H-1B Chaos | Trump & Immigration Updates
Nonimmigrant Visas
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
Search
H-1B Visa 2025 Changes - H-1B Modernization (How will this impact you?)
Nonimmigrant Visas
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
H-1B Final Rule, H-2 Final Rule, and Revised Form I-129 Effective Friday, Jan. 17
The Department of Homeland Security’s H-1B final rule and H-2 final rule take effect on Friday, Jan.
H-1B transfer: Managing multiple offers and timelines to avoid future green card complications
Question details
I have accepted the first company’s offer, and it has filed for my H1B transfer. Now, I want to sign an offer from Company two and potentially join it. So, should I make the company speed up the process and delay joining the company in order not to get issues during the green card process? What if the company forces me to join?
FAQ Transcript
You can file multiple H-1B transfers simultaneously, and it's legal. Approval of one transfer doesn’t obligate you to join that employer, nor does it affect your existing H-1B status with your current employer. You can choose to join any employer whose transfer gets approved, provided all transfers were filed while you were in valid status with your current employer.
However, if your H-1B validity is close to expiring (e.g., within 6 months), later-filed transfers may require "bridge petitions" to maintain continuity of status. Consult an immigration lawyer to ensure proper handling and avoid complications.
Can L-1A holders or applicants also apply for the H-1B lottery?
Question details
I worked in the US for the last 3 years on STEM OPT but did not get selected in the H1B lotteries. I returned to India in June 2024 and have been working with the same company since then. My employer plans to file my L1A visa petition after July 2025.
Can I also participate in the upcoming H1B lottery?
Would applying for the H1B affect my L1A petition?
Additionally, given that I have worked outside the U.S. for a year within the last five years with the same company, is it possible to transition from H1B to L1A status?
FAQ Transcript
Yes, L-1A holders or applicants can also apply for the H-1B lottery. Filing for H-1B will not impact your L-1A application unless there’s a discrepancy in the job descriptions for the two applications.
Additionally, if you’ve worked outside the U.S. for at least one year in a managerial role, you can transition from H-1B to L-1A later.
H-4 working in the US on her Indian business
Question details
My status: H1B + i140 approved (6 months completed)
Wife's status: H4 (applied for H4-EAD in July 2024)
My wife has a small business In India that she operates from here. She is currently in India (has been in India since Nov'24) and is traveling back to US (Jan'25) via Abu Dhabi.
1. Is she allowed to work for her India company in US? Everything she earns is in INR
2. If asked at port of entry, do you work in India, should she say yes or no?
FAQ Transcript
An H-4 visa holder operating a small business in India from the U.S. could potentially violate their visa status, even if earnings are in Indian rupees. At the port of entry, honesty is essential—lying could lead to a permanent U.S. entry ban, which is hard to waive.
While it's unclear if this constitutes a status violation, it’s a borderline case. To avoid risks, it’s advisable not to engage in such activities while on H-4 status.
Second Random Selection from Previously Submitted Registrations Complete for FY 2025 H-1B Regular Cap
USCIS recently announced they would need to select additional registrations for unique beneficiaries to reach the fiscal year 2025 H-1B regular cap numerical allocation. The projections indicate USCIS has now randomly selected a sufficient number of registrations for unique beneficiaries as needed to reach the regular cap from the remaining properly submitted FY 2025 registrations.
Impact of DWI conviction on H-1B holder's H-4 dependent visa stamping and future travel considerations
Question details
I got a DWI in January 2024 and was convicted of two misdemeanors (DWI+ Eluding police) in June 2024. I have an H1B petition valid until 2027, and my visa stamping has already expired in March 2024. I'm not traveling to India for now, but my wife and kid are going to India in December. Will there be an impact on H4 stamping, which will be dependent on my H1B petition? Do I have to send all papers to them, like the court decree, the court certificate of registration of actions, the charge sheet, etc.? I have a home in the USA, which I bought in November 2022. Can I also travel to India? What will be my future in the USA? Please advise if there will be an impact on visa stamping on my wife's visa.
