Can Student Visa Holders Apply for a Green Card?
This article was submitted to and published in The Economic Times.
Link to Rajiv's Author Page in The Economic Times.
This article was submitted to and published in The Economic Times.
Link to Rajiv's Author Page in The Economic Times.
The following settlement was reached in Li v. USCIS in favor of the OPT and STEM OPT applicant students suffering from delays and rejections:
I am currently on OPT, expiring on 23 May 11. I am currently working but my current employer is not willing to file for my visa and I am unable to find an employer who can file for H1B. I have following questions:
1) If I am not able to find a company-how much time ahead of my visa expiration I will have to file for H4?
2) How difficult it is for an employer file for H1 from H1 and what is the process?
3) If I have to travel out of country before the OPT expiration-do I need to have another visa approved to re enter before my OPT expiration?
1. Your H-4 application must reach USCIS before expiration of your OPT (although it could be argued that you have an extra 60 days, but I stay away from having to argue).
2. No different than filing a new H-1.
3. You could have a difficult time entering if cutting too close the end, although, legally you are entitled to it as long as you have a job in your field that you have been performing on your OPT.