Guestbook Entry for Giridhar Tanjore , United States
Name
Giridhar Tanjore
Country
United States
State
OH
Search
Guestbook Entry for Roshan D'Souza, United States
Name
Roshan D'Souza
Country
United States
State
WA
Comment
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.
Guestbook Entry for Aravinth Kaliappan, United States
Name
Aravinth Kaliappan
Country
United States
State
MD
Comment
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
Guestbook Entry for Dilbagh Gill , United States
Name
Dilbagh Gill
Country
United States
State
NJ
Comment
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.
Guestbook Entry for Rajesh Nair, United States
Name
Rajesh Nair
Country
United States
State
MN
Comment
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!
Guestbook Entry for Abha , United States
Name
Abha
Country
United States
State
New Jersey
Comment
Thanks to the whole team. Rajiv jee, Judi, Anna!! Great work. All my questions were answered by the team and my paper work was prepared meticulously. Very highly recommended.
Guestbook Entry for Kiran Kasuganti , United States
Name
Kiran Kasuganti
Country
United States
State
Maryland
Comment
Thanks to Mr.Rajiv Khanna and Ms.Sheena Gill. I got a most substantive RFE on my I140. INS asked too much information and the time is less. Sheena and my company worked over time and replied to the RFE with perfect documentation with in the time.I was surprised to see the approval time within a week.
The credit goes to Ms. Sheena and my employer.
Guestbook Entry for Ravi , United States
Name
Ravi
Country
United States
State
Connecticut
Comment
I got an RFE to prove my experience with skills and old employer was not ready to give letter with skills. Sheena, Rajeev and Mathew took care of it so professionally. When I read the RFE reply before sending it; I was amazed at the work put in. Once again thanks to Sheena and all.
Guestbook Entry for Ram Krishnan , United States
Name
Ram Krishnan
Country
United States
Comment
Thanks to Sheena for working on I-140 RFE that required lot of documents and finally it was approved. Also I would like to thank Mathew, Prerna and Richa for working in my GC process. I hope I-485 will be approved soon.
Guestbook Entry for Arnab C, United States
Name
Arnab C
Country
United States
State
MA
Comment
I and my wife recently got our green cards approved, which was been processed through LORK's office.
The process took a while to complete but finally it got over. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Rajiv Khanna and and everybody at his firm for handling the processing of our application so expertly and professionally.
Special thanks to Mathew Chacko, Prerna Mehta, Amrita and Bharathi Gajala who were involved with our cases at different stages. The LORK team members were always very cooperative and helpful with all of our GC related matters. I had also received RFEs for my case and they were responded to very promptly and with accurate detail by Rajiv and his team members.
I would also like to thank Rajiv Khanna for the great service he provides for the immigrant community through his Live chats. These chats and the recorded transcripts helped us with answering our queries and doubts over the whole complicated process of Green card and also kept our hopes up during the long-winded process.
Looking forward to working with LORK's office again in future.
Guestbook Entry for Bharghava, United States
Name
Bharghava
Country
United States
State
VA
Comment
I have been working with Rajeev Khanna's Laws office since the beginning of 2005 when i applied my labor. The whole team has been very helpful and very prompt in informing me about the latest status. I have had RFE on labor and 40 and both have been addressed promptly and all the documentation was done without much involvement from me. Even when we had a window to apply for my I -485 within a very short period of time. I personally thank Sheena, Tarun and the whole team for being very helpful. I hope i get my 485 approved soon. I would recommend the team to everyone who is looking for their immigration and other services. Thanks once again.
H Visa Processing times & status checks
Processing Times
- USCIS Service Center Processing Times
- California Service Center
- Nebraska Service Center
- Texas service Center
- Vermont Service Center
Nonimmigrant Visas
E-3 Issue
Question details
I am an Australian citizen currently on a B2 that expires in Oct. I lodged I-539 application for extension in Aug and received I-797 receipt Aug 25.
