We received notice to come into Baltimore office for EAD 6 days before appointed time. Both were out of town on business on day of appointment, so followed instructions of informing them in writing and requesting new appointment date.
Didn't hear from them for more than 90 days, so made appointment on INFOPASS.
Arrived at 9am, called within 5 minutes to window - showed EAD application filing receipt and told to wait. 2 hours passed,
It was ~92 days since I applied at VSC and so decided to go to Boston for interim EAD.
Came at 6:20AM at entrance. 10 Guys ahead of us and by 7AM 20 guys behind us. Were promptly let in by guard at 7 AM. Was issued a ticket number after standing in line for a brief period. Then waited till 11:30 AM to get my 5 min at the counter. Officer was courteous and simply asked us for the relevant forms. He then gave the approval form to drop off with the person who makes the EAD card who took about 30 min to issue the card.
Myself and my wife applied for EAD on 12/13/2004. I got approved in a week but she did not get approval. So, We took the appointment at Newark, NJ at 7:45 AM on 04/22/2005.
We reached 970 Broad St, Newark ,NJ at 5 AM. No one was there and waited outside of the builing. People started coming after 6:15 AM. By 7:30 AM there were around 40-50 people around.
USCIS recently updated the following form:
Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
01/20/2025 12:37 PM EST
Edition Date: 01/20/25. Starting July 30, 2025, USCIS will accept only the 01/20/25 edition. Until then, you can also use the 01/17/25 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
For more information, please visit the Forms Updates page.
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | February 2024 |
| Audit Review | N/A |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | March 2025 |
Published by: The Economic Times - July 04, 2025
https://tinyurl.com/48ww6hy6
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:
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: Times Now - July 02, 2025
https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/another-blow-to-internati…
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Published by: The Times of India - July 02, 2025
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/us-plans-fixed-stay-…
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Published by: Mathrubhumi English - July 02, 2025
https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/us-may-limit-student-visas-t…
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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: Business Today- July 02, 2025
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Published by: NewsBytes - July 02, 2025
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/us-proposes-fixed-duration-visa…
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Published by: Upstox- July 02, 2025
https://upstox.com/news/business-news/latest-updates/trump-s-fresh-visa…
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:
FAQs: What are the risks of job seeking while on F-2 or B-1/B-2 status post-H-1B layoff || F-1 COS -- Risks of future denials, job search, and visa stamping with multiple status changes || H-4 extension (I-539) abandoned by travel? Re-filing strategy after re-entry with new I-94
Number 5
Volume XI
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISAS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during August 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.
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.