Travel options while H4 extension pending

[dggem87]

Dear All

 

My H4 and my husband's H1B expires in mid-June 2015. My husband's H1B renewal application was sent to USCIS in March. But we applied for my H4 renewal only in end of April 2015. I received confirmation of receipt from USCIS in a week after application and now the decision is pending. The usual process time is 2.5 months at the California Service Center.

 

However, due to an emergency, I need to travel to India by first week of June. 

 

I really need to go to India, therefore would like to know what options are available to me when I decide to re-enter the country.

 

1) Would my extension application still be processed by USCIS? If yes, and if they notify approval sometime in July, should I just get stamping from consulate in India and re-enter?

2) Or would my extension application be considered abandoned, since I am exiting the country? If yes, is it possible that I apply for an H4 visa from India, go through the visa interview process and get a fresh H4 stamped on my passport and re-enter the country?

3) Are there any options to speeden up the review process of my extension application in the US now, so that I get approval by next week and then exit the country?

 

I am unsure how long my stay in India is going to be, so any options for re-entering on H4, even if it takes a little time, will work for me.

 

This is an urgent matter, so any suggestions/opinions would be highly appreciated and will really help me.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

Regards

dg

[jairichi]

The actual processing time is 3 to 4 months and nowadays it it taking a bit more longer. There is no way to expedite it.

Appear for H4 visa interview and enter US with a valid H4 visa and a copy of your spouse's I797.