Studying with COS pending ?

[renelong2002]

My current visa status is H4 and I have been admitted to school for Fall 2004 and was wondering if a COS is pending with Notice of Action in hand for requested F1 - can one attend school while waiting for the actual F1 approval notice ? I mean is an I-20 and Notice of Action good enough to start studying or does one need a NOTICE OF APPROVAL for F1?

Also does one get OPT time again if one has received OPT once and goes for a different field of study ?

Are there any stats to show if F2->F1 is harder/easier than
H4->F1?

Thanks for your replies.

 

[hrtomd]

You can start your studies on H4. US colleges allow this. But you won't be able to work on campus or get an assistantship before you get your F1.

You can get a second OPT if you advance the level of you studies but not at the same level. I mean, if you recvd an OPT after Bachelors then you can get another one after Masters and also one more after Phd, but you can't get two OPT on Bachelors even if its different feild of study

I think H4-->F1 would be easier than F2-->F1. I have reasons for this but if i get into that then it will take me sometime to write all that.

 

[renelong2002]

Thanks

Thanks for your message. I appreciate it.

When you get a chance, I would really like to hear your reasons/ views regarding the H4->F1 Vs F2->F1.

I would have thought the other way since F visas are non immigration intent visas and once you go on H visa and go for F type visas the situation becomes a bit dicey. I was on F1 when i entered the US - then stayed on H1 for 2 yrs - never initiated immigration work and then lost my job and just recently got my F2 approved. Now the person whom I am dependant upon is changing to H status and I might have to change unless the BCIS will allow COS to F1 that early even though school starts in August. HOw early do you think is TOO early to go for a COS to F1 when school starts in August? If I could somehow avoid the F2->H4->F1 and just go from F2->F1....

Take care