Great Firm, excellent service. Ursula E., was very dilligent, sincere, provided excellent customer service. The firm is fortunate to have paralegals of such great calibre.
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC LEGAL SERVICES!!!It's with heartfelt appreciation and gratitude that I want to express my Thanks to the Staff of Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna, especially to Ms. Charu Bhagat, Ms. Reena Wadel and Ms. Sirisha Durgam for the patience with which they worked my very complicated case. I was basically in an out-of-status mode in the US for a long time with my past employment and it was a big question as to whether I would get my Visa transfer approved. Thanks to the ABSOLUTELY METICULOUS preparation of documents and the constant communication between INS and Rajiv S. Khanna's Office that amde it happen. The only thing that I would STRONGLY reccomend anyone that has the privilege of getting help from Rajiv S. Khanna's Office is...1. Be Patient and WORK (really, without question) with the lawyers who are handling your case.2. PROVIDE every bit of documentation asked for and be very PROMPT with it.3. Respect their effort in helping you and do not be impatient.Ms. Sirisha, Ms. Charu and Ms. Reena were three of the most friendly and helpful persons. Thank you so much!!Aravinth Kaliappan
It was a very pleasant experience working with the Law Offices. I would like to make a special reference to the person I worked with who kept me informed on each step during the process removing any anxiety - I did get prompt responses on all queries and she returned every call, that was amazing. I look forward to working with this team again when I apply for my Green Card.Thank and appreciate all your efforts.
Rajiv Khanna and the people at his office did a very good job in processing my Green card. All of the people(Leila Lehman, Shivane Sharma,and others), I used to contact were very knowledgable. It has been a nice experience! Thanks and keep up your good work!
Rajiv , I have an account with Immigration .com . Couple of day back I stamped my GreenCard . Iam happy about it and wanted to let you know that the team behind it are great people , a handful of excellent employees , don't you want to know about them ....they are Diane , Lakshmi and Leila . They are outstanding with their services , never I had to ask anything for second time , all feedback they gave me in 24 hrs. and they all kept me posted on the latest about my case . Rajiv , you have a great team , Iam sure you will be proud about them . I never knew doing Geen Card was so easy at Immigration.com . Thanks to you and big thanks to your team . GoodLuck and I will be in touch . Best wishes !!! Ranjit 510-209-5379
I have got my H1-b visa transferred twice in tough situations through successful representation of my cases by Rajiv S Khanna Law Offices. They have a highly professional, experienced and knowledgable staff. Best thing about RSK is that they have the most current information about immigration laws and the personalized attention (irrespective of whether you are a big corporation or an individual). In my experience they quickly grasped the problem, finished the paperwork swiftly and presented it in a very favourable way, that too for a very nominal fee (yes, fraction of what others charge!). What amazed me was the paralegals working at RSK are very involved and intelligent, they made a very important suggestion (which I overlooked) and saved me money and trouble. Mr. Rajiv Khanna himself is great man, possesses the best expertise in this field at the same time very modest and helpful. Special thanks to Charu Bhagat and Rena Waddel for handling my case. RSK Offices are doing a great service by providing latest information through this site. I have nothing but praise for everyone working there. Nobody has a magic wand, but if you have a immigration case/problem then I suggest you should leave it to RSK Offices.
These comments are being independent of the outcome of my application which is presently under process.What definately needs mention is the kind of professionalism shown by Law Offices of Rajiv Khanna (with specific mention to Rena Waddell and Sirisha Durgam. Their handling of my case papers, taking sincere interest in the case and not just providing lip service, providing me the correct information promptly, and keeping me upto date with the status has been extremely praiseworthy.
I got my passport stamped for permanent residency a few days ago. It is very difficult to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Rajiv Khanna and his team. They are very professional, efficient and very cooperative and extremely patient. I started my GC process on Aug, 2000 and it ended successfully on Aug, 2002. The entire process was handled very smoothly. One thing about Rajiv is he is approachable and treat you like a friend. That is a rare virtue among the lawyers. Also he returns any phone call and e-mail promptly [all my e-mail and phone was returned in less than 24 hours]. And his knowledge base in immigration realted stuff is amazingly deep, precise and up to date. My heartiest thanks to Rajiv. I also like to express my gratitude and thanks to Rajiv's team, specially Suman, Pooja, Homa, Shivani, Leila and of course Diane. Each of them are extremely efficient and knowledgable in their area. And they are as prompt and patient as Rajiv. I already refered Rajiv's law farm to many of my friends. Two of them are already a client. If you have any immigration needs, please contact the LEGEND, I know I will in future.Godspeed Rajiv and his team.
The service provided by the Attorney's office of Rajiv Khanna was most professional. My case was a bit complicated but the advice provided by the office helped me save a trip to India. Many thanks to Charu, Sirisha and Ursula!!!
Gentlemen/Ladies,It has been a pleasure to work with Mr. Khanna and his colleagues during process of my permanent residency. The task had been executed flawlessly and I am glad and thankful, that my colleague J. Murugavel (Chairman SysIndia.com)who recommended Mr. Khanna's office to proceed with my green card. I appreciate all the assistance and comfort extended during this process, especially during the company acquisition during Jan 2002. I especially thank the team member who worked with me for consistently being extremely prompt with his answers to my questions, and the willingness to go the extra mile to help me. Either me or my wife, will not hesitate to recommend Mr. Khanna's office to our friends or strangers for any sort of legal help they are looking for. I have lots of my colleagues from India and Sri Lanka, and the message had been already spread. Wishing you and your team a very bright future. Keep up the good work.Thanking you allRegards
Release Date
Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2026 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 7 and run through noon Eastern on March 24, 2025. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary.
