[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 109 (Monday, June 8, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32267-32294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-13919]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of 36 participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business (visitor [B] visa purposes only) for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. The program was established in 1986 with the objective of eliminating unnecessary barriers to travel, stimulating the tourism industry, and permitting the Department of State to focus consular resources in other areas. VWP eligible travelers may apply for a visa, if they prefer to do so.
I am on my OPT period (June 1st, 2021 - May 31st, 2022) and am working for a company in the USA. I plan to travel to India for my sister's wedding from December 18th, 2021, to December 28th, 2021. The following are my questions for travel in these COVID situations:
1. I wanted to know the details for entering the USA. What documents should I have while entering the USA?
2. Does the USA allow OPT holders to enter?
A1: You will need to contact your DSO for endorsement on your I-20 to travel, evidence that you have been working (like pay stubs), and a letter from your employer confirming that you will be returning to your ongoing employment.
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.
Update 1- Feb 8, 2021
Can students on OPT CPT work remotely during the COVID times. ICE says yes. See from page 12 on of this FAQ released by the govt.
https://www.ice.gov/doclib/coronavirus/covid19faq.pdf
Discussing allegations of fraud and consequences when a short term visa holder tries to convert to green card or another long term visa from within the US.
Our client, a former Tri-Valley University of California (TVU) student who was left out of status due to unexpected closure of TVU, applied for reinstatement to student status. He retained us to respond to the Request for Evidence (RFE) he received on his reinstatement application. There were several serious issues raised by USCIS in the RFE. One of them was that the USCIS alleged that the online classes our client took at TVUdisqualified him from full-time F-1 student status. We prepared a comprehensive response and documented our client’s entire case
I am in the initial OPT which expires on November 30th, 2021. My STEM Extension has been denied based on approved H1-b which is pending withdrawal at the Texas Service Center for the last 6 months. My current employer’s attorney raised the Ombudsman request a week ago and I’ve taken Ohio senator's help to submit inquiry two weeks ago but no response so far from the USCIS and also from online forums it seems it’ll take 30 days to get a response at least but I’m running out of my time. My employer is reapplying for my STEM OPT in two weeks again. Do I need to take any other steps to get this issue resolved?
Firstly, talk with your DSO. Second thing is to talk to your congressman's office. Even though they are effective in my opinion they can take time. These are the only two steps that I can recommend in addition to what you have done.
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.
For latest updates, watch this video with Rajiv from Dec 28, 2021.
31 March 2022
Forms |
Response Time |
Premium Processing Fee |
Expected Implementation Time |
---|---|---|---|
Most Form I-140 EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 petitions |
USCIS recently updated the following form:
Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service
05/31/2022 10:01 AM EDT
Discussion Topics:
I am on an F-1 visa. I just need to know what are the consequences of working without authorization. I have a situation due to a hardship problem during the Covid times, I worked for one and a half months (approximately I don't remember exactly). I had a loan that paid my tuition but during the Covid times the bank from my hometown denied the transfer of funds. So, for that particular period I worked because I did not have a choice. All of my family members were fighting the worst covid situation at that time. There are five people in my family; four were in the hospital for weeks. I was not aware that working without authorization is a serious violation of my status.
In the future when I apply for H-1B or apply for OPT, what kind of consequences do I face? What are my options to get out of this situation? Can we get one pardon from the USCIS for this mistake?
The DSO could assist you in this matter and figure something out. But be prepared to leave the United States and secure a job if possible. Keep applying for an H-1B and if you ever get through the lottery and you get an H-1B approval make sure that you reveal in your visa papers that there was a violation. Be truthful about it. Remember this is not a ground for denying your H-1B. Therefore H-1B is definitely a possibility, but getting back the student status may be difficult.
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Note: Unless the context shows otherwise, all answers here were provided by Rajiv and were compiled and reported by our editorial team from comments, blog and community calls on immigration.com. Where transcribed from audio/video, a verbatim transcript is provided. Therefore, it may not conform to the written grammatical or syntactical form.
