H4 with H1 (expriing soon), Junk V appt, Last name change etc.

[KIRRUN]

Kudos for a nice forum.
31 May 05
My H1B expires 1st Aug 05 (first 3 yrs completed). Applied for H1 extension (3yrs more - don't know exactly how long it takes). I am leaving to India during 1 week of May for my marriage in May 3rd week. As of now she has an appointment in Chennai in July end (thats what she got).
1. JUNK PROFILE VISA APPTs?: I wanted to look at available dates and fillied in a junk profile and applied for visa appt in Chennai. After checking again and again LUCKILY, I got an appt in the last week of May. I wish I made that profile with original details (I thought it requires lots of details and out of curiosity to know available dates, I just filled in junk). Now is there any way or possibilty that I cancel the junk one with good appt date and immediately grab it with modify option for the original profile? I don't appreciate what I did as it blocks many aspirant applicants, but it is a honest mistake. I also heard that people sell appts this way. Is that true?
For hyderabad residents, where should we go to try for an visa appt OFFLINE.
2. LAST NAME CHANGE ?: Visa appt has her orginal maiden name (last name K). Also it don't have option for middle name. Should we put the middle name or not? We already did. After marriage we can get marraige cert, and is it recommended to change her last name to mine then? If we change, is the visa appt still valid? What happens to all her degree's? What is the last name change process in general.
3. H1/H4 SAME VISA APPT? and H1 re-stamping for me? :
Do I also need to go for re-stamping on my H1-extension if I get that before I leave US in early May? If yes, should I and my wife be attending on a same visa appt? Shall we cancel her appt that she has now (July end -which is waste anyways)? How can we apply for my H1 and her new H4 stamping in the same appt? She won't have a diff petition # or anything like that. Please answer step by step here.
4. EXPIRING H1 : Since it expires soon (on 1st Aug - we might attend consulate in May last week), will it be any problem for getting her H4 issued? Still we have like 2 more months.
5. MARRIAGE CERT BEFORE MARRIAGE : We applied for marriage certificate (registerd marriage) love marriage and can get it before we get married. Please comment on going for H4 on that. I tend not to proceed that way (no glamorous wedding photosetc).

Your answers are highly appreciated. Thanks for your patience.
P.S: Please answer question by question with numbers or a general suggestion of what I should do, so that I won't bother again with more questions out of confusion.
Thanks!
Kiran

[sankarayinala]

1.You can not modify the details once you submit. It should be done through TTS. But in this case as you have junk data better cancel that and book fresh one. I know there might be cance of not getting appointment but give a try by opening 2 windows one for cancel and another for booking. First complete all the details for booking, just before going to appointment screen cancel the appointment with junk that is opened in other window. When you come to appointment window for booking as page is refreshed you would get the same dates available. I got in similar way.
There is no offline appointment with TTS. Emergency appointment can be taken from Consulate directly via mail. But it is subject to availability.

2. You can contact TTS for change of details. Middle name is optional but while filling your forms take care.

3. As your stamping is valid till Aug and you are travelling before your visa expiry you no need to go for stamping. If you get your H1 approval papers when you are entering then immigration at airport would give I 94 greater than your Aug as you have valid paper work.
On single appointment you can not attend for stamping. Your wife can alone attend.

4. There may not be a problem for H4 stamping. You provide your wife with extension receipt details (approval docs if available) to strengthen your case.