Question 1: Redo the PERM or just the I-140. If redoing the PERM again then what's new in this regulation?
Answer: After 180 days, you can extend H-1 even if 140 is withdrawn.
Question 2: It seems that there is no easy provision for EAD/AP for approved 140 applicants. So is there any point in waiting for this rule or Should I consider Visa stamping is only option for traveling outside US? Please suggest as I waited for a year or long thought they are going to give AP.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 14 January 2016:
FAQ: Percentage arrangement for salary; Naturalization (citizenship) after lengthy stay abroad; H-1 6 years expiring, options; H-1 Cap exemption, visa stamped, but never worked; FAQ: Can I apply for H-4 visa if H-1 visa is rejected; can I convert from H-4 to H-1; Filing multiple PERM/green card petitions; Green card EB-1C international executive or manager, L-1A.
Other: Entering USA close to visa expiration; L-1B to L-1A and PERM; Transfer of priority date, green card through future employment, H-4 EAD based upon old employer’s I-140; H-4 EAD applying for green card, extending H-1; H-4 to H-1 conversion; Green card through future employer; Green card job duties, job title, promotion; G-315a RFE; Affidavit of birth; H-4 EAD and Change of Status; Priority date transfer, etc.
Discussed: FAQ: Refiling I-140 using old PERM (after 180 days);
Calculating recapture time for H-1; Form I-864, affidavit of support; maintaining green card; green card for parents; H-4 EAD; L-1 to F-1 to H-1; H-1 COS denial; simultaneously filing H-1 amendment and extension; H-1B amendment out of status; starting business on H-1; appeal/MTR against H-1 denial; marriage on B-1/B-2 visa; OPT eligibility; medical insurance; eligibility for naturalization; eligibility for EB-1C green card;
Discussion Topics, Sept 21, 2017
EB2 to EB1 conversion - F-1 to H-1B - L-1 to H-1B - Travel on H-1B - H-4 EAD - Fiancee Visa
What are the requirements to get a visa and green card as an international entrepreneur? Is the start-up visa effective?
Watch the Video on this FAQ: Current immigration/visa options for entrepreneurs
Video Transcript
A few options for Entrepreneurial Visas:
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.
I entered the US in 2014 on L1A, then changed employer mid-2015 on H1(previously held petition). In 2017 again changed employer in a role equivalent to International Manager. Can my current employer file my Green Card under EB1 category?
Watch the Video on this FAQ: Filing EB-1C, International Managers or Executives green card
Video Transcript
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.
I was on L-1A and later switched to H-4 EAD 3 years back (working with the same Indian multinational company for 15+ years). I manage a large team here in the USA, and some of my reportees are in the U.K. Since the H-4 EAD extension is taking time, my company plans to move me to Canada for one year. As per the plan, I will be back to the USA on an L-1A visa, and then the company will file for my green card in the EB-1C category. I don't have any team in Canada, and I will mainly manage the same U.S. and U.K. team from Canada.
The USCIS will consider the broad range of your duties within the business context, including employees being supervised and managed in countries other than the USA (or Canada). In our experience, the USCIS looks at whether the benefit of the work you perform with your dispersed team flows to the petitioning employer and the corporate group, department, or division within the L-1/EB-1C equity/control relationship. But, of course, your particular facts need to be examined in context. So have your lawyers look at them very carefully.
Note: Where transcribed from audio/video, 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.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, October 17, 2019
FAQ: Filing I-485 through a new employer, if the old priority date gets current || Compelling Circumstances EAD || Converting from H-1B to H-4 and back again || How long is an I-140 approval valid?
OTHER: Public charge issues || L-1A, EB-1C issues correlation with H-1B || Expunged criminal conviction and naturalization || Changings jobs after getting green card || H-4 EAD || Traveling while Supplement J is pending || SOW MSA for H-1B || Reapplying after a denied H-1B || J-1 HRR || Changing employers while I-140 is pending || Public Charge || H-1B for a higher job || Buying health insurance. etc.
