H4 To F1 Conversion

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v_atray

Registered Users (C)
I am currently in US on H1-B visa and my wife is on H4 visa. She was accepted to graduate school for Fall 2006 semester and she started her studies on H4 visa itself. She is currently enrolled in her second semester.

She is thinking of changing her visa status to F1 starting next Fall, primarily to be eligible for OPT after graduation. She will be graduating in May 2008. I have read that you have to be on F1 for a year to be eligible for OPT. Is that one year before you can apply for OPT or one year before you can start working on OPT?

So in her case, can she change to F1 visa in July 2007 and apply for OPT in March/April of 2008 so that she can start working around July 2008?

Any suggestions/advice will be appreciated.

Many thanks.
 
If you apply H4 to F1, it may take 3 to 6 months depends on the service center.

So make sure you are at school atleast a year after getting your F1 status to get your OPT.

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v_atray said:
I am currently in US on H1-B visa and my wife is on H4 visa. She was accepted to graduate school for Fall 2006 semester and she started her studies on H4 visa itself. She is currently enrolled in her second semester.

She is thinking of changing her visa status to F1 starting next Fall, primarily to be eligible for OPT after graduation. She will be graduating in May 2008. I have read that you have to be on F1 for a year to be eligible for OPT. Is that one year before you can apply for OPT or one year before you can start working on OPT?

So in her case, can she change to F1 visa in July 2007 and apply for OPT in March/April of 2008 so that she can start working around July 2008?

Any suggestions/advice will be appreciated.

Many thanks.
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