Discussion Topics, Thursday, 6 October 2016:
FAQ: Issues regarding changing jobs while on H-1:-- Is there a minimum time gap necessary to transfer H-1 from one job to another, change jobs| timing of resigning and joining; Errors in visa and passport; Name spellings different in various documents; Arrival departure records from-to Canada; Liquidated damages clause in H-1 employment contract; Applying for EB-1 if EB-2 is in process; Changing careers on H-1
Other: Indian passport for child born in USA; Priority dates movement; Work visa or status for students; Correcting errors in I-140 approval; Changing from B (visitors visa, tourist visa, business visa) to student status; Minimum days needed on passport expiration for visa entry; Processing through NVC; H-1B extension beyond 6 years; Visa dates movement, changing jobs on H-1, priority date transfer, approval of I-140; Adoption and immigration; Name discrepancy when applying for parents visa; Changing jobs, filing I-485, precautions for priority date transfer, etc
I recently moved from Company A to B on July-2016 as a contractor while on i was on my 6th year H-1B visa. Company B did my H-1B transfer and I-140 got approved through them as well. Now working at End client location placed through Company B. Now End client wants to hire me as Full Time employee.<br>
1. Given I recently joined Company B will my jumping to Company C cause any issue to my H-1B visa? <br>
2. Can company B cancel my H1B petition?If Yes, Do i have to have a approved H-1B petition from Company C before informing Company B about the offer?<br>
3. Will my I 140 which got approved thru company B still be valid? Can i use it for future extensions of H-1B?<br>
4. Company B did not provide I-140 copy, how to obtain the same from USCIS?<br>
5. Is there any mandatory period to serve in one company who has sponsored my GC as I recently got my I-140 approved in August-2016?
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.
Its been a long journey that started with completion of masters (F1) visa and today receiving green card (GC). I have been with Rajiv ji and his team since the beginning of my immigration journey (F1(OPT) -> H1 -> H1 Ext.-> Perm -> I140 -> I765 -> I485).
As said by everyone else here in the guestbook i also concur with all the things.
Firstly, they know what they are doing and are best at it. They have a solid knowledge about all the immigration rules, jargon, what can cause potential problem in future and how to handle the complexities a case has.
Secondly, very professional, prompt replies and free consultations. One thing that i liked is that they all are very easy to reach including Rajiv ji itself and that helps a lot in calming down the immigration anxieties of clients.
Best wishes to you and your team.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 20 October 2016:
FAQ: H-1B or Green Card changing job roles, How soon should I-485 be filed once dates are current; Changing jobs while a quota H-1 is pending; Changing jobs after I-140 approval; Applying for reentry permit; Filing a PERM based green card through a company owned or managed by a relative; Filing green card while on student visa F-1;
Other: How soon can I go for H-1 visa stamping; Does CBP officer at the airport have the right to search belongings, cell phone, etc? Large medical treatment bill; Green card for a nurse; Visitors/Tourist visa reentry; Using experience under PERM as a contractor; EB-1C if I have been in the USA already for three years; Traveling while H-1B amendment is pending; Applying for H-4 EAD; H-1B remainder option; Applying for tourist/visitors visa after having applied for green card; Factors affecting EB-1 green card; H-1 holder leaving USA for medical reasons.
Our software company has worked with Rajiv and his staff for 2 years on various visa applications (H1B, L1, EB2) and couldn't be more pleased. The entire staff is professional, reliable, knowledgeable, and friendly. Rajiv is never too busy to have a call to provide updates & recommendations, and even just to put employees at east during these most stressful times. I highly recommend the Law Office of Rajiv S. Khanna.
Starting May 26, 2015, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B Extension of Stay petitions until July 27, 2015. During this time frame, petitioners will not be able to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, for a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting an extension of the stay for an H-1B nonimmigrant. USCIS will continue to premium process H-1B Extension of Stay petitions filed with Form I-907 premium requests prior to May 26, 2015.
FAQ: US Citizen applying for Green Card for visiting family member (spouse/parents); Birth and Marriage Certificate Issues; FAQ: Getting nanny/domestic help from India; FAQ: After getting Green Card - how long do you have to stay with your employer.
We have been working with Mr. Khanna and his team for years and we cannot thank them enough for all they do for us. I like to share a comment that I just received from one of our employees who recently received his H1 approval: "Really appreciate Immigration lawyers for thoroughly review the documentation. I am glad for this approval and believe all their efforts are reflected in this approval."
On April 9, 2015, USCIS’ Administrative Appeal Office (AAO) issued a precedent decision, Matter of Simeio Solutions, LLC, which held that employers must file amended H-1B petitions when a new Labor Condition Application for Nonimmigrant Workers (LCA) is required due to a change in the H-1B worker’s worksite location. Specifically, the decision stated:
I am looking for opportunities using the remainder option of my H-1B. I have a year and half remaining out of six years.
Now, most of the companies do not want to start the GC process immediately; they want to start after 6-12 months.
I have the following two questions:
1. What stage do I need to reach on my GC process when the remaining time on H-1B ends.
2. If my company doesn't want to start GC process immediately, can I begin this on my own using my personal fund?
See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.
https://youtu.be/3Heaadpk1Ik?t=273
FAQ Transcript:
My name is Harendra having H-1B and an Indian national , I want to file H-4 for my wife who is a Srilankan national with Srilankan passport , living in India legally with my parents after marriage for the past three months. Can she apply her H-4 from India or she needs to go back to her native country to apply ?