We recommend that the H-1B lottery registration process should be planned and initiated now to ensure that it is ready to be submitted once the registrations open from noon Eastern on March 7, 2025 through noon Eastern on March
Number 99
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISAS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during March for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
FAQs:
1. Laid off on EAD from EB1A, can I start an UNRELATED teaching business?
2. Can I travel on Advance Parole?
3. Can I delay using an H-1B visa to utilize the STEM extension period?
4. H-1B specialty occupation for MS in UX Design (STEM)
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
FAQs:
1. Can I volunteer with a Non-Profit while on any temporary visa (for example, F-1 OPT)?
2. Options after layoff on approved EB-1 - Compelling circumstances EAD and GC EAD conversion
3. NIW I-485 rejected: Refiling options and priority date usage?
We primarily have questions on relocation to India and possibilities.
My wife and I want to retain our Green Cards and eventually get US citizenship. We are just 3 years away from getting our US citizenship.
However, we want to relocate to India for our aging parents. We want to be able to relocate to India now for a few years (5 years), but we also don’t want to miss out on the citizenship opportunity when we are this close to getting our US citizenship. Is this even possible without the hassle of staying 6 months in the US and 6 months in India, and would there be any tax implications if one of us continues to work for the same employer in the US remotely from India?
We are aware that we can take 2 years' permission by filing Form I-131 and staying outside the US for 2 years. However, we need more than 2 years to stay outside the US. Also, the citizenship clock resets if we take this option. Is there a way to avoid this?
If you plan to relocate to India with a green card before obtaining U.S. citizenship, it can significantly complicate the naturalization process. To apply for U.S. citizenship, you must meet physical presence requirements: at least 2.5 years in the U.S. over the last five years and no single absence of a year or more. If you stay outside the U.S. for over six months but less than a year, you may need to provide an explanation.
A re-entry permit (Form I-131) allows you to stay outside the U.S. for up to two years without losing your green card, but it does not help with citizenship requirements. Form N-470 can protect your eligibility in limited cases, such as working for a U.S. company’s foreign branch, but it does not guarantee naturalization.
If you stay abroad for more than a year, you will likely need to restart your five-year residency requirement (or four years and one day if a re-entry permit was used). While re-entry permits can be renewed in certain cases, they do not protect your citizenship timeline.
Best advice: Obtain U.S. citizenship first and then relocate, as naturalized citizens can live abroad indefinitely without affecting their status. Please consult your lawyer regarding this.
I applied for a change of status from an H1B to an H4 visa via I-539 in May 2024 as I got laid off, with my last working date being 3/19/2024.
The document was received by USCIS on 5/10/2024 and confirmed by I-797C, Notice of Action dt 5/20/2024.
On 12/26/2024, my case was approved. I received I-797A Notice of Action with Approval on 1/7/2025. The approval date shows the validity of H4 from 12/23/2024 to 03/13/2027.
On my I-539 I had asked for the change of status to be effective from 05/15/2024 as my 60-day period would run out on 5/19/2024.
However, the H4 approval shows the start date as 12/23/2024. So, my question is, what status was I in during the period 5/19/2024 and 12/23/2024, and will I face any problems if I go for visa stamping? Do I need to write to USCIS and ask for a date to be changed to 5/15/2024 to avoid issues in the future?
If you applied for a change of status (COS) while still in valid status—such as H-1B plus the 60-day grace period—you are not considered out of status while your application is pending. In this case, since you applied for H-4 within the grace period, the period between May (filing date) and December (approval date) is classified as an authorized period of stay, meaning it does not count as unlawful presence.
Even though the approval date is later, you are not subject to the three-year bar because you remained legally in the U.S. while the petition was pending. There are no negative implications for your status.
I am in my first year of OPT and eligible for a STEM extension. If selected in the H1B lottery on the first attempt, can I delay activating my H1B to fully utilize my STEM OPT? Would this be advisable, and what are the potential benefits or risks?
If you have time left on your STEM OPT but have won the H-1B lottery, you can technically opt for H-1B consular processing and continue using your STEM OPT. However, since 2023, this approach has become riskier.
The safer option is to proceed with an H-1B change of status. If you delay the H-1B activation and later face job loss, transferring the H-1B could be more complicated. While consular processing is still possible, it carries uncertainties. If it were my case, I would choose the change of status for a more secure transition.
I have an EAD from an approved EB1A petition (priority date: Apr 2022). I recently got laid off and am thinking of starting a business ( related to K-12 education.) MY EAD is based on an advanced degree in Operations research with publications and related work experience in data science. Is there a risk to justify 'teaching' or running a tutoring business based on this EAD? If so, can you keep looking for related jobs and teach on the side without incorporating this as a business in the interim? On an unrelated note, in your opinion, what is the risk of traveling out of the country in this situation? (I have an advance parole in hand as well.)
If you have an EB-1A-based EAD and a pending I-485, starting an unrelated business (such as teaching) is risky. Your EB-1A petition asserts that you intend to work in your field of extraordinary ability. Shifting to an unrelated field could raise questions about your original intent and impact your green card application.
Additionally, traveling on Advance Parole in this situation may pose some risks. It’s advisable to either have a job offer or a clear plan to work in your field (such as consulting with clients) before traveling. Proceed with caution.
I thank Mr. Khanna, Suman Basin, Leila Lehman and Diane Lombardo for helping me through the Employment based Green Card processing. The best thing I like about the Law offices of Rajiv S. Khanna is that they are there when you need your questions answered. Efficient and very professional team.