Popcorn

Hi,

My current h1 expires by Jul 22, 2004. But previous visa in my passport
expired by april 2002. I understand that i can send for revalidation before
april 2003.

1. I want to know if i should have it stamped or can i get it stamped when
i go out of us to my home country ( india) and get it stamped there..

2. Is stamping needed only if you want to travel outside us and want to come
back in..

3. I want to know if i need to send the original notice of approval or a
copy????

4. how many weeks it takes these days to get it revalidated???

5. If i dont get my stamping done, and dont plan to go outside US until Jul
22,2004, and if i get my new H1 for one year( this is because i would have
used 6 years of my h1 by jul 22 2004 and i have applied for labour
certificaition in aug 2002), can i get that stamped skipping this one ( one
that ends by jul 22,2004).

6. Would spouse of a h1 b holder who used 6 year h1 b and extends the h1
every year ( applied for labour in june 2002) get H4??????

Thank you,
Anu

Ingo Pakleppa

On Fri, 31 Jan 2003 09:43:05 +0000, Popcorn wrote:

    > Hi,
    >
    > My current h1 expires by Jul 22, 2004. But previous visa in my passport
    > expired by april 2002. I understand that i can send for revalidation before
    > april 2003.
    >
    > 1. I want to know if i should have it stamped or can i get it stamped when
    > i go out of us to my home country ( india) and get it stamped there..

You can - and should - try to get it stamped before you leave. You can get
it stamped in India, too, but there can be very lengthy delays, and you
may be stuck in India possibly for months. On the other hand, it is
entirely possible that Department of State in St. Louis will refuse to
stamp your passport. In that case, you have no choice but to go to the
consulate in India.

Of course, remaining in the US is always an option; in that case you won't
have to deal with stamping.

    > 2. Is stamping needed only if you want to travel outside us and want to come
    > back in..

Yes.

    > 3. I want to know if i need to send the original notice of approval or a
    > copy????

I think they want to see the original.

    > 4. how many weeks it takes these days to get it revalidated???

I don't know, but I would allow about 12 weeks.

    > 5. If i dont get my stamping done, and dont plan to go outside US until Jul
    > 22,2004, and if i get my new H1 for one year( this is because i would have
    > used 6 years of my h1 by jul 22 2004 and i have applied for labour
    > certificaition in aug 2002), can i get that stamped skipping this one ( one
    > that ends by jul 22,2004).

Yes. However, you cannot get that in St. Louis but only at a consulate.
The reason is that St. Louis will only do renewals for visas that have
expired not more than a year ago.

    > 6. Would spouse of a h1 b holder who used 6 year h1 b and extends the h1
    > every year ( applied for labour in june 2002) get H4??????

Yes.

Popcorn

Thanks for your reply...

    > You can - and should - try to get it stamped before you leave. You can get
    > it stamped in India, too, but there can be very lengthy delays, and you
    > may be stuck in India possibly for months. On the other hand, it is
    > entirely possible that Department of State in St. Louis will refuse to
    > stamp your passport. In that case, you have no choice but to go to the
    > consulate in India.

If ST-Louis refuses to stamp the passport, should i go to india immediately
or wherever i make the trip to india i can
get it stamped??? Can i work even when st louis refuses to stamp??

Another question..I need to get a letter from my employer. I got it.But
letter does not mention anything about the need for a visa stamp..Should
that be mentioned???????


"Ingo Pakleppa" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Fri, 31 Jan 2003 09:43:05 +0000, Popcorn wrote:
    > > Hi,
    > >
    > > My current h1 expires by Jul 22, 2004. But previous visa in my passport
    > > expired by april 2002. I understand that i can send for revalidation
before
    > > april 2003.
    > >
    > > 1. I want to know if i should have it stamped or can i get it stamped
when
    > > i go out of us to my home country ( india) and get it stamped there..
    > You can - and should - try to get it stamped before you leave. You can get
    > it stamped in India, too, but there can be very lengthy delays, and you
    > may be stuck in India possibly for months. On the other hand, it is
    > entirely possible that Department of State in St. Louis will refuse to
    > stamp your passport. In that case, you have no choice but to go to the
    > consulate in India.
    > Of course, remaining in the US is always an option; in that case you won't
    > have to deal with stamping.
    > > 2. Is stamping needed only if you want to travel outside us and want to
come
    > > back in..
    > Yes.
    > > 3. I want to know if i need to send the original notice of approval or a
    > > copy????
    > I think they want to see the original.
    > > 4. how many weeks it takes these days to get it revalidated???
    > I don't know, but I would allow about 12 weeks.
    > > 5. If i dont get my stamping done, and dont plan to go outside US until
Jul
    > > 22,2004, and if i get my new H1 for one year( this is because i would
have
    > > used 6 years of my h1 by jul 22 2004 and i have applied for labour
    > > certificaition in aug 2002), can i get that stamped skipping this one
( one
    > > that ends by jul 22,2004).
    > Yes. However, you cannot get that in St. Louis but only at a consulate.
    > The reason is that St. Louis will only do renewals for visas that have
    > expired not more than a year ago.
    > > 6. Would spouse of a h1 b holder who used 6 year h1 b and extends the h1
    > > every year ( applied for labour in june 2002) get H4??????
    > Yes.