Is there any rule for spouse applying visa from primary applicant's country of residence?
See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.
https://youtu.be/3Heaadpk1Ik?t=396
FAQ Transcript:
FAQ: H-4 EAD filing while H-1 extension is pending; H-4 EAD. Converting from H-1 to H-4 EAD - good idea or not? H-4 EAD. Documents needed; name issues; processing times, etc.; H-4 EAD Expediting Possible?
Other Topics: Green card issues because of diseases; H-1 amendment with change of location; when is a degree considered to be completed;
My spouse is on H-1 visa and his former employer filed I-140 and then my spouse changed his employment to another employer and transferred his H-1, the I-140 has not been revoked by former employer. So my H-4 is with the former employer valid for three years, and current employer for my spouse has not filed H-1 for me. Is the H-4 from the former employer valid for file EAD or do I have to apply for H-4 again and what would be the documents that would I need to file H-4 EAD ?
Every time the H-1 holder changes job, the H-4 holder does not need to re -apply for H-4. Your H-4 is good. You don't have to have different H-4 for the employer. Of course, every time the H-1 holders change their job they have apply for new H-1 but as long as you never violated status and H-1 holder has never violated status that H-4 continued to be good from job to job to job, you are good.
Your second question was what document need to file H-4 EAD?
I got my H-1B petition approved last year, it got extended as well. I have never used any of these visas to work in the U.S. though I have travelled few times to U.S. but on B-1 visa for meetings with the customers. So the question is when do I become exempt from the H-1 quota?
In your situation when you are outside the USA, you become exempt from the H-1 quota when you get your visa stamped. So I think USCIS interpretation of law is faulty and incorrect, because in my view as soon as H-1 is approved you should be exempt from the quota but USCIS has taken the position that unless you get the visa stamped from the consulate we will not consider you exempt if you are outside the USA. So it appears to me that you should be exempt from the quota.
My I-140 was approved on Sept 2011. I came to US on 2008 beginning on L-1 visa and then my employer converted to H-1 visa. On February'15 I got an extension on my H-1 visa based on I-140 approval but I didn't get it for 3 years from Feb'15 rather I got it till Nov'16 (about 1 year 10 months). I am thinking to join another company now. What should I consider before I transfer my H-1 to employer B from employer A on my situation? My wife is on H-1 and it’s valid till 2018. I am also thinking my wife to apply H-4 EAD rather continuing on H-1. Is that going to be a better option?
See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.
FAQ Transcript:
Q1. Among the documents needed for filing H-4, what are the ones we really need to make sure, we have them. I mean few like Date of Birth Certificate from Indian Municipal/Registration office..... is that needed even for H-4 EAD. What if the name on the Birth Certificate from Registration office is different from name on Passport? What should be done here? Any other documents etc. we need to be careful about and should be working to get ready now. (Education certificates and marriage certificate etc. we already have)
Q2. Would it again be first come -first served in terms of filing H-4 EAD? I mean people who file on May 26-27 --would their applications be processed earlier than the ones who file little later.
Q3. Approximately how much time it’s expected for EAD to arrive, everything going well
Q4. One last question, if I happen to change my employer at this time, and if my GC process is re-initiated would my wife be still eligible for filing H-4 EAD or NOT ( in a situation if old employer revokes I-140 )
A1. So far it appears to me and again we don’t have the details yet. The very least you will need is proof of marriage and birth certificate. I don’t think that is the normal requirement but I believe proof of relationship should be acquired and kept. Then the question what if the names on the birth certificate and passport are different.... we still don’t know lot about these issues. I would say an affidavit explaining the discrepancy and probably making efforts to remove the discrepancy whether you want to have the passport issued under the correct name or whether you want to have a Indian court give a declaratory judgment of some kind that the name X and Y are the same person. Something like that would be a good idea. But it is not going to stop you H-4 EAD application at least in my mind. I think even education certificates are irrelevant because the H-4 EAD is not given based upon what degrees you have, it is given based upon your relationship with the H-1 holder who is at a certain level of maturity in the green card process. I am not worried about the laminated original document. That doesn’t bother me.
A2. First of all USCIS just roughly follows the first in, first out rule. They are not always bound by that rule because there are so many variations within the processing times if it is given to a particular officer, which depends on what is their case load is and what if they have to take a couple of days off. It’s not always predictable that you will always be first in and first out.
A3. Under the regulations USCIS should adjudicate EADs within 90 days. But in case you don’t know they are finding it very difficult to keep to that time. I will be surprised if they are able to keep to the 90 days process, but if it is merely administrative process and there is not a whole lot of investigation involved then I don’t see why not but I really don’t know.
A4. The government has said as long as you have one I-140 that remains unrevoked they will give us the H-4 EAD. But if the I-140 is revoked then H-4 EAD will not be given.
I would like to thank Mr. Rajiv Khanna for guiding me through from the time I applied for HIB through and until I got my green card. My special thanks to Ms. Bharati Gajjala, my case manager who was very responsive and she handled the process of submitting all the relevant doucumets professionally. I also thank Ms. Suman, who also assisted me when I requested for information. I would strongly recommend the services of "The Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna" to any one who want to apply for H-IB or for a Green Card. RAMA