H1 to F1 - Urgent help needed!

[phd_student]

I am currently on a valid H1. I have admission & assitantship for Phd and plan to pursue it. (originally came on F1 for MS, completed it and then started working on H1).

In order to get paid stipend by the univ I understand that in addition to the I20, I also need the F1 visa which I need to get stamped from outside the US (probably it can be done by staying here but it takes a very long time & hence is not an option).

The info I got from an INS representative suggests that if they reject my F1, then my H1, though valid till then will also be cancelled and I will not be allowed to renter the US.

In this context how advisable is it to go to Mexico(plan to go to Ciudad Juarez) to get this conversion done? Are chances of getting the F1 approved better in Mexico than in India?

In the event that the F1 gets rejected and they cancel the H1, I get stuck in Mexico, what are my options and how should I prepare for such a situation? Is there some way in which I can renter even if they canel my H1 (tourist visa or something)?

My school starts soon and I dont have much time, hence I am planning to go to Mexico. Pl suggest if thats a good idea or it would make more sense to go back to India.

I dont know of any ppl in a similar situation, hence your feedback will help me in taking a decision.

Kindly help!

 

[Raj1994]

Check the reply on the other forum (H visas).

 

[rehan]

Change of status could actually be faster

Its a late reply but maybe it helps someone. I just wanted to mention that in many cases change of status could actually be faster than going out and getting an F1 visa. Most univs tell u that change of status takes a lot of time (8-10 months) which is not true these days. The typical time for change of status is around 45 days to 2 months these days.

After 9//11, in many countries US has introduced the concept of getting a 'clearance from state department', which takes atleast 30 days after the visa approval by the embassy. So if you are in one of those countries then change of status might actually turn out to be a faster option, with the added advantage that u could atleast start studying in time, even if your change of status gets sligthly delayed.