I may have found an employer that will sponsor me on an E3 visa (Australians only). All I need is a letter of offer and a completed Labor Condition Application.
To apply for the E3 visa though, I need to leave the USA and visit a US consulate. I do not have my original I94 any more (I submitted it with my I-539) but I do have a copy of it. Once I get a letter of offer, I will travel to either Toronto Canada or home to Sydney Australia to apply for the visa.
Qo1. Can I still leave the USA without the original I94?
Qo2. In the event my E3 visa is denied, will I be able to re-enter the USA from Canada without the original I94, provided my stay in Canada is less than 30 days? (And how would this work if I take the trip up there after the expiration date of the original I94? Remembering that my B2 extension is pending)
Ans1. Yes. You should not need an original I-94 to travel out.
Ans2. You probably cannot reenter using a copy of the I-94. Not only that, your departure from USA renders your pending B application void (considered abandoned).
They way I see it, you have two choices. Wait for B extension before you go for E stamping. Or, go for E stamping bearing in mind the consequences of abandonment and reentry not assured.
H-2 Visa - Temporary Workers
The H-2B visa category is used by U.S. employers to temporarily employ skilled or unskilled foreign nationals in nonagricultural positions for which the employer has a temporary need and for which qualified U.S. workers are unavailable. The company must plan to employ the foreign nationals for a temporary period and the employer’s need for the skills of the foreign nationals must also be temporary. In addition, the employer must seek a “labor certification” from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) certifying that:
Can H-4/F-2 holders perform volunteer work?
The following discussion applies to all visas where working is not permitted. Most typical examples of these types of visas are F-2 and H-4. The question often arises whether or not it is legal for such folks to volunteer their time or are they constrained to stay at home.
Quote: Q. May an H-4 (or F-2 type visa) holder volunteer for work to provide charitable service, to gain experience or just to stay busy?
F-1 OPT - No Job
Question details
I was approved for my OPT on February 2008 for a duration of one year. At that time, I was allowed to stay in US for 1 year while looking for job. On April, 2008, a new regulation came according to which a student on OPT can not stay in US without job for more than 90 days. I was not aware of this rule until end of September 2008. Now I have applied for dependent visa. My worry is that unknowingly I stayed for around 6 month without job when I was actually allowed for only three month.
I am worried that is this mistake going to affect my new visa approval? Is there anyway I can explain USCIS that it happened because I was not informed about this rule and I did not come across it.
Your best bet is to get your dependent visa stamp from a consulate as soon as possible. That should take care of any potential future problems.
H-1 converting to H-4 and then (maybe) back again
Question details
I have a friend who came to US on H4 & was on H4 for 2 years. Then she applied for H1B from 2 companies (A & B) & got approved from both the companies. She got the project in Oct 2008 & started working for Co B .
Now due to bad economy, her Project is ending in January 2009 and she is not able to find any new project.
While working she have been paying taxes regularly.
Pl let us know what needs to be done now:-
* She is planning to go back to H4, pursue higher studies, Changing to F1 & then coming back on H1B work. (H4-H1-H4-F1-H1) or (H4-H1-H4-H1).Will this create Bad impression to USCIS ?
* When next time the H1B petition is being filed for her, will her petition be subject to regular H1 B quota of 65000 & will have to go through a typical process of filing, that means Petition being filed in April & waiting for approval until Oct. to work?
* If in case My friend goes back to H4, Will Co. A & B will terminate H1B petition as per law? & If in case yes will this create any difference?
Changing the way she is planning is perfectly legal. There is no question of a "bad impression."
In my view, she will not be subject to quota unless she is outside USA for a year.
The companies are required by law to revoke her H-1. I see no issues there.
H-3 Visa Trainees
General Information
An H-3 classification applies to an alien who is coming temporarily to the United States:
(1) As a trainee, other than to receive graduate medical education or training, or training provided primarily at or by an academic or vocational institution, or
(2) As a participant in a special education exchange visitor program which provides for practical training and experience in the education of children with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
Nonimmigrant Visas
H-1 where there is no license in hand
In professions that require a license under State law (teacher, nurse, architect, physician), an H-1B cannot be submitted without the license. This is the general rule.
