Financial documents required for COS from H4 to F1.

Hi,

I’m currently enrolled in a US university for an MS course and have completed one semester on H4 visa. I’m planning to apply for COS to F1 visa.

My previous semester is already paid for and we have enough funds right now to pay the fee for the next semester as well. However, we can’t show the funds for the entire I-20 amount right now.

I’m thinking to get a student loan approved from India to show as a financial proof to cover the entire I-20 amount.

My concern is, will the USCIS accept the loan sanction letter from Indian bank as a financial proof? And if not, is there any other alternative that I could use to show as a proof of funds?

Secondly, do I really need to show proof of entire I-20 amount right now? Isn’t it sufficient if I show a proof for the fee for just the next semester, along with my spouse’s salary slips?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

My concern is, will the USCIS accept the loan sanction letter from Indian bank as a financial proof? And if not, is there any other alternative that I could use to show as a proof of funds?

Loan sanction letter from India is good enough.

Secondly, do I really need to show proof of entire I-20 amount right now? Isn’t it sufficient if I show a proof for the fee for just the next semester, along with my spouse’s salary slips?

Yes, spouse pay slip, bank balance and loan sanction letter should work.

Thanks for your prompt response.
I’ve also read at several blogs/posts that it is not recommended to travel outside USA once you’ve applied for a COS and it is still in processing. Is that true?

And secondly if I get COS approved and then travel outside of USA, will I need to get the F1 stamped to reenter USA?

Yes, travelling out of USA while COS in process, will result you in abandoning your COS application. So USCIS will cancel your application. You have to be in USA all the while from application to approval of COS.

COS is only to give you F1 status without having to travel out of country and get it stamped. If you are planning on traveling anyway, dont worry about CoS, just get your F1 stamped. Even after Cos is approved, once you travel out of country you need to anyway have your F1 stamped.

It is a choice, you can wait for COS to be approved without travelling or travel out now and have F1 stamped so you will be immediately on F1 once your enter USA with F1 visa.