Published by Financial Express - August 20, 2026
https://www.financialexpress.com/immigration/indian-students-on-cpt-now…
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:
On paper, the SEVP message does not change the existing CPT rules, said immigration attorney Rajiv S. Khanna of Immigration.com, speaking to Financial Express.
For more than thirty years, an F-1 student's Form I-94 has carried two alphabets where a date should be: D/S. Duration of status. Stay as long as your program lasts, keep studying, keep your I-20 current, and the clock never runs out.
Those two alphabets are gone.
I am currently on an H1B visa and, unfortunately, I’ve been laid off. My last working day will be July 31st. I'm evaluating my options to maintain legal status in the U.S. after that date. The two primary paths I’m considering are:
Filing a Change of Status to B1/B2 (Visitor Visa). Filing a Change of Status to F2 (Dependent on my wife’s STEM OPT)
I saw your post on LinkedIn where you mentioned that USCIS has recently issued RFEs in B1/B2-to-H1B conversion cases, citing that seeking employment while on a B status may constitute a status violation.
My question is:
If I change to F2, would I face similar scrutiny during a future change back to H1B, especially if I'm job hunting while on F2?
Does job searching or interviewing while on F2 (without actual employment) violate the terms of that status? Also, I'd greatly appreciate your insights on the pros and cons of switching to F2 vs. B1/B2 from a strategic and compliance perspective.
Seeking a job while on F-2 or B-1/B-2 status after an H-1B layoff carries no inherent risk, as the prohibition is on doing the job, not looking for one. While some individuals have faced challenges from USCIS when converting back to H-1B, the speaker views such objections as unfounded. Even in a worst-case scenario, an H-1B approval might necessitate a brief departure and re-entry to the U.S.
Published by: The Economic Times - July 04, 2025
https://tinyurl.com/48ww6hy6
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Published by: Moneycontrol - July 02, 2025
https://www.moneycontrol.com/world/us-eyes-fixed-visa-term-for-foreign-…
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Published by: Hindustan Times - Date July 02, 2025
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Published by: Times Now - July 02, 2025
https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/another-blow-to-internati…
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Published by: Business Today- July 02, 2025
https://www.businesstoday.in/nri/visa/story/major-us-student-visa-overh…
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Published by: The Times of India - June 20, 2025
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/visa-interviews-for-intern…
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:
The question is regarding my mother, who comes on B1/B2 every 6 months. My father expired during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she stays alone in India. My brother and I both live in the US. He is on an H1B visa, and I am on an H4 visa. My mom is also suffering from arthritis and is not able to walk much.
Is there a way we can extend her B1/B2 instead of sending her back to India? She has nobody to look after, and we are under a lot of stress as we are settled here and can't be in India for six months.
Yes, it may be possible for the mother to obtain a B-1/B-2 visa and potentially extend her stay in the US to help her children who are on H-1 visas. While not explicitly stated in law, there's a policy principle, often related to "cohabiting partners" as outlined in the State Department's Foreign Affairs Manual, that allows for B-1/B-2 visas in situations where close relationships exist, but dependents don't qualify for F-2 or H-4 status (like a parent of an H-1B holder).
This approach has been used successfully in the past for extended stays. However, it's not guaranteed and can be subject to the discretion of individual immigration officers. There's a risk of encountering issues or receiving requests for further evidence that may not make sense, requiring further action.