Topics Discussed: Green card and other options for parents of US citizens || Porting priority date || L-1A to EB-1 || File new H1b with I 797B || Travel outside US with 485 pending || Downgrading to EB-3 with concurrent filing for I-485
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 19 November 2020:
EB-1C eligibility after company transition while pending I-485 and L-1A extension || Post completion OPT and employment issues || Canadian citizen applying for TN visa during presidential proclamation ||Sharing misdemeanor details of spouse while filing for green card || Document Checklist for I-485 Adjust of Status || Consular processing and green card when priority date is current||Transition from F-1 to H-1B || H-1B Visa expiring, extension and delay due to wage rate increment || I-485 filing and issues related to primary and derivative applicant || How long for an interview after the priority date becomes current || H-1B visa potential immigration issues for being outside the USA for more than a year during pandemic || Laid off due to Covid and the effect on adjudication of STEM OPT visa || AC21 portability, I-140 and starting a new venture || 221g administrative processing and H-1B visa stamping || Presidential Proclamation and H-1B visa stamping || Change of status from J-1 to F-1 Visa and Biometrics || Understanding the Visa Bulletin || H-1B and prevailing wage levels || Employment Authorization in compelling situations
FAQs: Filing Supplement J, staying without work on EAD, H-1B denial effect on I-485 Age Out/CSPA for children immigrating to the US
OTHERS: Completed I-765 form with a mistake, will the application get rejected || I-140 is withdrawn before 180 days of pending I-485 and EAD application || WD 7A1 stamp and future vacation travel to US || B-2 visa duration and extension || Getting a US Passport under Section 320 for a Minor || Wait for H-4 EAD or convert visa from H-4 to F-1 (finishing graduate degree online) by traveling to India for visa stamping || On F-1 visa stamped for 5 years for 1-year graduate course and unclear when required to leave || Applying for a re-entry permit after receiving green card || USCIS Receipt Notice Delays for I-140/EB-1C || H-1, H-4, EAD expiring: H-1 extension already filed || B-2 extension and RFE responses for parents during covid || Applying for H-4 after marriage with an approved I-140 || Moving to H-1B from Adjustment of Status if currently working on EAD || L-1A Stamping in Canada instead of India - Advantage || Maintaining H-1B status while waiting for green card || AOS filing and processing questions with H-1 and H-4 parents and child on F-1 now over 21 || Downgrading and processing time issues.
FAQs: Religious Worker Visa, premises still under construction || Students aging out of H-4 || Lawsuit against status denial for CPT users || AC21 portability Supplement J || L-1 and entrepreneurial H-1B || 60 days grace period of H-1B getting over - F-1 option || Need to amend H-1B for remote work from home || Part time H-1B || Doing business on OPT
OTHER: IR5 Green Card traveling separately || H-1B Quota exemption || Reentry Permit obligations || H-1B change of status || CSPA for child of EB-1A petitioner || 212(e) waivers for J-1 holders || I-140 withdrawal || H-4 EAD processing times ||
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 5 March 2020
FAQ: Denial of a tourist/visitors/B visa 214(b) ||citizenship/naturalization trips of more than six months abroad || Time of stay and definition of a manager/executive employee for L-1A and EB-1C ||Transfer of H-1B while extension is pending ||What to do after an H-1B (or L-1) denial? ||Work duration and damages contracts under H-1B ||I do not have my final degree/diploma certificate/what should I do?
