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26 Aug 2021

I am an Indian citizen and was working in the U.S. in H1B status. In 2019, I was hired by the parent company in Toronto, and I have been working in Canada for the past 18 months. I now wish to return to work for the U.S. subsidiary in H1B status. Do I need to first apply for an NIE? If so, can I do that from Canada, or do I have to go to India?

Answer There is no specific COVID-related travel ban for people who are in Canada, regardless of the person's country of citizenship. Travel via the U.S./Canada land border is mainly restricted to essential travel, but travel by air from Canada to the U.S. is being treated the...

09:13 / FAQs / For Individuals / Travel / Worker
19 Aug 2021

I filed my I-485 and, after 180 days, I started looking for a new job. Shortly before I was made an offer by a new employer, my I-485 was approved. Can I still port to the new position?

Answer Generally speaking, once the I-485 has been approved, it is no longer possible to port to a same / similar position pursuant to AC21. As discussed in the MurthyDotCom NewsBrief, Changing Employers After Receiving Employment-Based Green Card (09.Aug.2021), there may be risks associated with leaving...

07:16 / Employment Based / FAQs / For Individuals / Resident / Worker
19 Aug 2021

I was in the U.S. in H1B status, but am now working from India. My H1B approval will expire in a few weeks, but I do not expect to return to the U.S. until around December. Does my employer need to file my H1B extension before the current one expires?

Answer No, if you are not in the U.S., the H1B extension does not need to be filed before the current one expires.  (19.Aug.2021)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here. Access more...

07:12 / FAQs / For Employers / For Individuals / Worker
11 Aug 2021

My H1B petition was approved through September 30, 2022. However, I have been stuck in India since the start of the pandemic. Is there a limit on how long I can work for the U.S. company from India? Also, is there a limit on how long my H1B approval will remain valid?

Answer From a U.S. immigration law perspective, there is no limit on how long you can work for a U.S. employer while you are physically in India. Also, there is no limit on how long you can remain in India before returning in H1B status. As...

10:48 / FAQs / For Employers / For Individuals / Travel / Worker
11 Aug 2021

I have a valid H1B visa stamp, but my wife’s H-4 visa has expired. We have to travel to India for an emergency. If we cannot get NIEs, I understand we can go to a different country for 2 weeks to get around the COVID travel ban. However, can my wife apply for a visa at a consulate somewhere other than India?

Answer Normally, most U.S. consulates allow third-country nationals to apply for visas. During the pandemic, however, many consulates have imposed additional restrictions. Prior to scheduling your trip, we recommend checking the particular consulate's website for instructions on eligibility to apply as a third-country national.  (11.Aug.2021)Sheela Murthy...

10:40 / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Nonimmigrant Family / Travel / Worker
10 Aug 2021

MurthyAudio: EB3 Downgrade and I-485 Filings

The pros and cons of filing EB3 “downgrade” I-140 petitions and documentation needed for I-485 Adjustment of Status filings are discussed by Murthy Law Firm attorneys in this podcast from 04.Aug.2021.The MP3 is available here, and in the archive of our teleconferences and podcasts on...

08:02 / For Employers / MurthyAudio / Worker
04 Aug 2021

I filed my H-4 and H-4 EAD extensions with my husband’s H1B extension. His extension was approved through 2024, but my applications are still pending. I recently traveled and was issued a new I-94 valid through 2024 when I returned. Can I update the USCIS with my new I-94? Will it speed up the processing of my EAD?

Answer The USCIS does not appear to have an official policy on this. Anecdotally, however, we have had cases where we have provided an updated I-94 to the USCIS while the form I-765 application for employment authorization was pending. For at least some of those cases,...

16:57 / Employment Based / Family Based / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Nonimmigrant Family / Resident / USCIS News / Worker