Status FAQs

Watch the Video on this FAQ: H-1B portability without a visa stamp

Video Transcript

When you have an H-4 visa stamp and you came to the United States and you got selected in the lottery that means you got your H-1B and you got your change of status. If you change employers you can start working as soon as your change of employer paperwork is delivered to the USCIS. You do not need any H-1B visa stamp for that purpose. FAQ in detail...

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Watch the Video on this FAQ:

H-1B no notification of termination, 60 days grace period, etc.

Video Transcript

File a complaint against the employer with the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor by filling up the form WH-4. You can also call them. 

The 60 day grace period works like this. The new employer must make sure that your H-1B transfer application is received by the USCIS within 60 days. So the LCA should be done, the package prepared and USCIS should receive your H-1B transfer within 60 days, otherwise you will be out of status and you will have to go outside the USA for visa stamping pandemic or no pandemic, also remember there is a proclamation that will stop you from coming back at least before December. Make sure you remain in status or at least file a B-2. FAQ in detail...

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Watch the Video on this FAQ: Covid Coronavirus Question from

 Employers about Payroll for H-1B and others L-1, E, etc. employees

Video Transcript

If you look at the Department of Labor regulations they say that the employer cannot stop paying a salary or the right amount of salary for anything that the employer does. So if you don’t have a project that's your problem. If by law or by local order you cannot open offices and you cannot work, would you as an employer be allowed to pay a lesser salary and that might be something to look at because rather than laying off all the people that your concerned about I would have you to think about other alternatives. FAQ in detail...

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Watch the Video on this FAQ: H-1B unpaid leave or time off

Video Transcprit

If it can be avoided you should not leave the United States. It is legal for an employee to take unpaid time off. It is normal for an employee to take personal time off, but the employer for their own protection should be documenting this. I do not believe that you should give a specific reason. FAQ in detail...

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FAQ: H-1B joining another employer while a transfer,

extension or amendment is pending

Video Transcript

1. The answer is yes. 

2. It depends. Normally 60 days grace period is available for unexpected cessation of employment. As long as your I-94 is valid. But let's say your I-94 is valid for only 45 days you will not get a 60 day grace period. You will get a 45 day grace period. More...

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Watch the Video on this FAQ:

Status expiring during the pendency of an H-1B extension

Video Transcript

1. No, and there is no NTA even if it gets denied. You can leave the United States within a short period. After the denial you won't get an NTA.

2. You don't have to do that. There is no question of unlawful presence or being out of status when timely filed extension amendment or transfer request is pending and if you choose to leave the USA for whatever reasons you can always get a visa and come back. Traveling outside the USA does not abandon your H-1request. More...

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Watch the Video on this FAQ: H-1B petition revocation during visa process/reaffirmation

Video Transcript

In a case where you got your H-1B approval but you have travelled outside the USA and you need a visa, you go to the US consulate for visa stamping. They put you in administrative processing and discover something which often is unjustified frankly and sometimes can be justified, gives them some reason to send the case back to the USCIS saying that the case needs to be revoked and that can take a few months (5-6 months). Then USCIS will issue a notice of intent to revoke which would be sent to your lawyers as well as to your employer that says we found out this information through the consulate and it looks like this case needs to be revoked. You have 33 days to respond to USCIS and justify why they shouldn't revoke it. Once the employer responds to it and if USCIS finds out that the case is really approvable and the consulate is mistaken, they reaffirm the case and send it back to the consulate. This whole thing can take months and even a year.

The option would be to file another H-1 through another employer or with the same company  that is if this was not a quota H-1 and there is no fraud, etc., involved. More...

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FAQ: How does one change status while within the United States?

Video Transcript

There are three types of situations I can think of. One is when you are changing status to one to another (H-1 to F-1 or H-1 to tourist visa) can be filed just by using form I-539. Then there are some where the change of status requires refiling of the entire paperwork for the petition. H-1 and L-1 are examples of that category and the third situation to change of status is when certain categories of people are not allowed to change status. An example would be if you are here on a visa waiver also calling ESTA program you cannot change status. More...

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Watch the Video for this FAQ: Status of off-site placed STEM OPT extension students

Video Transcript

First of all to say that USCIS has changed its regulations and they do not allow off-site placements of STEM OPT extensions students is incorrect, because USCIS has said this from a very long time that they are not going to allow these placements. If you are in a situation, what can happen is you could be considered to be out of status for no fault of your own. So if you file an H-1B and if the government says well we think you're out of status hopefully that's all they can do, they can make you go outside the USA for a visa stamping. More...

Watch the Video on this FAQ: H-1B and green card transfer from a non-profit organization to for-profit

Video Transcript

1. The answer is No. There is no advantage in going through for-profit or non-profit that's just irrelevant.

2. No, non-profit or for-profit does not matter you cannot transfer I-140s, you can transfer priority dates unless your 1-140 is based upon a National Interest Waiver or an EB-1A.  Your green card can be transferred once your I-140 is approved and I-485 has been pending 180 days, then it doesn't matter what the nature of the organisation is.

3. a.  I don't think there is any specific law on this issue. Technically, you can start working for them on receipt, but obviously you will only get a receipt if your case is picked up for the lottery. So if you have been maintaining H-1B status I believe you can start working for a cap subject employer as soon as your H-1 is picked up.

     b.  Absolutely. My guess would be if your H-1B cap subject H-1B is approved and it is not revoked till October 1st, I don't think you will be subject to a cap to work for a for-profit in the future. It shouldn't be revoked before October 1st and you should receive your change of employer. So in other words, you should get a new I-94 with the case because USCIS has been taking this position that just getting an H-1B approval does not put you over the top where you are safe from cap quota issues. They say unless you receive a change of status or go get a visa stamping till that time you are not exempt from the quota so you must also receive an I-94 which is a transfer of employer, but you can still continue working with the old employer.

    c.  Another way is applying for concurrent H-1B although it is a strange provision in the law where if you have a quota exempt H-1B as long as you maintain that without worrying about the quota you can also work on a concurrent H-1B for a quota employer.

    d. Moving to H-4 EAD is not a good idea because in June they are going to announce the revocation of the H-4 EAD regulations according to the court.

    e. Joining a Master's CPT and filing a cap yes, that's definitely an option.   

More....

Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.