OTHER: Scheduling green card interview in a third country consulate || multiple H-4 extensions simultaneously ||AR-11 change of address filing, etc.,
April 16 Call, Discussion Topics and FAQs
Applying for tourist, visitors, B-1, B-2 to maintain status || Effect of take over on L-1 || EB-1C International Managers/Executive Green Card portability || I-140 revocation || Aged out disabled children || Losing job after AOS I-485 interview || H1b visa holders during COVID
Canadians living in USA || False claim to US Citizenship || Joint affidavit of support || Expired green card || Impact of NOIR on approved H-1B ||Maintaing H-1B during AOS
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 28 May 2020:
FAQ: Applying for I-485 through a past employer or through a new employer || L-1A moving back to home country with green card pending || Can green card be applied for an old job under the international manager EB1C category? || Applying for naturalization/citizenship under Trump administration || Effect on H-1B of working from outside the USA || Laid off while green card is pending
Other: Porting priority date from EB-2 two EB-1C as international manager || J-1 gap in status/O-1 visa || H-1 RFE converting to H-4 || Amendment or extension timing || Nunc pro tunc or consular processing of H-1B || H-4 extensions || OPT and CPT times || International adoption procedures || F-1 student working in the USA for a foreign company, etc.
FAQs: I-485 Pending Using EAD Consequences || H-4 EAD issues || FAQ: H-1B no notification of termination, 60 days grace period, etc. || Deadline to join new employer after H-1B transfer is approved ||
OTHER: DV lottery || Withdraw BALCA appeal, H-1B extension || H-4 EAD Starting business || Name error on I-140 || Green Card holding parents unable to travel || Traveling with existing L-2 visa || H-1B extension based upon pending green card || EB-1C priority date prediction || F-1 OPT withdrawing H-1B
FAQs: Priority date and original I-140 approval notice || Staying with the same employer for 180 days after I-140 approval|| Green Card holder stuck outside the US for more than a year|| Salary reduction on H-1B.
OTHER: Lawsuit for delay || EB-1C Consular Processing|| H-1B withdrawal by old employer, etc. || H-1B approved, current visa options || Section 319(b) naturalization || H-1B transfer after visa denial || Arrest for Marijuana || L-1A number of employees || Transferring H-1B with a copy of approval || L-1A for a newly acquired company || Filing green card on H-4 EAD || Supplement J issues, etc.
For updates, see my blog page on Obama's Immigration Action.
Takeaway points for legal immigration from President Obama’s executive action:
1. USCIS is “about to” publish the final rule on H-4 work authorization. That will make it possible for certain spouses of H-1 holders to get work authorization.
2. Improving employment-based green card backlogs by:
a. Making visa issuance more efficient so no immigrant visas are wasted;
b. Providing for better AC21 rules and other ways to keep immigrant visas intact after a change of jobs. USCIS will clarify what constitutes “same or similar” job so that AC21 will not stop workers from getting promotions or even changing to related jobs within their field. USCIS must clear the path to career progression for green card applicants.
3. Expandingfurther the OPT time for STEM students, but creating tighter control on which universities/schools/degrees are eligible and ensure local workers are protected (Implement some sort of a “mini PERM?”).
4. Creating opportunities for foreign “inventors, researchers and founders of start-up” companies to come to the USA through an existing program called “National Interest Waiver.” Unfortunately for India, this is an EB-2 category program requiring several years of wait. But the following parole program will help:
a. Creating a parole (which is usually a temporary, but very quick measure and could eventually lead to a green card) program so that on a case-by-case bases, “inventors, researchers and founders of start-up” companies can be brought quickly into the USA where:
i.They have raised financing in the USA; OR
ii.Otherwise hold the promise of innovation and job creation through development of new technologies OR cutting edge research
5. Creating guidelines for exceptionally qualified or advanced degreed individuals to come to the USA through an existing program called “National Interest Waiver.” As noted, unfortunately for India, this is an EB-2 category program requiring several years of wait. But the parole option above could be helpful.
6. Providing clear guidance on L-1B program as to who can qualify.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, April 28, 2022:
Release Date
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is providing information for nonimmigrant workers whose employment has terminated, either voluntarily or involuntarily. These workers may have several options for remaining in the United States in a period of authorized stay based on existing rules and regulations.
FAQs: Job loss situation - Alternatives and return options for H-1B visa holders with approved I-140 || Remote work for a U.S. startup: Starting off on managerial duties from India before L-1 visa filing
Discussion Topics:
A sound and pragmatic advice. Very professional and courteous. Very impressed for the sound judgement.