Cap-Gap Rule for F-1 OPT and H-1B Cap Filer
The period of time when an F-1 student’s status and work authorization expire through the start date of their approved H-1B employment period is known as the "Cap-Gap".
The period of time when an F-1 student’s status and work authorization expire through the start date of their approved H-1B employment period is known as the "Cap-Gap".
I am currently on my Post-completion OPT. I was recently hired as an IT by a company which agreed to sponsor my H-1B. My OPT expires on January 2013. I've done my Associate Degree in Computer Science. Also, I have BS in Computer Science but from foreign country. Seven year experience in IT.I had my BS evaluated recently. It is equivalent to US Bachelors Degree in Computer Science Computer Technology.
Q1: I will have a gap of 3 months before April 1. How to maintain my status?
Q2: I am under STEM not with my US AAS but with my foreign BS degree. Can I extend my OPT with my evaluated diploma?
A1. You can consider going back to school or B-1/B-2 status. There is information on our blog on B-1/B-2 to maintain status.
Please check the attached memo.
1. How do I apply for F-1 OPT?
2. How do I get a 17-month STEM extension of my post-completion OPT?
1. Once you receive a recommendation for post-completion OPT from your Designated School Official (DSO) to pursue OPT, you must apply for an employment authorization document (EAD) with USCIS within 30 days. Additionally, you may file up to 90 days prior to your program end-date and not later than 60 days after your program end date.
My employer filed my H-1B petition during the Quota using regular processing. Now we have received an RFE. Is it possible to change to premium processing now in order to receive an earlier decision from USCIS?
When the RFE response is submitted to USCIS, a request to upgrade the petition to premium processing can be submitted along with the response. In order to upgrade to premium processing, a new Form G-28 and a Form I-907 will need to be prepared and sent to the employer for signature to be submitted to USCIS with the request to upgrade to premium pr
My H-1B was filed under the quota for the year 2014 and recently approved. Am I now in H-1B status?
A petition filed under the 2014 quota cannot have an effective date before October 1, 2013. You cannot be in H-1B status prior to that date.
Can you let me know when we can start filing H-1B cases again for this year?
If the beneficiary is not subject to the quota, you can file an H-1B for them at any time. If the beneficiary is subject to the quota, the new H-1B cannot be submitted to USCIS before April 1, 2014, with an effective date of October 1, 2014. We will start working on next year’s quota cases in January 2014.
I have H-1B stamped valid till March 2014 and I am in India right now. My current employer laid me off and cancelled my petition.I have got a call from a consultant that they can file a new petition in premium category against my exiting stamped visa under cap exempt category even if my current petition is already cancelled. Can I use my H-1B in this way even if my petition is cancelled by my earlier employer and me being available in India .
There are two parts to your question. Are you subject to H-1 quota? The answer is no, not until you have been physically outside USA for a year. Even after that, you may have the "remainder option." Second, can you use the same visa stamp to travel?
K-1 visa holders are limited to a single entry. May a K-1 visa holder nevertheless take advantage of automatic visa revalidation?
Yes. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) indicates that there is no law or regulation that precludes K-1 visa holders from benefiting from the automatic revalidation provision, provided all entry requirements and criteria are met, and their K-1 status has not changed since their initial K-1 admission.
I am on F-1/OPT extension which expires on March 2014. Is there any grace period so that my employer can file my H-1 visa. Do I loose my status after March or is there any grace period. If I come under current status when can I file my H-1?
When your application for H-1 is filed within 60 days of OPT
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.
Discussion Topics: FAQ: L-1B or TN visa for intracompany transfer - advantages and disadvantages || STEM-designated MBA - is it easier to get an H-1B visa?|| Parent's EB-2 approved, EB-3 downgrade pending, - will aging-out child's EAD interfere if EB-2 advances, and the best way to maintain the status of a child turning 21|| Do we have to refile PERM or I-140 0r I-485 due to corporate restructuring/successor-in-interest
FAQ: Consular processing employment-based green card with a job offer from a different employer
Students in the following fields will be able to obtain STEM OPT extensions for 24 months:
Release Date
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today issued policy guidance clarifying how it evaluates evidence to determine eligibility for O-1A nonimmigrants of extraordinary ability, with a focus on petitions filed for individuals in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields, as well as how USCIS determines whether an O-1 beneficiary’s prospective work is within their area of extraordinary ability or achievement.
Release Date
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2023 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 1 and run through noon Eastern on March 18, 2022. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to complete and submit their registrations using the online H-1B registration system.
Discussion topics:
I am in the initial OPT which expires on November 30, 2021. My STEM extension has been denied based on an approved H-1B which has been pending for withdrawal at the Texas Service Center for the last five months. My current employer’s attorney raised the Ombudsman request on Oct 25, 2021 and I’ve taken a U.S. state senator's help to submit an inquiry on October 19, 2021. I have received no response so far from USCIS orthe online forums. It seems it will take 30 days to get a response at least from the Ombudsman and the case inquiry but I’m running out of time. My previous employer's attorney is not willing to join a call with a Tier -2 officer and they're not helpful at all. My current employer is re-applying for my STEM OPT extension on November 24, 2021 with all the evidence possible but it's already past 60 days. I can't get a new I-20 because my SEVIS record is closed and they're not sure I'll get a favorable discretionary decision because my H-1B is still approved.
I am hoping the USCIS officer would show some discretion but from past experience I am afraid they will not. I am not really sure what to do here. I might end with a financial loss. Please guide me with your suggestions.
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.
The Biden administration earlier announced changes in immigration policy treatment of STEM fields that provide welcome opportunities to the people holding F-1 and J-1 visas in the United States.
For more details please visit this link:
FAQs: - From F-1 OPT directly applying for a green card - STEM OPT employment parameters, volunteering, part ownership, etc. - Can two employers file H-1B for the same employee using an existing I-140?
I am already on a cap-exempt H-1B working for a non-profit full time. Another employer filed my H-1B petition on the cap-subject quota on april 2018 and got an RFE april 2019 and was denied with a reason for maintaining of status. They asked my paystubs from my current employer. My questions are:
1. will there be any impact to my current H-1B?
2. If they only ask for paystubs, can I submit them and initiate motion to reopen the case? what are the possibilities of success.
FAQ Transcript
1. No, not if you are maintaining status.
2. If the case was denied just for maintenance of status and you have the pay stubs that are required then there is a very high likelihood the case will be reopened. If the petition is denied, then you are still subject to the H-1B quota. 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.
I have question to related to H1B revocation and Cap exemption.
I am based in India and have never traveled to the US. Back in 2014, Employer A filed H1B for me. It got picked in the lottery, got approved for 3 years till August 2017. When I went for Visa stamping at Chennai consulate, I was given 221g and the case was sent back to USCIS and it got revoked in August 2017. ( about 3 years later of my H1B Approval)
Now I have an employer B who is ready to sponsor H1B. Am I eligible for cap exempt or should i go through the regular CAP quota? Earlier H1B can be used and transferred to my new employer?
If an H-1B is revoked it gives you no benefit. You are back in quota. The moment it is revoked you have no benefit from that at all and if there is any kind of fraud allegation against you, you cannot come back to the United States at all. That's the permanent bar from entering the U.S with very few exemptions.
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.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest immigration updates in Biden Administration
The URL for the channel is:
http://youtube.com/immigrationdotcom
Discussion Topics:
We have just received our first H-1 quota receipt notice. That indicates the H-1 lottery is concluded.