L1A visa and H-1
I am in USA on a L1A visa. If my H1B is approved, do I need to go to India to get my H1B visa stamped?
I am in USA on a L1A visa. If my H1B is approved, do I need to go to India to get my H1B visa stamped?
My husband's employer are busy with a L1 / L2 application for our family. My husband will go to the US (in June) on his L1 visa, 2 months before me and the children, since I have to wait for them to finish their school year in July. We will join him end of July. When he goes over in June ... Can he
1) apply for my SS number
2) hand in the forms for my EAD
without me being in the country, or does that have to wait till August when I arrive?
As far as I know, you will have to be here. Nothing can be done before that.
Below are the validity dates of my L2 Visa,I-94& EAD:
L2 Visa Expiration Date: 18JUL2010
I-94 : 06MAY2011
EAD expiration date: 02OCT2010
I would like to apply for EAD renewal on June 4th, 2010 [120 days before EAD expiration]
Since I & my husband have I-94 valid till May 2011, my husband's company is planning to extend L1/L2 visas next year. Will my EAD renewal process have an impact with L2validity? As per my understanding, since I would remain on valid L2 visa after 18 July,2010 for 7 months[till I-94 expiration] can I renew my EAD without necessarily extending my L2visa.
I am working in US with L1B Visa from company A, now I have my H1 petition approved from the same company had applied to me before I had L1B. Now is it possible for me to change my Visa status from L1B to H1, if yes then what are the situations under which I will be able to change as I am planning to change the company.
You will need to apply for an H-1 through the employer you wish to join. You should be able to apply for a change of status as a part of that process.
Can You Do Business In the USA on Your Current Visa?
Hello, everyone. This is Rajiv S. Khanna for the Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna, P.C, immigration.com.
You can post comments and questions on immigration.com. I usually respond within three or four days, sometimes a week. I’m going to answer one of the questions someone asked us on immigration.com.
Can I start a business on an H-1 visa?
The bottom line is yes, as long as you are in a situation where, even though you are working for your own company, somebody in the company can file. It must be a true employer/employee relationship. How does that work? What if you have a board of directors or if you have a CEO to whom you report, even though you are a stockholder or maybe even you even have majority of stock in the company, but somebody in the company can file, you’re okay. USCIS has indicated that is their present stance. You must have an employer/employee relationship if you want to be able to start your own business on H-1.
In addition to that, remember H-1 is for a specific employer. So if you want to have a concurrent employment with your own company or you want to change companies and go over full time to your own company, you can do that, but you have to process a H-1, either a concurrent H-1 or a successive H-1. One of the things you need to remember is, if you own majority stock in the company, or if you have influence over the management of the company, it will be very difficult if not impossible for you to do a Green Card through PERM through your own company.
Where does that leave us? There’s a whole history behind this H-1. I won’t go through the history. USCIS has gone up and down. “You can do it.” “You cannot do it.” There is a whole history behind this. But the bottom line today is, you can do it, but it definitely requires some in-depth consulting with a lawyer. Make sure you are not getting into a situation which is going to hurt your stance.
Here is another question I get asked.
I have an EAD through 485. Can I now start my business?
Sure. On the side, you can, as long as you don’t leave your current job. But, remember, you will then no longer be on H-1. You will be on EAD if you start working for your own company.
I actually have a whole list of visas.
Can I do business on E-2?
Yes, of course. E-2 visas, which are treaty investor visas, are meant to do business. E-1, treaty trader, the same thing. But only a few countries in the world have a treaty with the United States to do E-1/E-2 visas, so you have to make sure that the country you come from has that.
If I’m here on a tourist visa or a B-1, which is called a business visa, can I do business?
The answer is, you can negotiate contracts, you can shake hands, and you can even set up a company, but, if you actively participate in business, you are violating the terms of B visa. B-1, which is the business visa, is a misnomer. You start thinking, I have business visa; maybe I can start a business. But you can’t do it on B-1.
Can I start a business on F-1 visa?
Of course not. You are a student.
What if I am on my optional practical training and I have my F-1 EAD?
Maybe, but only for the time you have the EAD. Again, that is something to be explored. Don’t just jump into it. Make sure you understand the ramifications of what you’re doing.
What about on a G visa?
On G-4, of course, the primary applicant of G-4 is engaged in working for a multinational organization such as the World Bank or the IMF. They cannot do business, but what about their dependents? I haven’t looked into it specifically. I suspect that they can, because they do get an EAD and that EAD is not confined to a specific purpose, but I would have to check on that. I’m just speaking off the top of my head. I was primarily answering the H-1 question, but I want to share with you what I know. So, G-4, probably yes.
H-4? Absolutely not.
H-1? As long as you can be fired.
I visa? No.
J-2 visa? Yes, as long as you have an EAD.
K visa? K visas are all work authorized, so, yes, you can do business.
L-1? No, because you’re working for a company.
L-2? Yes, because you get an EAD.
M Visa? No.
I went through the whole gamut, just to give you a rough idea; more so, to sensitize you to who can and who cannot do business.
Thank you for listening.