Ingo Pakleppa

On Fri, 31 Jan 2003 13:14:12 +0000, Popcorn wrote:

    > Thanks for your reply...
    >
    >> You can - and should - try to get it stamped before you leave. You can get
    >> it stamped in India, too, but there can be very lengthy delays, and you
    >> may be stuck in India possibly for months. On the other hand, it is
    >> entirely possible that Department of State in St. Louis will refuse to
    >> stamp your passport. In that case, you have no choice but to go to the
    >> consulate in India.
    >
    > If ST-Louis refuses to stamp the passport, should i go to india immediately
    > or wherever i make the trip to india i can
    > get it stamped??? Can i work even when st louis refuses to stamp??

You don't need the stamp as long as you are in the US, so you can go to
India at your convenience. The stamp has to do strictly with crossing the
border, inside the US it is meaningless and carries no legal weight.

    > Another question..I need to get a letter from my employer. I got it.But
    > letter does not mention anything about the need for a visa stamp..Should
    > that be mentioned???????

Not necessary. Purpose of this letter is simply to show that you are
indeed still employed there.

    >
    >
    > "Ingo Pakleppa" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> On Fri, 31 Jan 2003 09:43:05 +0000, Popcorn wrote:
    >> > Hi,
    >> >
    >> > My current h1 expires by Jul 22, 2004. But previous visa in my passport
    >> > expired by april 2002. I understand that i can send for revalidation
    > before
    >> > april 2003.
    >> >
    >> > 1. I want to know if i should have it stamped or can i get it stamped
    > when
    >> > i go out of us to my home country ( india) and get it stamped there..
    >> You can - and should - try to get it stamped before you leave. You can get
    >> it stamped in India, too, but there can be very lengthy delays, and you
    >> may be stuck in India possibly for months. On the other hand, it is
    >> entirely possible that Department of State in St. Louis will refuse to
    >> stamp your passport. In that case, you have no choice but to go to the
    >> consulate in India.
    >> Of course, remaining in the US is always an option; in that case you won't
    >> have to deal with stamping.
    >> > 2. Is stamping needed only if you want to travel outside us and want to
    > come
    >> > back in..
    >> Yes.
    >> > 3. I want to know if i need to send the original notice of approval or a
    >> > copy????
    >> I think they want to see the original.
    >> > 4. how many weeks it takes these days to get it revalidated???
    >> I don't know, but I would allow about 12 weeks.
    >> > 5. If i dont get my stamping done, and dont plan to go outside US until
    > Jul
    >> > 22,2004, and if i get my new H1 for one year( this is because i would
    > have
    >> > used 6 years of my h1 by jul 22 2004 and i have applied for labour
    >> > certificaition in aug 2002), can i get that stamped skipping this one
    > ( one
    >> > that ends by jul 22,2004).
    >> Yes. However, you cannot get that in St. Louis but only at a consulate.
    >> The reason is that St. Louis will only do renewals for visas that have
    >> expired not more than a year ago.
    >> > 6. Would spouse of a h1 b holder who used 6 year h1 b and extends the h1
    >> > every year ( applied for labour in june 2002) get H4??????
    >> Yes.

Bharath

    > > 3. I want to know if i need to send the original notice of approval or a
    > > copy????
    >
    > I think they want to see the original.
    >

(3) A valid employment petition (Form I-797) issued by the INS must be
submitted. The form will indicate the applicant's current employer and
the approved extension of temporary stay. A photocopy is acceptable.

The above is from http://travel.state.gov/hlop.html about
Revalidation of H,L,O and P VISAS. It clearly mentions that a
photocopy is acceptable. Any comments on that ?

Thanks,
Bharath

Ingo Pakleppa

On Mon, 03 Feb 2003 08:20:55 +0000, Bharath wrote:

    >> > 3. I want to know if i need to send the original notice of approval or a
    >> > copy????
    >>
    >> I think they want to see the original.
    >>
    >
    > (3) A valid employment petition (Form I-797) issued by the INS must be
    > submitted. The form will indicate the applicant's current employer and
    > the approved extension of temporary stay. A photocopy is acceptable.
    >
    > The above is from http://travel.state.gov/hlop.html about
    > Revalidation of H,L,O and P VISAS. It clearly mentions that a
    > photocopy is acceptable. Any comments on that ?

Thanks for correcting me on that!