i20 received but no F1 stamping. Travelling on h4 but wanted to join the college using i20.

USA Study in USA
1

Hi All:

My wife going to get her h1 visa stamped in India in March 2015 and I am also going to get h4 visa stamped along with her.

But now, I am going to apply for i20 (summer 2015) and once I receive it ( I am confident that I would receive), I don’t want to go for f1 stamping but would like to enter us with H4 visa in May. Once I reach US, can I join the college that I had applied earlier for i20?

Should I inform my college upfront that I am not going to get F1 stamped but would come on H4 and join the college? In such cases, do I need to get new i20?

Does it cause any problems in the future especially when I want to convert from H4 to F1?

Please answer my query immediately as today is the last date for applying for the unversity.

–Suresh

2

Hi Suresh,

I don’t think you need an I-20 if your travel is on H-4, a status that allows you to study without visa changes. Arrive in the US and then simply visit the college to enroll.

Best wishes

Dr. Sandeep Shankar, Colorado Heights University, www.chu.edu; sshankarATchu.edu