08 Jan 2018

My OPT expires in June 2019, and I am being sponsored for an H1B cap case this year. I need to travel to India at the end of April for a couple of weeks. Will that impact my H1B?

Answer Very likely, the H1B filed in April could be approved only for consular processing, not for a change of status. This means that, assuming the H1B case is selected in the lottery and approved, one in this situation would probably need to depart the U.S....

18 Dec 2017

Is a merit-based immigration proposal still being considered by the current Administration?

Answer Such a proposal has been introduced in Congress, and has been promoted by the Trump Administration. It does not appear to have much support at this time, and passage seems unlikely. (18.Dec.2017)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance...

11 Dec 2017

I am moving to a new H1B employer. The proposed job title is Senior QA Engineer. Does this job title pose any problems?

Answer The job title is largely irrelevant - the important factors are the listed job duties and the "SOC" (standard occupational classification) code chosen for the LCA filing. These generally will govern the USCIS's adjudication. (11.Dec.2017)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior...

04 Dec 2017

I have been working in H1B for 3 years, but am now changing to F-1 status to get a degree in a completely different field. After graduating, would I then need to go through the lottery again to return to H1B?

Answer No, if one has been counted against the H1B cap, moving to a different field of work would not make the person cap-subject. As long as the six years of H1B time have not been fully utilized, the person typically still would remain cap exempt....