26 Mar 2025

I am in H1B status and am trying to fill out an online form I-539 so I can change to H-4. The form asks me to list my current status, but the drop-down menu does not provide H1B as an option. What should I do?

Answer This question on the online I-539 is a bit confusing. To indicate you are in H1B status, you must select the “1B1 - H-1B1 Specialty Occupation” option. (26.Mar.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online...

19 Mar 2025

Several years ago, an employer filed an H1B petition through the lottery for me. It was approved without an I-94 card because I was not in the U.S. when the petition was filed. I then was issued a visa stamp by the consulate, but my circumstances changed, and I never entered the U.S. If I wish to apply for an H1B now, would I have to go through the lottery again?

Answer Generally speaking, if a person was issued an H1B visa “stamp” based on a case filed through the lottery, that person is considered cap-exempt (and therefore would not need to go through the lottery again). (19.Mar.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies...

19 Mar 2025

Last year, my H1B registration was selected in the lottery. However, my H1B petition was denied. The employer filed an appeal on the denial, and that appeal is still pending. Can the employer submit an H1B registration for me again this year?

Answer A pending appeal on an H1B petition would not typically prevent a person from reapplying under the current year’s H1B lottery. (19.Mar.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...

17 Mar 2025

USCIS Launches Alien Registration System

Details of the alien registration requirement, which had been announced by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on 25.Feb.2025, have now been released. Effective 11.Apr.2025, foreign nationals who are subject to the new registration mandate must comply with the registration requirement via an online...