Filing for H4 for my wife - does my H1 have to be stamped from my country?

Hello,

I have an H1 starting from October 2013 for a period of 3 years. I live in California. I havent gone to my home country and stamped it yet. My wife was a student in US with an F1 visa and is currently on OPT which expires in December 18th 2013. She’s currently staying with me in California

We are planning to file an H4 for her from California itself. I had a few questions:

  1. What are the exact list of documents that we would be requiring to file an H4.

  2. Can we file the H4 even if my H1 is not yet stamped?

  3. When would be the latest date we can file for H4?

Please reply asap.

Thanks

Mike