Guestbook Entry for Samina, United States
Name
Samina
Country
United States
State
TX
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Guestbook Entry for John, United States
Name
John
Country
United States
State
Maryland
Comment
I had a conference call with Mr. Rajiv Khanna. My question was regarding time lines for Green Card processing. I am in my 6th year of H1-B and was planning to change my Job with 9 Months left on my Visa. I have not started my Green Card Processing yet. The call was quick and to the point. He detailed me of the options available. He didn't promise me that everything will be done but the call gave me the required confidence in my decision making. He is a [i]walking encyclopedia of immigration[/i]. Note: The call was a free call and he was there on call even before I dialed in. On the whole it was a good experience.
Changing employers after I-140 approval; impact on H-1, green card, H-4 EAD, etc.
Question details
Planning to change my employer. Priority Date: Sept 2014 (EB2). H1: on my 5th Year (Filed for an extension it is currently in process). My plan is to change my employer once my extension is approved but I have the following questions. I am 100% sure my employer is going to withdraw my I-140. How is my H1 transfer going to work?
FAQ Transcript
First of all the moment, your I-140 is approved no matter which category EB-1 or EB-2, the Priority Date is yours to keep that means if you got your green card filed in let's say 2017 and you left this employer after the I-140 approval, they revoked your I-140 and you started another green card in 2020 your Priority Date will be still 2017 because your I-140 was approved. So the moment the I-140 was approved the Priority Date becomes your property and it can be carried across categories, across employers, and across geographical areas. So if you go from a PERM filing in New York to an employer in California and your previous filing was EB-3 next filing is EB2 or even EB-1 you can carry the date of the work petition as long as the I-140 was approved. The moment the I-140 is approved, the Priority Date is yours.
There are limited exceptions unless the I-140 is revoked for fraud, etc., by the USCIS. Even if the employer revokes the I-140 you will keep your Priority Date. In addition to that, if the I-140 gets approved and stays approved for 180 days you will not only carry your Priority Date you will carry your right to extend your H-1 through any employer indefinitely. You will get a second benefit after 180 days and if the lawyer revokes the I-140 you will still get the benefit of both Priority Date and the right to extend your H-1 through any employer. The government has also said if you have an H-4 EAD for your spouse, your I-40 stayed approved for 180 days your wife's or your husband's H-4 EAD is safe even if the old employer revokes the I-140 later on as long as the I-140 stayed approved for 180 days. So if you left but the I-140 stayed approved for 180 days H-4 EAD is safe. That, in a nutshell, is the general law. More
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
Working Outside USA While in GC or H-1 Process
We contacted Rajiv Khanna for advice. His whole team seemed very professional. He went through our resume free of charge to suggest if we had a case; provided us with his opinion in a very honest way. Just the week before, I tried to talk with a different immigration attorney over phone, and the first dialogue I received was, "I work for money...I can't talk to you for free..". In that regard, the response I received from Rajiv Khanna's office was pleasantly opposite! I'll refer him to any of my friend who seeks for an immigration attorney.