23 Oct 2025

I am still confused about the $100,000 fee. If am in the U.S. in F-1 status and am hoping to change status to H1B in next year’s lottery. Does the fee apply in this situation?

Answer No, the $100,000 fee would not apply to an F-1 student, if the H1B is approved as a change of status. (23.Oct.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here. Access more FAQs...

03 Sep 2025

I used only 3 months of OPT after completing my first master’s degree. I am considering enrolling for a second master’s. If I do this, would I be eligible to get the rest of my OPT period once I complete that program?

Answer The OPT time does not work like H1B time. In most circumstances, once you use any portion of your OP, the rest is ‘use it or lose it.’ (02.Sep.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE...

20 Aug 2025

The U.S. college where I obtained my master’s degree was accredited when I graduated but then lost its accreditation a few years later. Can I use this degree to qualify for a PERM position that requires a master’s degree?

Answer If the college was accredited at the time the degree was conferred, the degree typically can be used to meet a PERM position’s degree requirements. (20.Aug.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click...

23 Jul 2025

I am in H-4 status and recently was charged with shoplifting. What immigration impact might this have?

Answer It is important to get immigration guidance and criminal representation. The consequences depend, to a large extent, upon the maximum possible sentence allowed for the charge in the particular state. In some locations, a conviction for shoplifting makes one removable (i.e., deportable) and inadmissible. In...

17 Jun 2025

My school operates on a quarter-based schedule with summer, fall, winter, and spring academic quarters. Instead of taking courses this coming winter, am I permitted to take a vacation?

Answer If a student attends a school on a quarter or trimester calendar, they may take one vacation per year during any one of the quarters or trimesters, as long as they have completed the equivalent of an academic year prior to taking the vacation. (17.Jun.2025)Sheela...

30 Apr 2025

I received a B-1/B-2 visa stamp a few years ago. More recently, I was issued an F-1 visa stamp by the same U.S. consulate. Does this mean my B-1/B-2 is no longer valid?

Answer Typically, applying for an F-1 visa “stamp” would not impact the validity of an existing B-1/B-2 visa. (30.Apr.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here. Access more FAQs here.  Copyright © 2025, MURTHY...

02 Jan 2025

A few weeks after I was arrested for driving while intoxicated, I received an eMail from the consulate saying that my H1B visa had been revoked. Do I need to leave the U.S. now?

Answer The prudential revocations of a visa due to a DUI only impacts the visa “stamp,” not a person’s status.That being said, please see our MurthyDotCom InfoArticle, Alcohol-Related Arrests Create Immigration Problems (29.Dec.2023), which summarizes some of the key problems that can be created by one...

24 Dec 2024

I am on H-4 and am applying for a change of status to F-1. My husband is on H1B and his employer has filed a PERM case for him. Will that pending PERM increase the risk of my F-1 application being denied?

Answer A PERM case filed for one’s spouse normally would not increase the risk the denial of a change of status to F-1. (24.Dec.2024)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here. Access more...