their dependent family members (e.g., F-2, O-3) will be in the U.S. at the time the employees change to H-1B status takes place. Why are you applying for a visa now when you have married over a year ago/some time ago? 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. What is the duration for which you have been married to your current spouse? What would be the port of entry to usa for me. 3. 2. Did you travel from the same company which got H1B stamped for you? Read US Port of Entry Procedures, Common FAQs to understand the general process at port of entry and what to expect. Did the officer ask you why would you want to travel with just 1 month left? My visa expired in Aug mid. If so, I can travel, Can you please provide an official site for it ? IF you are not sure what your husband works, or who is their employer, obtain more information in this regard. Need some information , I got US VISA stamped on Oct 2015 and i got VISA for 3 years till Sept 2018 . Unmarried children under 21 years of age and spouses of H-1B employees are eligible for H-4 status. Each family member needs to follow these steps to apply for an H-4 visa and admission to the U.S. Canadian citizens can skip this step and proceed to 2. That decision is up to the port of entry officers and the Department of Homeland Security. This visa has been criticized a lot and some people call it the slave visa since it restricts the visa holders rights in some ways. When you travel and arrive in US in flight or ship, you would go through Port of Entry Procedures , where a CBP officer would interview you and stamp your passport. The Form I-94 number also is known as the Departure Number or Admission Record Number. Renew 180 days before expiry. This is my new employment, Im travelling to USA on my H1b for the first the time. What if H4 is travelling without H1 Primary document, Your email address will not be published. A: An H-4 nonimmigrant alien's authorized stay in the United States is contingent on the continued validity of the H-1B principal alien's status. How to Check US Visa Status Online? Option 5: Attorney to file Extension with USCIS to extend I-94 7. How to Apply for H4 EAD? Yes, an H4 visa holder can re-enter the U.S. but make sure to carry all the documents that might be required at the Port of Entry (POE). Passport. The denial of entry happens in very rare cases, where there is fraud or misrepresentation of documents or anything as such. Certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants can file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, if the H-1B nonimmigrant:. Could you please suggest on this , As i am very much tensed on this, Want to talk to you urgently. But now, my employer has filed for h1b cap exempt for minneapolis location and it too got approved yesterday till dec 2025. Receipts for payments of wedding expenses. File H4 EAD yourself with I-765 form, document checklist. If you are within the US, you can submit yourH4 visa application through the USCIS. Next, dependents apply for admission in H-4 status at a U.S. port of entry. Respond truthfully and let them know that employer plan to files for extension soon after. How did you obtain all the documents required for the H4 Visa interview? 12. Option 2: Fly out of the US to Mexico or Canada and return 4. At POE, he was asked the question about visa expiry and he said the same that his employer will file for extension in a week. The visa stamping will be the last step for you to complete before you can book your trip to the US. I didn't need to use AP as I applied for H1 overseas although I had a valid AP doc, never used it to enter US, after I applied for my H1, it had to go through Admin Processing at . 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. If your spouse or parent applies for an extension, then you are also eligible to apply for an extension of the H4 visa. What do you plan on doing in the United States? Additional requirements include: As a result of work authorization, the H4 visa holder reaps a host of new advantages and privileges: If you are considering applying for a personal loan, just follow these 3 simple steps. RedBus2US.com 2010 - 2023, All Rights Reserved. Many wives (and husbands) of H1 visa holders travel to the US, to stay with their spouses on this visa. I have a valid visa till 2019. Two Passport-size photograph. Luckily, with an H4 visa, dependent family members can join the H1 visa holder during their stay in the US. immihelp.com is private non-lawyer web site. If yes, where? Once you arrive in the U.S., you can apply for a drivers license. Below is complete list of documents to carry. Two US visa photographs. So you need to show them the petition to make sure that the I-94 is issued based on this 797 and old petition. But the amendment got rejected after giving RFE. If USCIS approves the Form I-765, the H-4 spouse will receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). 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. My LCA is Reston (Virginia) on h1b petition . If you have changed your name after marriage, you should get it changed in your passport before applying for an H4 visa. Proof of my employment in US: company letter and pays slips 3. They do not need to go for renewal or new visa stamping. Users of this website assume the risk that information may be outdated or inaccurate. Thanks a lot for the Information. Marriage certificate. H1B primary I797 receipt required. VISA is valid and stamped on her passport. What form are you referring to? Generally, a H4 visa holder is advised to carry the following documents. If your spouse is already in the United States, why are you choosing to apply for a visa now? You can check out other Visa Category Stamps by CBP Officer at Port of Entry to understand how they look. This includes questions on how you met with your spouse and about your wedding. VISA is valid and stamped on her passport. After you get H1B Visa stamping done and complete all thepre-departure tasks for H1B Visa in your home country, you need to plan for your port of entry process. It is not necessary to have it at the exact City or around where you work. I dnt have Marriage certificate to apply h4 visa to go US. 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. Instead, they need to follow the H-4 entry procedures. They may ask the following questions to every H4 visa applicant: The interviewer will ask you several questions about your marriage. It has already taken a year but employer B is not able to find a project for me. How to find colleges in the USA for higher studies, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Complete Guide, Can You Become a US Citizen with a Student Visa. US CBP officer may ask to review all the documents as needed. Original, Photocopies of the first page, last page, and remarks pages of your current. My wife will be travelling on her own for first time to US on H4 visa. If you have been granted the H4 visa, you will need to go for the visa stamping procedures. The spouse needs to carefully review the Form I-765 instructions or consult with an immigration attorney before completing and submitting the form. The US Port of entry process for H1B Visa holders is no different from other visa types. I need to travel to usa as soon as possible, Can I still travel using my previously stamped visa and move to minneapolis from there and then when I return to india, I can get it stamped for the H1b cap exempt approved visa. I hope you reached Boston safely. If asked about the delay, you can say that project was delayed etc. In order to remain in the U.S., the child must change to a different nonimmigrant visa status (e.g., F-1 student, B-2 visitor). guys plzzzz do that mistake wat i did . B1/B2, H1, F1? These documents include: Most of these documents are required to prove that the marriage to the primary visa holder is valid. I gave I797 to Netherlands embassy for Schengen Visa and never got the original documents back. Air and sea travelers will be issued I-94s during the admission process at the port of entry. Apply for H-4 admission at a U.S. port of entry. Your H1 petition approval and the H4 visa on her passport. The applicant should bring all documents to the interview. Passport valid for at least six months beyond the H-1B authorization end date (if a passport will expire before the H-1B end date, that person will be granted a shorter period of stay); Copy of admission stamp with notations in passport; Copy of H-4 visa in passport (if any); and. The Officer will confirm the petition on his computer and let you in. How Can I Get a Driving License on an H4 Visa? A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer attaches Form I-94 to the nonimmigrant visitor's passport upon entry to the U.S. So, its a good idea to carry all such documents with you, just in case. 2. Hi, thanks for your reply. Can you show me some of your wedding pictures? By That is the length of time that you can to stay in the US. For advice on family- or self-sponsorship options, individuals should contact an external immigration attorney. By default they would assume employer mentioned on the visa stamp is the current employer. Did someone else make the appointment for you? Biometrics? A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Saurabh, is it still on to show copy of I797 at POE? Any challenges to transfer H1b Visa after visa expires. In this article, we cover H1B visa documents checklist that you need to carry and what you need be prepared with. Pay stubs from principal applicants current place of work and income tax return. You must provide the following documents to apply for the H4 visa: Filled DS-160 application form. Passport. We live in Dallas. The consulate will not make this information available to anyone and will destroy the documents after review. 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. there was a question on PoE but no problems at all. Thanks in Advance Eswar. ( the latter is the plan). Some people will particulate in a fake marriage to obtain a visa, so your interview should prove that you are your spouse are in fact married and have a close, loving relationship. How is port of Entry in DFW. Check Sample H1B Approval Notice , read the text on it. One way ticket is fine. no need for photo album and such things. Also, you would need to carry the information of the person you are going to meet in America. You need to answer the questions properly and correctly so that CBP officer can allow you to enter US. Each family member must bring the following items to the port of entry: Individuals are not guaranteed entry to the U.S. . If yes what kind of answers will be feasible.. When you travel and arrive in US in flight or ship, you would go through Port of Entry Procedures , where a CBP officer would interview you and stamp your passport. Most H type visas are dual intent, which means that you can have a non-immigrant and immigrant status. I will also bhi travelling next week. Technically, your new employer will apply for a fresh petition using your previous H1B case number, which is only used to identify that your petition is cap exempt and can be filed anytime. Yes, please share your experience at the POE. >>Can I stay beyond Sep 2017 (till Sep 2018) or I need to do some formalities once coming? This post provide us all details which one should keep in their mind while applying for USA Business 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. 3. Is H4 port of entry should be same place here husband lives? Consider this as another visa interview and be confident. List of documents required for H4 at port of entry? Citizens of all other countries are required to obtain H-4 visas fromU.S. embassies or consulates. Or if my employer is planning to file extension once I reach? Below is the sample stamp that CBP officer places in your passport, if they let you into US and all the details that you need to check and verify. Which city/town are you currently residing in your home country? 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; After reaching USA i will be apply for extension. My wife will be travelling on her own for first time to US on H4 visa. Generally, immigration officers at Port of Entry, will ask you questions to verify your intention of travel. Stilt is committed to helping immigrants build a better financial future. CEAC Website, Errors Info. 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. H1B Port of Entry Documents Checklist 3. What are any queries at POE for taking 11 months for travel. Is the marriage affidavit certificate get by notary advocate is enough for visa stamping interview process ? An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, An official website of the United States government, To protect your privacy, please do not include any personal information in your feedback. Stilt is backed by Y Combinator and has raised a total of $275M in debt and equity funding to date. Can you provide a bank statement of your spouses bank account. My H1B visa is approved in Feb16. If this is not possible -Can I transfer my H1B after my VISA expires also with new employer from India? Make sure you show the new petition to the officer. Sai, As long as you have valid visa document and not part of the banned countries, you should be fine. 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. I m first time traveling on my h1b visa. If this is your first visit, be sure to 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. 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. Also, many H4 visa holders want to know whether they can apply for a Green Card. 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