I am a TD visa holder with a i539 extension and i94 that expires on May 05, if meanwhile i need to change to J1 visa, can I do that from US ?

dd25

dd25

New Member
As title says. Or Do i have to go back to my home country to get that stamp? also can you get the stamp from other countries like Canada/Mexico?
 
newacct said:
Yes, you can apply for Change of Status with I-539.
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so i wont need to travel to my home country for stamping now?
and in case i do travel to my Home country , i wont be able to cone back without getting the stamp at the embassy right?
Also, last ques, i saw i-539 processing time can take upto 4-5 months, is that even with premium process? what if I need to start within 2 months ?
 
dd25 said:
and in case i do travel to my Home country , i wont be able to cone back without getting the stamp at the embassy right?
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Right. Unless you are a Canadian citizen, you always need a valid US visa (and the type of visa must match the status you seek to enter into) in order to seek entry to the US (with the exception of brief trips to Canada, Mexico, or Caribbean islands). So to enter into J1 status, you need a J1 visa. If you don't already have a J1 visa, you need to get one at a US consulate before you can return to the US. What status you had on your last stay in the US is irrelevant.

dd25 said:
Also, last ques, i saw i-539 processing time can take upto 4-5 months, is that even with premium process? what if I need to start within 2 months ?
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Premium processing should be faster. I don't know the specifics. Another option is to get a visa abroad.
 
newacct said:
Right. Unless you are a Canadian citizen, you always need a valid US visa (and the type of visa must match the status you seek to enter into) in order to seek entry to the US (with the exception of brief trips to Canada, Mexico, or Caribbean islands). So to enter into J1 status, you need a J1 visa. If you don't already have a J1 visa, you need to get one at a US consulate before you can return to the US. What status you had on your last stay in the US is irrelevant.


Premium processing should be faster. I don't know the specifics. Another option is to get a visa abroad.
Click to expand...
thank you very much for your replies! if I dont leave US, i can stay as long as i can without the stamp, by extending i-539 Everytime ? or there is a maximum limit of how many times you can do that?
 
dd25 said:
thank you very much for your replies! if I dont leave US, i can stay as long as i can without the stamp, by extending i-539 Everytime ? or there is a maximum limit of how many times you can do that?
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J1 get "D/S" on their I-94 instead of a date. So once you changed into J1 status, you would not need to file I-539 for J1 extension of stay. You would remain in J1 status indefinitely as long as you have a valid DS-2019 and comply with the rules of J1 status.
 
newacct said:
J1 get "D/S" on their I-94 instead of a date. So once you changed into J1 status, you would not need to file I-539 for J1 extension of stay. You would remain in J1 status indefinitely as long as you have a valid DS-2019 and comply with the rules of J1 status.
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would you recommend going back to homecountry , attend visa interview , get J1 stamp, and come back to start work? or, file i-539 and change status to J1 and start work? i am a bit scared about the new change in admin and/ being rejected of J1 visa. plus going back to home country isnt the most convenient option currently either .
 
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