Travel to India without F1 stamping on my passport after 5 years

[Ind88]

Hello All,

I entered US on F2 visa in Jan 2014 and got a change of status (I 797A) approved in 2016. Right now i am on F1 visa and also OPT approved. I just graduated from college in December. I haven't travelled to India since 2014, so I do not have F1 stamping on my passport. I was told if I leave the country I have to attend a visa interview to return back to US. Due to unavoidable reasons I have to travel in March. 

My questions are:

1. What are the chances for visa approval when I travel as I already finished my Master's and OPT start date has reached?

2. What kind of documentation should I have before I leave the country?

3. If the visa is approved what would be the situation at the port of entry?

Thanks

[care_candidate]

16 hours ago, Ind88 said:

Hello All,

I entered US on F2 visa in Jan 2014 and got a change of status (I 797A) approved in 2016. Right now i am on F1 visa and also OPT approved. I just graduated from college in December. I haven't travelled to India since 2014, so I do not have F1 stamping on my passport. I was told if I leave the country I have to attend a visa interview to return back to US. Due to unavoidable reasons I have to travel in March. 

My questions are:

1. What are the chances for visa approval when I travel as I already finished my Master's and OPT start date has reached?

2. What kind of documentation should I have before I leave the country?

3. If the visa is approved what would be the situation at the port of entry?

Thanks

1. There is always some risk in going for stamping. That is a general statement; and in your case, it is higher risk because of OPT. It is considered as transition state. You have finished education but not started on work visa. So technically there is no purpose for you to return to US. If you stay in US, there is absolutely no issue till end of I-797A, which also has new I-94 at bottom. The primary questions you will be asked is "What is the reason you want to go to US?".  You really don't have good answer to that. You may want to look for job whilst on OPT but as of now, you don't anything. I would say chances of rejection are higher without RFE. There is nothing in US for you that visa officer need to verify you for. For example University or company...etc. You cannot be dependent because that's not what you are applying for at this point.

2. You basically should take everything from past visa such as University documents - I-20, previous visa...etc. because that's all you got. You never know what they would like to see.

3. At POE, you will be facing part II of what happened at visa office in home country. There, you only have advantage that you will have visa stamped but that is extremely low risk.

I would say your biggest risk is at consulate during interview.

[Provence]

No one can foresee the odds of visa approval. Quality of the school, evidence of non-immigrant intent, access to liquid funds are among a set of factors looked at during F1 visa adjudication.