Published by: The Times of India - April 08, 2026
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/h-1b-bridge-rout…
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:
Rajiv S. Khanna, Managing Attorney at Immigration.com, agreed that there has been an uptick, but added: “To be clear, so far, we have not had a case ultimately denied. But the increased scrutiny is unmistakable. The USCIS appears to be questioning the bona fides of these applications more aggressively than it did even a year ago. For a worker who has just lost their job and is racing against the 60-day grace period, receiving an RFE or a NOID is not just a paperwork inconvenience; it is a source of genuine fear about their ability to remain in the country while they sort out their next steps.”
Khanna outlined similar constraints but highlighted the financial barrier: “The typical options remain what they have always been: change to B status for temporary respite, change to F status if pursuing further education, or, if a spouse holds an H-1B, seek derivative status through the spouse's petition. What makes the current situation particularly cruel is the trap it creates for workers who are forced to leave the country. Under the September 2025 Proclamation, any H-1Bworker who departs the United States and needs to return on a new H-1B petition faces the $100,000 fee. This does not merely disadvantage these workers; it effectively prices them out of returning.”
Khanna pointed to the lack of clarity following the archiving of earlier guidance: “The Biden administration had published a helpful policy statement. No replacement guidance has been issued. It is a mystery wrapped inside bureaucratic ambiguity.”
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