AC21 is the name given to a law that provides for several matters including the ability to change jobs while an employment-based green card is pending (I-485 AC21 portability) and to start working for an H-1B employer as soon as transfer petition is filed with the USCIS.
Fiscal Year 2023 Employment-Based Adjustment of Status FAQs from USCIS
The employment-based (EB) annual limit for fiscal year (FY) 2023 will be higher than was typical before the pandemic, though lower than in FY 2021 and FY 2022. We are dedicated to ensuring we use as many available employment-based visas as possible in FY 2023, which ends on Sept. 30, 2023.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 04 March 2021:
FAQ's: How to deal with H-1B employer paying salary less than required || Green Card Renewal - Do I have to be employed in a similar job?
Other Topics: Downgrading from EB-2 to EB-3: Interview process, job responsibility, wages and period of time to change jobs || | If approved EB-1C and GC (consular processing): Impact of delay to move to the US || AOS versus NVC processing for family members in different status || Upgrading to premium processing, while service correction to I-140 pending/options if, spouse moves to EB-3 || Documents required for parents GC || Spouses changing from EB-2 to EB-3 with a new law firm and service center || Maintaining status || Impact of H-4 EAD expiring on spouses || Time estimate for pending asylum review || Impact of moving to a new office branch with AOS pending || Parent on I-140: Impact on 19-year-old son and CSPA || Green Card through Brother or Sister
Topics: H-1B holder owning illegal stocks || B-2 visa extensions or alternatives in domestic abuse situations facing parent in home country || Merger effect on priority dates if EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade rejection and H-1 transfer || H-4 to F-1 change of status and aging out || Different I-94 expiration date on I-797A || I-485 downgrading from EB-2 to EB-3 || EAD-AC21-Self Porting || Name variation issue for immigration and Instructions for the 2021 Diversity immigrant visa program || Issues when priority date for EB-2 is getting closer to cut off || Plans after PD becomes current and responding to RFE based on EB-2 India I-485 adjustment of status || Questions regarding L-1A visa extension or renewal expiration while GC pending || EAD and AP Renewal under Category (c)(9) - Receipt notice delays || I-140, EB-2 NIW visa approved: Estimate time taken for an interview
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 19 November 2020:
EB-1C eligibility after company transition while pending I-485 and L-1A extension || Post completion OPT and employment issues || Canadian citizen applying for TN visa during presidential proclamation ||Sharing misdemeanor details of spouse while filing for green card || Document Checklist for I-485 Adjust of Status || Consular processing and green card when priority date is current||Transition from F-1 to H-1B || H-1B Visa expiring, extension and delay due to wage rate increment || I-485 filing and issues related to primary and derivative applicant || How long for an interview after the priority date becomes current || H-1B visa potential immigration issues for being outside the USA for more than a year during pandemic || Laid off due to Covid and the effect on adjudication of STEM OPT visa || AC21 portability, I-140 and starting a new venture || 221g administrative processing and H-1B visa stamping || Presidential Proclamation and H-1B visa stamping || Change of status from J-1 to F-1 Visa and Biometrics || Understanding the Visa Bulletin || H-1B and prevailing wage levels || Employment Authorization in compelling situations
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided guidance on how it will implement Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf’s July 28 memorandum (PDF) regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy.
FAQs: Covid-19/Coronavirus applying for B-2 status || Working from Canada on or off H-1b || How can I qualify for EB-1C/International Managers or Executives ||
OTHER: STEM OPT EAD || Travel on I-539 || AC21 portability || Day trading on H1b (I-140 approved) or on H4? || Can I withdraw the COS to H4 once my H1b is approved? || Green Card expiring, filing I-90? || Disorderly conduct arrest record in the I-485 form || Entry restrictions on visitor visa || Reckless ticket and oath ceremony || Immigration processing delays || Pay on H-4 EAD expiry || Travel to India while the i-539 application is pending ||
FAQs: Religious Worker Visa, premises still under construction || Students aging out of H-4 || Lawsuit against status denial for CPT users || AC21 portability Supplement J || L-1 and entrepreneurial H-1B || 60 days grace period of H-1B getting over - F-1 option || Need to amend H-1B for remote work from home || Part time H-1B || Doing business on OPT
OTHER: IR5 Green Card traveling separately || H-1B Quota exemption || Reentry Permit obligations || H-1B change of status || CSPA for child of EB-1A petitioner || 212(e) waivers for J-1 holders || I-140 withdrawal || H-4 EAD processing times ||
FAQs:
-B-1/B-2 visitors visa extension
-Effect of immigration proclamation/executive order on green cards
-H-1B furlough or temporary lay off
-Implications of the 240 days grace period
-I-485 pending laid off/AC21/Supplement J
Other topics of discussion:
-Public charge rule
-H-1-H4-H4 EAD extension concurrently
One of the biggest problems in transactions with the USCIS is uncertainty and inconsistency. We are often confronted with decisions that are contrary to long-standing policy and may even be illegal.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, December 12, 2019
FAQ: Change in green card job responsibilities and/or job title during the process || Variation in H-1B job approved and actually performed || How far ahead of job or petition start date can I apply for H-1B visa stamping? || Parents’ birth certificates || Must we maintain H-1 or L-1 status while I-485 is pending? || Consequences of losing my job on H-1B and revocation of I-140 || Does withdrawing a timely filed application/petition with the USCIS lead to unlawful presence? ||
OTHER: Naturalization interview canceled || Expediting I-485 || Risks of changing jobs while I-485 is pending -- AC21 || Traveling while H-1B extension is pending || Discrepancy in names || Applying for green card for parents, etc. || Visas for same-sex partners from countries where such marriage is not allowed || H-1B for small companies, etc.