Urgent help required. Which is better -- H4 or F1 Visa ?

[ram.eluri]

Hi,

I work for one of the top MNCs of  India. My company sponsored H1B for me and the visa is stamped 2 weeks ago. My wife has not attended any Visa interview yet. My wife is working for one of top USA based software product company from past 4 years and has an excellent academic/professinal background. In past 6 months, my wife wrote GRE, TOEFL and applied for 4 universities near to my work location at USA. Right now we both are in India and I will be travelling to USA in the 1st week of December 2013 to join my onsite team. My wife is interested to pursue MS at USA (for Spring) and would like to join me in January 2014.

Now I am confused whether to let my wife come to USA on F1 or H4 ? Which one would be better ?

I do not know the advantages/disadvantages I would have, if my wife comes on H4, related to tax savings on my salary etc....

Similarly I do not know the advantages/disadvantages my wife would have, if she comes on H4 ?

Please share your opinion/suggestion/experince.

Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,
Raj

[jairichi]

Hi,

I work for one of the top MNCs of  India. My company sponsored H1B for me and the visa is stamped 2 weeks ago. My wife has not attended any Visa interview yet. My wife is working for one of top USA based software product company from past 4 years and has an excellent academic/professinal background. In past 6 months, my wife wrote GRE, TOEFL and applied for 4 universities near to my work location at USA. Right now we both are in India and I will be travelling to USA in the 1st week of December 2013 to join my onsite team. My wife is interested to pursue MS at USA (for Spring) and would like to join me in January 2014.

Now I am confused whether to let my wife come to USA on F1 or H4 ? Which one would be better ?

I do not know the advantages/disadvantages I would have, if my wife comes on H4, related to tax savings on my salary etc....

Similarly I do not know the advantages/disadvantages my wife would have, if she comes on H4 ?

Please share your opinion/suggestion/experince.

Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,

Raj

 

On H4 she might be eligible for in state tuition fee but she cannot work on OPT after graduation

On F1 she pays international fee but she can work on OPT after graduation

 

It is easy to enter based on H4 visa as it depends on your documentation. While for F1 visa the procedures and documents are a bit elaborative. And, she can convert her H4 to F1 anytime later in US and be eligible for OPT. But to get OPT she has to be on F1 status for certain semesters or period of time.