Alfred

hello guys,

i need your help, pls. i'm a foreigner who's able to get an employment here in the US. in
fact, i just got the approval of my change of status from b2 visa to h1 visa. i'd like to
know if i can already file h4 (dependents) visa petition for my family who is outside of
US? if not, when it is possible? do i still need a visa stamping first? how about my
10-year visitor visa, is it already superceded by the fact that INS granted me change of
status which is h4 visa?

i seek your humble opinions.

thanks from alfred

Richard H

Excellent question. All the information you need can be found on the U.S. Government's
Immigration and Naturalization Service website at:
http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/index.htm

> Hello,
>
> I need your help, pls. I'm a foreigner who's able to get an employment
here
> in the USA. in fact, I just got the approval of my change of status from
b2
> visa to h1 visa. I'd like to know if i can already file h4 (dependents)
visa
> petition for my family who is outside of US? If not, when is it possible?
Do
> I still need a visa stamping first? How about my 10-year visitor visa, is
it
> already superceded by the fact that INS granted me change of status which
is
> the h4 visa?
>
> I seek your humble opinions.
>
> Thanks from Alfred

Jacquelyn Negrete

Ideally, you should have applied for the H4 visas at the same time that you applied for
the H1 for yourself. You can apply now for them but you will have to endure the long
wait....yes the H1-B visa supersedes your 10-year visitor visa.

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Pratick Mukherjee

Hi,

<[email protected]> =====
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In my experience, H-4 are fairly routine and in most consulates don't take more than a
day. The dependents of the H-1B only need to present the original H-1B approval
notification, maybe the employment offer letter and proof of dependency (marriage
certificate for spouse and birth certificates for the kids). The visa officer may or may
not ask a few routine questions and then the visa is issued. Since the original poster
stated that his family is not in the USA, he will have to send them the original approval
notice and the associated paperwork. Of course, I have no idea which country they belong
to, but in *most* consulates it does not take more than a day. Check the web site of the
consulate in question.

Regards, Pratick