1. Can I have multiple employers i.e. jobs in the first year of OPT and also after getting STEM OPT extension?
2. Can all my employers start my green process simultaneously?
3. If H-1B COS is approved through one employer i.e. switched from OPT to H-1B, can I still continue other jobs and GC process with them? If not, is there a way to continue all jobs?
4. Does it make a green card case stronger if the sponsoring employer is a big renowned company like Microsoft or Amazon? Also, what about if the company is small?
5. Does OPT, STEM, and H-1B allow you to do a job that allows remote work from within the U.S. regardless of the pandemic? Is such a job eligible for H-1B and green card sponsorship?
1. Yes. STEM OPT people can also have more than one concurrent job, but they have to work with their DSO's to make sure the paperwork is filed properly.
2. Yes, as long as there is a good faith intention to join any one of these employers who can get your green card.
3. Yes, you can. You can have multiple H-1B approvals living together in the same space.
4. It does not impact the speed of the green card. What is most important is the company's financial solvency.
5. Remote work is possible for both OPT STEM, H-1B and Green Card jobs.
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Note: Unless the context shows otherwise, all answers here were provided by Rajiv and were compiled and reported by our editorial team from comments, blog and community calls on immigration.com. Where transcribed from audio/video, a verbatim transcript is provided. Therefore, it may not conform to the written grammatical or syntactical form.
Q1. If I change my employer while my H-1B COS is filed but not yet approved, then can I keep using my OPT and STEM with my new employer, or I will lose both OPT & H-1B, and will be out of status?
Q2. If my H-1B COS is denied, then can I keep using my OPT and STEM, or I will lose both OPT & H-1B, and will be out of status?
Q3. How often does it happen that H-1B COS, transfer, and renewal get denied? And what could be possible reasons for denial?
1. You can double check with your DSO about the technical issues involved.
2. You have to go back to your DSO and tell them you would like to continue on OPT STEM.
3. All the time.
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Note: Unless the context shows otherwise, all answers here were provided by Rajiv and were compiled and reported by our editorial team from comments, blog and community calls on immigration.com. Where transcribed from audio/video, a verbatim transcript is provided. Therefore, it may not conform to the written grammatical or syntactical form.
My daughter was born in Canada and is on my H-1 visa as an H-4 dependent. She is currently studying 2nd year of her Bachelor's degree and will turn 21 in July/2024. I have a couple of questions, and they are
1. By what date/age she needs to change her status from H-4 to F-1?
2. Once on F-1 status, are there a minimum number of months/semesters/years she has to complete before being eligible for a CPT or OPT?
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USCIS recently updated the following form(s):
Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service
11/03/2022 09:50 AM EDT
Question 1
1. Is it legal for an employee to pay all the expenses of a green card (eb2 / eb3), such as cost of attorney, pwd, recruitment, perm, I140 premium, I485, etc.?
2. Is it legal for employee to pay the cost of h1b premium transfer?
Question 2
My question is related to H1B stamping.
I have a stamped visa till April 2024 from my previous company.
I have a new I-797 from my current company.
Do I still have to go for Visa Stamping if I visit India in December 2023.
Answer 1: Employees cannot legally pay for green card expenses, H-1B fees, or premium processing associated with PERM. For the green card process, the employer must cover all costs. In the case of the I-140 stage, the employer should pay, especially if the employee is on H-1B. However, for the I-485 stage, the employee can pay.
Regarding H-1B, the employer should generally cover all expenses, except for premium processing. If premium processing is for the employee's benefit and the employer opts not to pay, the employee can choose to cover the cost. If premium processing is for the employer's convenience, the employer must pay.
In summary:
Green Card (PERM): Employer must pay; employee cannot.
I-140 stage: Employer should pay, especially for H-1B holders.
I-485 stage: Employee can pay.
H-1B expenses: Employer should pay, except for premium processing.
Premium processing: Employee can pay if for their benefit; otherwise, employer must pay.
Answer 2: Additionally, an employee with an old H-1B stamp from a previous employer can use it for a different employer. There's no need for new visa stamping if there's a new approval notice. Traveling on the old stamp with the new approval is permissible.