Nevertheless, where the license is delayed because the beneficiary does not yet have a Social Security Number, CIS may approve the petition for at least one year. We must, however, submit documentation from the licensing State agency confirming that the beneficiary has met all other requirements for the license (except providing a SSN) and that one will be issued as soon as the agency receives the SSN.
H-1 - how to revert to old employer
Question details
My friend was working for Company A and he shifted to Company B, three months back filing a new H1B, But his employer got a 6 page H1B query list, his employer is not revealing the query and is not in a position to respond.
Couple of questions, Can I switch back to Company A.
1. Does he need to file with DOL (or) USCIS that I am switching back to company A
2. If his H1B with company B is not approved, will it be a problem that I worked Company B for 3 months and has taken the pay?
Other Question is, Company A send a letter to INS saying that he is not working with Company any more (Company A employer is telling that he did not revoke the H1B but send a normal letter to INS), Can he still switch back to Company A???
If he can not join back Company A, Can he file a new H1B with another company, knowing the fact that he has a query on his H1B with Company B.
In my view, he cannot go back to company A without taking some additional steps.
Here, company A has revoked the H-1 (all that takes is a letter), they will need to reapply the H-1 and he should get a new visa stamp. He can also get an H-1 through another employer but will most probably need a visa stamp before he can start work. The existing query (RFE) should not normally interfere with any future applications unless the RFE contains some allegations of fraud or lack of qualifications related to your friend.
H-1 quota - the law
People (even lawyers, including me) find it difficult to keep the H-1 quota issues straight. I am giving the law here for reference and better understanding.
The Law
_________________________________________
AC21
_______________________________
SEC. 103. SPECIAL RULE FOR UNIVERSITIES, RESEARCH FACILITIES, AND GRADUATE DEGREE RECIPIENTS; COUNTING RULES.
Section 214(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
H-1 transfer - what action is needed for H-4
Question details
I came to USA with an H1b Visa, my family's H4 visa was also issued with me. After coming to USA I transferred my H1b visa to new company and I got my transfer approved and I got a new H1b with new I-94, my question is whether they can travel with the old H4 or not?
If their visa is still valid, they can travel. Each time an H-1 holder changes jobs, the H-4 holders are NOT required to change their H-4, as long as the H-4 status (I-94) or visa is still valid. An action on H-4 is required only if the status (if within USA) or the visa (if traveling abroad or outside USA) is about to expire. Of course, if H-1 holder has been out of status even for one day, my answer would change.
L-1 - H-1 COS issues
Facts - I am on an L1 visa working for employer A and my wife is on L2-EAD. We both applied for H1 visa through Employer B and it got approved recently. I am not sure if Employer B (Consulting Company) has applied for COS while applying for both of ours H1 visa. Could you answer the following queries for both (COS applied and COS not applied) conditions during H1 application.
Questions
Naturalization - travel before oath
My husband and I have our N400 petition pending for almost 18 months. We passed our interview in July 2007 and had our 2nd fingerprinting 2 weeks ago. We were also informed that we have been cleared from background check. We have to leave for an international assignment in December and would like to understand the steps we need to take so it does not impact/disrupt our naturalization process, in case we do not get called for oath by then.
Can an unrelated Masters degree get me an EB2?
Question details
When we apply for Green card under EB2 category, should the masters degree and present job be related? Here is a situation: I have a masters in Agribusiness and I am working as a business analyst. My employer says I am not eligible to apply under the EB2 as my masters is not related to my present job in IT sector. Please let me know the reality.
In fact there is no simple answer. Legally, there is nothing that requires that the degree must be in a related field. But, the employer needs to make sure, under penalty of perjury, that they do require a Master's degree, even if it is unrelated.
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.