FAQ Transcript
A DWI conviction can lead to visa cancellation, requiring visa stamping upon re-entry. However, this may trigger an addiction examination, which can take months. If deemed to have an addiction problem, you could be excluded from entering the U.S. If a spouse's visa has expired while waiting for the primary applicant's visa stamping, it's unclear if they can still obtain their visa stamp.
Recording for August 22, 2024 Conference Call with Rajiv S. Khanna
Nonimmigrant Visas
Green Card
FAQs: EB-1A Use Case -- STEM OPT cloud solutions engineer at a nonprofit university || Layoff on H-1B, Changing status from B-1/B-2 pending to F-1 || Impact of layoff on green card status and future naturalization || H-1B laid off: Second B-1/B-2 visa extension
H-1B extension pending: Impact of traveling to India using old visa, returning with 2-3 days remaining on visa, etc.
Question details
My current I-797 and H-1B visa stamping is valid until 03rd December 2024. I have filed for an extension. Can I travel to India while my H-1B extension is pending? Does it have any impact on my I-797 approval and its validity period, as my I-94 will be changed upon my reentry to the USA?
I am traveling to India for Medical reasons in the month of September and will return on December 1st, 2024. If my H-1B is not approved by December 1st, Can I enter the USA with 2-3 days of Visa stamp validity, and what justification could I give with only 2-3 days of stamping validity?
If my H-1B is approved while I am out of the country or during transit, Can I enter the USA with the existing H-1B stamping?
My work is remote, and I can work from anywhere. Can you provide me with a better solution than the 2 options below?
1. If my visa is not approved by then, I will travel to India and return to the USA before December 1st.
2. I will continue to stay in India until I get my visa approved and get the stamping done before reentry to the USA. Premium processing is no option for me as my employer will not support citing RFEs as the reason.
FAQ Transcript
If you have an H-1B visa from a previous employer that hasn't expired and your current employer has filed for an extension, you can travel outside the U.S. while the extension is pending. You can return with just a few days left on your old visa stamp. The visa is not tied to a specific employer, so as long as your old visa is valid, you should be able to re-enter the U.S.
However, it's important to carry proof of your pending extension when you return. While there is no official source confirming this, many individuals have successfully traveled under similar circumstances without issues.
H-1B options as an F-1 student on STEM OPT in a nonprofit university: Cap-subject vs. cap-exempt strategies and transitioning to cap-subject H-1B in the future
Question details
I am currently in my second year of OPT ( my stem OPT expires in December 2025), and I am working as a software engineer at a Nonprofit university.
Here is my plan for scenarios that might happen, and I need your help to tell me if I am on the right path or completely moving in the wrong direction.
My employer agreed to file an H1 at the end of the stem opt, but I plan to ask my employer (a non-profit) to file a cap-subject visa for me. Everything will be fine if they do and it gets picked. If not, I have a long-standing offer ( with a project ) from a consulting firm who will file for me.
- My question is, either way if lottery doesn't get picked i am planning to go with cap exempt route from my university.
- If I have an H-1B cap-exempt visa and my lottery gets picked any time in the future, the chances of the client waiting till Oct 1(visa start date) can be unpredictable. Is there a way to bypass this by moving to day one CPT or any other visa and starting working immediately with the client? I heard that it is practically impossible to move to cap subject if i have cap exempt visa and my priority is cap subject.
FAQ Transcript
If an H-1B cap petition is approved, you could consider moving to Day 1 CPT to start working immediately for a client. However, since your H-1B won't take effect until October 1st, a better option might be to pursue a concurrent H-1B until then, allowing you to work immediately and transition to your permanent H-1B status later.
Traveling Under Trump Administration | H-1B Updates, Immigration QnA, Jan 29, 2025
Nonimmigrant Visas
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney