F1 OPT vs H4 EAD

Adobe
JNqc88

Go to company page Adobe

JNqc88
May 20, 2021 14 Comments

Moving to the US soon and have an admit in an MS stem program for this fall. I was supposed to join last year but could not because of the pandemic. However, now I am also to get married to my bf in a years time. He lives in the US and now we have been exploring the possibility of moving without a masters and work on an H4 EAD.
I know there were a lot of issues last year with the H4 visa. Are there any suggestions from the blind community on what is a better, stable visa professionally? Some facts:
1. I already have over 6 years of work experience and I have done pretty well at my job
2. I am not an engineer
3. I may be able to move to the same company, but haven't had that conversation yet.
#workvisa

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TOP 14 Comments
  • Yahoo
    FigureOut!

    Go to company page Yahoo

    FigureOut!
    H4 EAD will take sometime to process, also you will be tied with your spouse’s visa until you get H1B or Greencard through your spouse.
    F1 is definitely a good way to keep it separate. Also, right now consulates ate closed, will you be able to get new H4 stamping?
    May 20, 2021 4
    • Adobe
      JNqc88

      Go to company page Adobe

      JNqc88
      OP
      RSUs vested from my current job. Based on immigration lawyers I can continue my current job in my home country (not living in US) till the EAD has been recieved.
      May 21, 2021
    • Amazon
      TruthBeare

      Go to company page Amazon

      TruthBeare
      Do confirm with your attorneys again. You can get H4 stamped outside US but to initiate H4EAD Candidate has to be in US during the time of filling. So not sure why your attorney is suggesting you can keep on working until EAD is received.
      May 22, 2021
  • Intel
    zzhi24

    Go to company page Intel

    zzhi24
    F1 is better .. tough to find jobs via H4 .. try to ask for an internal transfer
    May 20, 2021 2
    • Adobe
      JNqc88

      Go to company page Adobe

      JNqc88
      OP
      Thanks for that point. I will try for an internal transfer. But given the pandemic L1 might have been affected at a company level. Would you say moving to the same company on an H4 is also a bad idea? It might be easier for me to make that happen.

      Also, why do you say tough to find new jobs via H4? Do companies discriminate against the visa type?
      May 20, 2021
    • Intel
      zzhi24

      Go to company page Intel

      zzhi24
      In general H4 visa holders do not get lot of opportunities ..it’s tough to get into companies like Google with H4 visa .. if you have an opportunity to move within your company via H4 , you should definitely try. For that it will take some time to get the EAD approved
      May 20, 2021
  • Amazon
    TruthBeare

    Go to company page Amazon

    TruthBeare
    F1 is not always the preferred option and please for god sake don't just rely on short term impact like borders are closed for H4, it does not help at all.

    On F1 you will be spending north of 30 lakhs, plus 1.5 to two years of efforts. Said that given you said you are not an engineer finding job will not be easy, plus not sure if you are STEM graduate that will impact STEM opt extension.

    Plus on H4 EAD you can ask your company to file for H1B. Once on H1B you are as good as pursuing F1 and moving to H1B.
    May 22, 2021 1
    • Adobe
      JNqc88

      Go to company page Adobe

      JNqc88
      OP
      I have been thinking about the same thing. I am hesitant to be in debt or blow up my savings at this point. Wanted to instead use the money to buy a home in the future. So want to try options that doesn't make me unemployed for the next 2 years. The program is STEM with OPT extension though. From a "good" college with pretty high recruitment rates.
      May 22, 2021
  • Bloomberg
    count123

    Go to company page Bloomberg

    PRE
    Amazon
    count123
    Hi OP why do you think L1 is not a good option? I’ve heard of people being able to transfer within the companies on a L1 and that would make it much easier. Depending on the size of your company they may even be sponsoring blanket L1 for a lot of applications so it would be much easier. I would say depending on the name of your company if your in a Facebook/ Microsoft etc type company it would be easy to get an L1 even in the current pandemic
    May 21, 2021 1
    • Adobe
      JNqc88

      Go to company page Adobe

      JNqc88
      OP
      It is probably the best option. But in the past it has not worked out for several people for reasons other than legal. I will surely try for it. But wanted to understand my options in case L1 does not work out.
      May 21, 2021
  • Virtusa / QA
    Hope_Jen

    Go to company page Virtusa QA

    Hope_Jen
    Given the current condition of pandemic.. F1 is a better option thn H4/H1B.. as students are permitted to travel but rest of the travelers are dependent on the pandemic situation.. which seems to be lasting longer now..
    May 20, 2021 0