Yes, my H1B case is still under processing and I found out from USCIS that even after 6 months, they have not received my documents from the consulate. Unfortunately, the consulate is not responding. But I am lucky that I have my passport with myself. I have requested my petitioner to withdraw my H1B application since it will conflict with my intent not to work under H4.

My major fear is that this may affect my H4 because I had been working in the US earlier. I think the CO will force me to give a good reason to prove that I am not intending to work in the States if s/he grants me H4 visa. As it is, it has become very common to travel on H4 and then transfer to H1. And owing to the strict H1 stamping interviews in the past two years, most of the H1 candidates having 221g are opting this strategy – to go back on H4 and then try H1 again.

I will try the other forum too, thank you for your suggestion.

Thank you for the kind remarks. Congratulations on your marriage!

Remember prior rejections in another category should ideally not affect applying in a different visa category.

Have you heard back from them or is your case still under administrative processing? What is the status now and where is your passport?

I think you should be fine. Just focus on telling them that you just want to be with your husband after marriage and fully understand what the H4 visa is about. Bring up no intent to work whilst on the H4 visa if asked. Make sure you carry all the correct paperwork.

Let me know if you need more help. We have created a separate interactive forum for folks in similar situation : http://h4-visa.com/ Give it a try. Hopefully you should gain more insight.

Thanks,
Ridhima

Your blog is very informational and your responses very precise and helpful. Some of my questions are already answered by reading it, however, I have a few more I would appreciate your help on.

I was in the US since last 4 yrs, first on F1 then on H1B and got a 221g during my H1B visa stamping in Nov 2011(reason given by CO was that subcontracting is illegal in US – which I know is not a correct reason). The CO was going to send my petition to USCIS for revocation. I have waited 6 months (unemployed during this period) and decided to finally withdraw and apply for H4. I am getting married in last week of June.

1) Given the above scenario about H1 refusal and it’s invalid reason, what would be my best answer to the CO (for H4) in trying to explain why my H1B visa got refused? The issue is that I cannot tell one CO that another CO was unjust to me.

2) Given that I have priorly worked in US, have two siblings in the US, one on F1 and one is LPR, and since I am applying for H4, would health issues of parents-in-law be a sufficient reason to establish that I do not intend to work in the US?

2) Would it be necessary to convince the CO that I am intending to come back to India after visa is expired? Or is it okay to say that I will want to renew my H4 to continue staying with my husband?

Thanks in advance!

iam swathi..

i have some questions regarding h4

we got married on jan 26th and my husbnad left to us on march 24th and i have my passport ready and we are in process for applying h4 visa,
i have gone through different websites for the related documents to be taken to visa interview ,we actually have a small clarification regarding payslips
how many payslips do i need to carry to interview (not the one which my husband worked in india,u.s payslips)

can some one post recent h4 visa interview questions and how many days does it take for the visa processing and i have a big size wedding album will embassy people allow such big size alnum or should i opt for a small one..

waiting for reply.

Thank you

Me: Hi, good morning! (no reply from VO, but she did smile back)
VO:Are you going to join your husband in the US?
Me: Yes
VO: Which company does he work for?
Me: XXX
VO: What is his designation there:
Me: XXX
VO: How long has he been working there?
Me: XXX
VO: How did you meet? Is it an arranged marriage?
Me: Yes
VO: When did you get married?
Me: Date
VO: How long have you known each other?
Me: XXX
VO: Do you have wedding pictures:
Me: Sure! (Passed the album to her)
VO: (while looking at the album) How many times did you go around the fire?
Me: We had four rounds
VO: Do you have the marriage certificate?
Me: Yes! (showed it to her. She studied it for a while & returned it)
VO did something on the computer, then asked: Have you ever been arrested before?
Me: Never!
VO again did something on the computer, handed me a paper & said: These are your rights as a spouse while you are in the US.
Me: Ok
VO: I approve your visa, you will get it in 3 to 4 days!
Me: Thank you!
By the way, I collected my stamped passport on the same day from the VFS office in the evening!