All F1 visa,OPT, F1-H1, H1-F1 visa related posts here

[harish28]

Hi ppl,

This mail is on behalf of my best friend. She was planning to graduate with me this May 2007, and so started her application process for an OPT. She gave the papers to our International students Office. Within a week they generated an I-20 which stated the start and end date requested for the OPT. But when she saw the H1 cap over flowing, she decided to graduate in August after the Summer semester, so that she can start OPT from September and then will have no problem next year waiting for her H1.
Now the here is where the problem arises, she made all arrangements to graduate in August and approached International Students office to withdraw her OPT. (Please note that she had NOT sent her application to the U.S. immigration department). She has all the papers in her hands and she wants the International Students office to generate a new I-20 and extend it till August (without the opt) so that she can agin reply for the OPT and start it from september.

But the International Ofiice told her that they cant do it. Because the I-20 is generated by SEVIS and they also said they cannot extend her I-20 by withdrawing her OPT application. ashe asked her to apply for the OPT and since it starts in June she will be in status and then graduate in May. So she is currently stuck.

What she wants is to find out a way, a Clause, which states that she can withdraw her opt application and extend her I-20. Can anybody help out my friend here. She is very confused and i would like to help her.. your valuable help is highly appreciated..

[roseball]

Is she a Bachelor's or a Master's student. If Master's, she can still apply under Master's quota as the Master's quota is not full yet as of yesterday. However, she should have completed all the degree requirements and should get a letter from the registrar's office to be eligible to apply.

If not, she can start working on her OPT and has to apply for H1 in next year's quota as a new H1 with stamping in home country, work till her OPT expires, leave the country and enter in October after Visa stamping from her home country....

[radhagd]

other alternative for above post is she can reenroll as student in some community college and get F1 visa after her OPT period and can stay in US until oct 2008

[krishnankai]

Originally Posted by harish28

Hi ppl,

This mail is on behalf of my best friend. She was planning to graduate with me this May 2007, and so started her application process for an OPT. She gave the papers to our International students Office. Within a week they generated an I-20 which stated the start and end date requested for the OPT. But when she saw the H1 cap over flowing, she decided to graduate in August after the Summer semester, so that she can start OPT from September and then will have no problem next year waiting for her H1.
Now the here is where the problem arises, she made all arrangements to graduate in August and approached International Students office to withdraw her OPT. (Please note that she had NOT sent her application to the U.S. immigration department). She has all the papers in her hands and she wants the International Students office to generate a new I-20 and extend it till August (without the opt) so that she can agin reply for the OPT and start it from september.

But the International Ofiice told her that they cant do it. Because the I-20 is generated by SEVIS and they also said they cannot extend her I-20 by withdrawing her OPT application. ashe asked her to apply for the OPT and since it starts in June she will be in status and then graduate in May. So she is currently stuck.

What she wants is to find out a way, a Clause, which states that she can withdraw her opt application and extend her I-20. Can anybody help out my friend here. She is very confused and i would like to help her.. your valuable help is highly appreciated..

If the application is not sent it easy to change the OPT start date - it is just an extension of the i-20. Just check if it cannot be extended more than 3 months though. I had my opt i-20 extended recently - it should not be a problem. That is the easiest option. If the international center does not agree - you can quote NAFSA Q&A sessions - search for "NAFSA OPT" or something like that on google

[harish28]

Hey actually i called up SEVIS help desk and asked them about the issue.. They said that the I-20 can be extended and the OPT can be cancelled before approval.. Thank ppl for the i/p's and is there any way to close the thread..??

[smmri]

Does USCIS accept Onlin Master Degrees for H-1B and GC?

Any information about acceptd online master degrees by USCIS?

[amslonewolf]

My take is that, it fair game as along as you get the degree from an US accredited institution..

[satishku_2000]

This will be an interesting thing to know .. Any one knows more info about it?

[^Mau^]

Hi guys,

I am currently a master's student on Curricular Practical Training (CPT). By law, students who engage on CPT for more than 12 months are not eligible to take OPT. So if I took CPT for more than a year, once I graduate I have no more legal rights to work here in the US. So I was wondering:

- Is it possible to apply for H1B for graduate students a couple of months (or something) before I actually graduate? I don't want to have a status gap and I want to work continuously.
- If the answer to my first question is no, is it ok to stay here in the US for a few weeks after graduation until I file and hopefully get my h1b visa?
- How long does the processing of h1b visas for graduate students take? Is it the same length as the non-graduate/normal process?
and;
- If I try to apply for a visa under the normal category (which I could do before I graduate) and was not granted one because of the quota, could I shift my application under the graduate category after I officially graduate?

I think I have more chances of getting an h1b under the graduate category because it gets filled up less quickly.

I am curious to know your thoughts. Thanks.

[vinit_makhija]

Hi,

I also have the confusion about it. I am doing my masters from IIT Chicago (http://www.iit.edu/departments/oia/d...ning/iao5.html) as a internet student from india. All the lectures, assignments, projects are same which are posted for on campus students with same deadlines. The degree that will be awarded at the time of course completion will also be same. But I don't know whether with this master's degree i can apply for H1B in 20k quota next yr. If anyone has any info abt this, then please reply.

Vinit.

[Cheran]

Yeap... As long as it from accredited institution. Even Duke have online MBA...

Originally Posted by amslonewolf

My take is that, it fair game as along as you get the degree from an US accredited institution..

[chanduv23]

Interesting stuff. I would appreciate more information on this.

[a_yaja]

As per what I read on the website of some online degree colleges, the masters program is accredited and is no different from a regular "in-campus" program. They also say that the transcripts itself will not say that it was earned through an online program (http://www.ctuonline.edu/about_campus/faq.aspx#ac3). If this is true, then it makes no difference to USCIS - if online degree is infact treated differently from regular degree.

[clif]

My wife has a H4 visa stamping on her passport valid for almost 3 more years. Recently, she changed her status to F1 student. Does she need to get a new visa stamping for F1 the next time she goes out of US? Or can she continue using the currently stamped H4?

Does it have any consequences for OPT/CPT?

Thanks.

[helmet]

How much it will cost?